#endangered language introduction

[polyglot-thought]

Critically Endangered Language Introduction:

Chulym

Ӧс тили

Some information about the Chulym language:

It’s critically endangered, meaning there are very few native speakers left, who are also elderly, and young people are not picking up the language. In writing, Chulym seems to use Cyrillic and or IPA and Latin script. You can read more about the Chulym language and people on Wikipedia, here and here; and on Living Tongues here.

Example Words & Phrases ↓

Provided by Living Tongues at this link, Cyrillic transliteration by me (which may be inaccurate)

по могалак тур-убул

po moɣalak tur-ubul 

this bear is standing (there)

мӕн ал-лик-им палик

män al-lɨk-ɨm palɨk 

I will take (some) fish

иштен-ник-им

iʃten-nik-im 

I will work

көр-бык-тер

kør-byk-ter

they won’t see

Please correct me if I made a mistake

[intersexbookclub]

Summary: Chapter 4 of Critical Intersex

For many of us, Chapter 4 of Critical Intersex (2009) turned out to be a particularly rich source of information about intersex history. So I (Elizabeth) have decided to give a fairly detailed summary of the chapter because I think it’s important to get that info out there. I’m gonna give a little bit of commentary as I go, and then a summary of our book club discussion of the chapter.

The chapter is titled “(Un)Queering identity: the biosocial production of intersex/DSD” by Alyson K. Spurgas. It is a history of ISNA, the Intersex Society of North America, and how it went from being a force for intersex liberation to selling out the movement in favour of medicalization. (See here for summary of the other chapters we read of the book!)

Our high level reactions:

Elizabeth (@ipso-faculty): Until I read chapter 4, I didn't really realise how reactionary “DSD” was. It hadn't been clear to me how much it was a response to the beginning of an organized intersex advocacy movement in the United States.

Michelle (@scifimagpie): I could feel the fury in the writer's tone. It was a real barn burner.

Also Michelle: the fuckin' respectability politics of DSD really got under my skin, as a term! I know the importance, as a queer person, of not forcing people to ID as queer, but this was a lot.

Introducing the chapter

The introduction sets the tone by talking about how in the Victorian era there was a historical shift from intersex being a religious/juridical issue to a pathology, and how this was intensified in the 1950s with John Money’s invention of the optimal gender rearing model. 

Spurgas briefly discusses how the OGR model is harmful to intersex people, and how it iatrogenically produces sexual dysfunction and gender dysphoria. “Iatrogenic” means caused by medicine; iatrogenesis is the production of disease or other side-effects as a result of medical intervention.

This sets scene for why in the early 1990s, Cheryl Chase and other intersex activists founded the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA). It had started as a support group, and morphed significantly over its lifetime. ISNA closed up shop in 2008.

Initially, ISNA was what we’d now call interliberationist. They were anti-pathologization. Their stance was that intersexuality is not itself pathological and the wellbeing of intersex people is endangered by medical intervention. They organized around the abolition of surgical intervention. They also created fora like Hermaphrodites With Attitude for the deconstruction of bodies/sexes/genders and development of an intersex identity that was inherently queer. 

The early ISNA activists explicitly aligned intersexuality in solidarity with LGB and transgender organizing. There was a belief that similar to LGBT organizing, once intersex people got enough visibility and consciousness-raising, people would “come out” in greater numbers (p100).

By the end of the 90s, however, many intersex people were actively rejecting being seen as queer and as political subjects/actors. The organization had become instead aligned with surgeons and clinicians, had replaced “intersex” with “DSD” in their language.

By the time ISNA disbanded in 2008 they had leaned in hard on a so-called “pragmatic” / “harm reduction” model / “children’s rights perspective”. The view was that since infants in Western countries are “born medical subjects as it is” (p100)

Where did DSD come from? 

In 2005, the term “disorders of sexual differentiation” had been recently coined in an article by Alice Dreger, Cheryl Chase, “and three other clinicians associated with the ISNA… [so as] to ‘label the condition rather than the person’” (p101). Dreger et al thought that intersex was “not medically accurate” (p101) and that the goal should be effective nomenclature to “sort patients into diagnostically meaningful groups” (p101).

Dreger et al argued that the term intersex “attracts the interest of a large number of people whose interest is based on a sexual fetish and people who suffer from delusions about their own medical histories” (Dreger et al quoted on p101)

Per Spurgas, Dreger et al had an explicit agenda of “distancing intersex activism from queer and transgressive sex/gender politics and instead in supporting Western medical productions of intersexuality” (p102). In other words: they were intermedicalists.

According to Dreger et al, an alignment with medicine is strategically important because intersex people often require medical attention, and hence need to be legible to clinicians. “For those in favor of the transition to DSD, intersex is first and foremost a disorder requiring medical treatment” (p102)

Later in 2005 there was a “Intersex Consensus Meeting” organized by a society of paediatricians and endocrinologists. Fifty “experts” were assembled from ten countries (p101)... with a grand total of two actually intersex people in attendance (Cheryl Chase and Barbara Thomas, from XY-Frauen). 

At the meeting, they agreed to adopt the term DSD along with a “‘patient-centred’ and ‘evidence-based’ treatment protocol” to replace the OGR treatment model (p101)

In 2006, a consortium of American clinicians and bioethicists was formed and created clinical guidelines for treating DSDs. They defined DSD quite narrowly: if your gonads or genitals don’t match your gender, or you have a sex chromosome anomaly. So no hormonal variations like hyperandrogenism allowed.

The pro-DSD movement: it was mostly doctors

Spurgas quotes the consortium: “note that the term ‘intersex’ is avoided here because of its imprecision” (p102) - our highlight. There’s a lot of doctors hating on intersex for being a category of political organizing that gets encoded as the category is “imprecise” 👀

Spurgas gets into how the doctors dressed up their re-pathologization of intersex as “patient centred” (p103) - remember this is being led by doctors, not patients, and any intersex inclusion was tokenistic. (Elizabeth: it was amazing how much bs this was.)

As Spurgas puts it, the pro-DSD movement “represents an abandonment of the desire for a pan-intersexual/queer identity and an embrace of the complete medicalization of intersex… the intersex individual is now to be understood fundamentally as a patient” (p103)

Around the same time some paediatricians almost came close to publicly advocating against infant genital mutilation by denouoncing some infant surgeries. Spurgas notes they recommended “that intersex individuals be subjected (or self-subject) to extensive psychological/psychiatric, hormonal, steroidal and other medical” interventions for the rest of their lives (p103).

This call to instead focus on non-surgical medical interventions then got amplified by other clinicians and intermedicalist intersex advocacy organizations.

The push for non-surgical pathologization hence wound up as a sort of “compromise” path - it satisfied the intermedicalists and anti-queer intersex activists, and had the allure of collaborating with doctors to end infant surgeries. (Note: It is 2024 and infant surgeries are still a thing 😡.)

The pro-DSD camp within the intersex community

Spurgas then goes on to get into the discursive politics of DSD. There’s some definite transphobia in the push for “people with DSDs are simply men and women who happen to have congenital birth conditions” (p104). (Summarizer’s note: this language is still employed by anti-trans activists.)

The pro-DSD camp claimed that it was “a logical step in the ‘evolution in thinking’” 💩 and that it would be a more “humane” treatment model (p105) 💩

Also that “parents and doctors are not going to want to give a child a label with a politicized meaning” (p104) which really gives the game away doesn’t it? Intersex people have started raising consciousness, demanding their rights, and asserting they are not broken, so now the poor doctors can’t use the label as a diagnosis. 🤮

Spurgas quotes Emi Koyama, an intermedicalist who emphasized how “most intersex people identify as ‘perfectly ordinary, heterosexual, non-trans men and women’” (p104) along with a whole bunch of other quotes that are obviously queerphobic. Note from Elizabeth: I’m not gonna repeat it all because it’s gross. In my kindest reading of this section, it reads like gender dysphoria for being mistaken as genderqueer, but instead of that being a source of solidarity with genderqueers it is used as a form of dual closure (when a minority group goes out of its way to oppress a more marginalized group in order to try and get acceptance with the majority group).

Koyama and Dreger were explicitly anti-trans, and viewed intergender type stuff as “a ‘trans co-optation’ of intersex identity” (p105) 🤮

Most intersex people resisted “DSD” from its creation

On page 106, Spurgas shifts to talking about how a lot intersex people were resistant to the DSD shift. Organization Intersex International (OII) and Bodies Like Ours (BLO) were highly critical of the shift! 💛 BLO in particular noted that 80-90% of their website users were against the DSD term. Note from Elizabeth: indeed, every survey I’ve seen on the subject has been overwhelmingly against DSD - a 2015 IHRA survey found only 3% of intersex Australians favoured the DSD term.

Proponents of “intersex” over “DSD” testified to it being depathologizing. They called out the medicalization as such: that it serves to reinforce that “intersex people don’t exist” (David Cameron, p107), that it is damaging to be “told they have a disorder” (Esther Leidolf, p107), that there is “a purposeful conflation of treatment for ‘health reasons’ and ‘cosmetic reasons’ (Curtis Hinkle, p107), and that it’s being pushed mainly by perisex people as a reactionary, assimilationist endeavour (ibid).

Interliberationism never went away - intersex people kept pushing for 🌈 queer solidarity 🌈 and depathologization - even though ISNA, the largest intersex advocacy organization, had abandoned this position.

Spurgas describes how a lot of criticism of DSD came from non-Anglophone intersex groups, that the term is even worse in a lot of languages - it connotes “disturbed” in German and has an ambiguity with pedophilia and fetishism in French (p111).

The DSD push was basically entirely USA-based, with little international consultation (p111). Spurgas briefly addresses the imperialism inherent in the “DSD” term on pages 118/119.

Other noteworthy positions in the DSD debate

Spurgas gives a well-deserved shout out to the doctors who opposed the push to DSD, who mostly came from psychiatry and opposed it on the grounds that the pathologization would be psychologically damaging and that intersex patients “have taken comfort (and in many cases, pride) in their (pan-)intersex identity” (p108) 🌈 - Elizabeth: yay, psychiatrists doing their job! 

Interestingly, both sides of the DSD issue apparently have invoked disability studies/rights for their side: Koyama claimed DSD would herald the beginning of a disability rights based era of intersex activism (p109) while anti-DSDers noted the importance in disability rights in moving away from pathologization (p109).

Those who didn’t like DSD but who saw a strategic purpose for it argued it would “preser[ve] the psychic comfort of parents”, that there is basically a necessity to coddle the parents of intersex children in order to protect the children from their parents. (p110) 

Some proposed less pathologizing alternatives like “variations of sex development” and “divergence of sex development” (p110)

The DSD treatment model and the intersex treadmill

Remember all intersex groups were united that sex assignment surgery on infants needs to be abolished. The DSD framework that was sold as a shift away from surgical intervention, but it never actually eradicated it as an option (p112).  Indeed, it keeps ambiguous the difference between medically necessary surgical intervention and culturally desired cosmetic surgery (p112). (Note from Elizabeth: funny how *this* ambiguity is acceptable to doctors.)

What DSD really changed was a shift from “fixing” the child with surgery to instead providing “lifelong ‘management’ to continue passing” (p112), resulting in more medical intervention, such as through hormonal and behavioural therapies to “[keep] it in remission” (p113).

Cheryl Chase coined the “intersex treadmill’: the never-ending drive to fit within a normative sex category (p113), which Spurgas deploys to talk about the proliferation of “lifelong treatments” and how it creates the need for constant surveillance of intersex bodies (p114). Medical specialization adds to the proliferation, as one needs increasingly more specialists who have increasingly narrow specialties.

There’s a cruel irony in how the DSD model pushes for lifelong psychiatric and psychological care of intersex patients so as to attend to the PTSD that is caused by medical intervention. (p115) It pushes a capitalistic model where as much money can be milked as possible out of intersex patients (p116).

The DSD treatment model, if it encourages patients to find community at all, hence pushes condition-specific medical support groups rather than pan-intersex advocacy groups (p115)

Other stuff in the chapter

Spurgas does more Foucault-ing at the end of the chapter. Highlight: “The intersex/DSD body is a site of biosocial contestation over which ways of knowing not only truth of sex, but the truth of the self, are fought. Both intelligibility and tangible resources are the prizes accorded to the winner(s) of the battle over truth of sex” (p117)

There’s some stuff on the patient-as-consumer that didn’t really land with anybody at the book club meeting - we’re mostly Canadians and the idea of patient-as-consumer isn’t relatable. Ei noted it isn’t even that relatable from their position as an American.

***

Having now summarized the chapter, here's a summary of our discussion at book club...

Opening reactions

Michelle (M): the way the main lady involved became medicalized really made my heart sink, reading that.

Elizabeth (E): I do remember some discussion of intersex people in the 90s, and it never really grew in the way that other queer identities did! This has kind of helped for me to understand what the fuck happened here.

E: It was definitely a very insightful reading on that part, while being absolutely outraging. I didn't know, but I guess I wasn't surprised at how pivotal US-centrism was. The author was talking about "North American centric" though but always meant the United States!!! Canada was just not part of this! They even make mention of Quebec as separate and one of the opposing regions. I was like, What are you doing here, America? You are not the entirety of our continent!!!

E: The feedback from non-Anglophone intersex advocates that DSD does not translate was something that I was like, "Yes!" For me, when I read the French term - that sounded like something that would include vaginismus, erectile dysfunction - it sounds far more general and negative.

M: the fuckin' respectability politics of DSD really got under my skin, as a term! I know the importance, as a queer person, of not forcing people to ID as queer, but this was a lot.

E: it was very assimilationist in a way that was very upsetting. I knew intellectually that this was going on. There was such a distinct advocacy push for that. The coddling of parents and doctors at the expense of intersex people was such a theme of this chapter, in a way that was very upsetting. They started out with this goal of intersex liberation, and instead, wound up coddling parents and doctors.

Solidarities

M: I feel like there's a real ableist parallel to the autism movement here… It dovetails with how the autism movement was like, "Aww, we're sorry about your emotionless monster baby! This must be so hard for you [parents]!" And it felt like "aw, it's okay, we'll fix your baby so they can interface with heterosexuality!" [Note: both of us are neurodivergent]

E: A lot of intersexism is a fear that you're going to have a queer child, both in terms of orientation and gender.

E: You cannot have intersex liberation without putting an end to homophobia and transphobia.

M: We're such natural allies there!

E: I understand that there are these very dysphoric ipsogender or cisgender people, who don't want to be mistaken as trans, but like it or not, their rights are linked to trans people! When I encounter these people, I don't know how to convey, "whether you like it or not, you're not going to get more rights by doing everything you can to be as distant as possible."

M: it reminds me of the movements by some younger queers to adhere to respectability politics.

E: Oh no. There are younger queers who want respectability politics????

M: well, some younger queers are very reactionary about neopronouns and kink at pride. they don't always know the difference between representation and "imposing" kinks on others. In a way, it reminds me of the more intentional rejection of queer weirdos, or queerdos, if you will, by republican gays.

E: I feel like a lot of anti-queerdom that comes out of the ipso and cisgender intersex community reads as very dysphoric to me. That needs to be acknowledged as gender dysphoria.

M: That resonates to me. When I heard about my own androgen imbalance, I was like, "does that mean I'm not a real woman?" And now I would happily say "fuck that question," but we do need an empathy and sensitivity for that experience. Though not tolerance for people who invalidate others, to be honest.

E: The term "iatrogensis" was new to me. The term refers to a disease caused or aggravated by medical intervention.

M: So like a surgical complication, or gender dysphoria caused by improper medical counselling!

The DSD debate

ei: i think the "disorder" discussion is really interesting. in my opinion, if someone feels their intersex condition is a disorder they have every right to label it that way, but if someone does not feel the same they have every right to reject the disorder label. personally i use the label "condition". i don't agree with forcing labels on anyone or stripping them away from anyone either.

M: for me, it felt like a cautionary tale about which labels to accept.

ei: i'm all around very tired of people label policing others and making blanket statements such as "all people who are this have to use this label”... i also use variation sometimes, i tend to go back and forth between variation and condition. I think it's a delicate balance between being sensitive to people's label preferences vs making space for other definitions/communities.

We then spoke about language for a bunch of communities (Black people, non-binary people) for a while

E: one thing that was very harrowing for me about this chapter is that while there was this push to end coercive infant surgery, they basically ceded all of the ground on "interventions" happening from puberty onward. And as someone who has had to fight off coercive medical interventions in puberty, I have a lot of trauma about violent enforcement of femininity and the medical establishment.

ei: i completely agree that it's psychologically harmful tbh…. i was assigned male at birth and my doctors want me to start testosterone to make me more like a perisex male. which is extremely counterproductive because i'm literally transfem and have expressed this many times

Doctors Doing Harm

M: for me, the validation of how doctors can be harmful in this chapter meant a lot.

E: something that surprised me and made me happy was that there were some psychiatrists who spoke out against the DSD label. As someone who routinely hears a lot of anti-psychiatry stuff - because there's a lot of good reason to be skeptical of psychiatry, as a discipline - it was just nice to see some psychiatrists on the right side of things, doing right by their patients. Psychiatrists were making the argument that DSD would be psychologically harmful to a lot of intersex people.

ei: like. being told that something so inherently you, so inherently linked to your identity and sense of self, is a disorder of sexual development, something to be fixed and corrected. that has to be so harmful

ei: like i won't lie i do have a lot of severe trauma surrounding the way i've been treated due to being intersex. but so much of my negative experiences are repetitive smaller things. Like the way people treat me like my only purpose is to teach them about intersex people …. either that or they get really creepy and gross. I’m lucky in that i'm not visibly intersex, so i do have the privilege of choosing who knows. but there's a reason why i usually don't tell people irl.

M: intersex and autism have overlap again about how like, minor presentation can be? As opposed to the sort of monstrous presentation [Carnival barker impression] "Come see the sensational half-man, half-woman! Behold the h-------dite!" And like - the way nonverbal people are also treated feels relevant to that, because that's how autism is often treated, like a freakshow and a pity party for the parents? And it's so dehumanizing. And as someone who might potentially have a nonverbal child, because my wife is expecting and my husband and she both have ADHD - I'm just very fed up with ableism and the perception of monstrosity.

Overall, this was a chapter that had a lot to talk about! See here for our discussion of Chapters 5-7 from the same volume.

[gothhabiba]

For centuries, scholars’ understanding of sub-Saharan Africa derived from the written records of European colonialists, who gave the impression that sub-Saharan Africans had no native written languages of their own. In fact, says Fallou Ngom, who grew up in Senegal, people in sub-Saharan Africa have used a written system derived from Arabic to record the details of their daily lives since at least the 10th century.

That script, Ajami, is still flourishing; people throughout Africa use it to write phonetic renderings of about a dozen languages, including Swahili, Wolof, and Hausa. But because texts written in Ajami are often passed down through families where they can be lost over generations, many are inaccessible to scholars, few of whom can read the script anyway. Those who know about Ajami texts often dismiss them as mundane, with little scholarly value. Ngom, director of Boston University’s African Studies Center, disagrees. He is digitizing more than 18,000 of these indigenous texts—including those in Ajami, Arabic, and Ajami-Arabic—and making them widely available to offer scholars new insight into African history, literature, culture, medicine, and everyday life.

The BU College of Arts & Sciences professor of anthropology partnered with the West African Research Center in Dakar, Senegal, on a 15-month project funded by the British Library’s Endangered Archives Programme. Ngom gained access to the documents through an elder in the Casamance region of Senegal who helped him compile a list of locals with Ajami manuscripts. The elder made introductions and facilitated approvals for the research team.

[ID: a page of Ajami handwritten text above a large red and black geometric decoration. The text, which is written with full diacritics, looks like classical Arabic script with several extra or different letterforms and diacritics. End ID]

“It’s human knowledge,” Ngom says. “It’s everything. And it’s a grassroots tradition. They’re handwriting these materials, making copies, and sharing them in the community. In many cases, this is the only form of literacy they have. So that’s what they use to document their lives.” The texts reveal “the interests of these people, their preoccupations.”

These everyday interests and writings expand scholars’ comprehension of the region’s people beyond the history and traditions emphasized in postcolonial literature, which Ngom says gave “the false impression that only oral traditions exist in sub-Saharan Africa.” In Senegal, the official language is French, in which only half of the population is literate; French literacy is restricted to a minority educated group in urban areas. The absence of Ajami in the history of sub-Saharan Africa “makes invisible centuries-old traditions of producing knowledge.”

Lara Ehrlich, "Digitizing Ajami, a Centuries-Old African Script." The Brink. 2020.

[aprito]

(English is not my first language, so I apologize if what I say is not very understandable).

It left me thinking what you said about some people only being interested in your account to escape reality through fandom.

Have they even stopped to think that the canonical history of the fandom they follow is full of wars, and children used to kill?Aren't we all worshiping Sasori, who lost his parents in the war and then became an active participant himself, being just a child?

Are they so oblivious to the fact that these characters made us see the gray of a world full of death and violence, that they cannot realize that all these stories are a representation of the real behavior of our humanity?

Don't delete anything, please say everything you feel necessary to say. These people have me in shock.

Naruto's ""darker"" themes has always been an analysis of how inherently evil militarism, feudalism, hyper nationalism and exposing literal children to the horrors of war and death can be and how these systems enabling these horrors shouldn't exist. It's not black and white like you said, but there are beliefs that will always be red flags to me. Take the Uchiha massacre for example, which would be the closest comparison we can make to current events.

Unfortunately, partly due to Kishimoto's shitty centrist writing and due to how predispositioned and pre-propagandized the audience is, all of these conclusions can get glossed over and lost. How many in this fandom defended Konoha's violent pursuit of Sasuke for the longest time? Saying that he wasn't allowed to deal with Itachi, and then reprimanding him for turning his hatred towards the village? Worse, how many fawn over characters like Obito, Shisui, and especially Itachi - who had no qualms about endangering their clan and ultimatively agreeing that none of them deserved to oppose their oppressors and live? Konoha, not just Danzo, in turn had kept up a heavily propagandized image of the Uchiha due to their own personal hatred and beliefs. In Danzo's case, an excuse to get access to their organs for personal profit. Worse, they (Itachi, Shisui) didn't bother being honest with their own people, ultimatively not allowing them to escape or fight back. Contrast this against the hatred for Fugaku, who not once decided to act on his own and correctly pointed out that they have been ostracised and dehumanised for things they didn't do and feared it would get worse. Sound familiar? People are correct when they call the Uchiha massacre a genocide because that's what it was, but those are the people who actually drew from real life examples to criticially engage with the material.

Analysing real world struggle and applying that analysis to the narrative is the reason I continously empathize that Sasori's hatred for Suna shouldn't be glossed over for cushy high ranking positions because he just so happens to be talented. It's integral to his character and his actions, and it's a valid hatred to have. I honestly wish Kishimoto would have a fraction of enthusiasm for exposing the systems of oppressions as Oda has (a lot of conflicts in One Piece heavily, I mean HEAVILY, draw from the Cuban Revolution), because Naruto as a story would be far better off and probably would have more to say.

This also means, of course, that I recommend the audience to engage with this subject, and not fall for the propaganda of their oppressors <3 Palestine: A Socialist Introduction is currently free as an ebook for a start.

[campcamptocsau]

Today On Campbell Street Introduction Post

Today On Campbell Street is a Camp Camp paranormal/supernatural AU created by @rotomartsblog

The story takes place in 2005 on Campbell Street in the town of Sleepy Peak, which is infamous for its urban legends of the supernatural and paranormal. The story stars Harrison Peretz and Nerris Cute as they investigate the disappearance of Harrison’s twin brother. However, the two soon discover that the town they live in has a dark history behind it and that the lives of every citizen in the town are endangered.

This story will feature dark and heavy themes. While the art is in greyscale and gore will not be heavily detailed, it is strongly advised that you don’t read if you are sensitive to any of the following (All of which feature children and/or animals):

- Period-typical attitudes towards gender, sexuality, race, religion, disabilities, etc. (Mild and not focused on, but is present)

- Religious discrimination (Never physically enforced but verbally said)

- Cults

- Human experiments

- Physical, verbal, and emotional abuse

- Gore that is mostly hidden or censored except for certain parts (which will be warned about)

- Forced, accidental, and deliberate cannibalism (ranging from consuming blood to actually eating organs)

- Body mutilations and modifications

- Deaths ranging in intensity

Of course, this being a Camp Camp AU, there will be explicit and inappropriate language, though it doesn’t feature heavily

This blog itself is currently being set up. There is no update schedule and there may be long gaps as this blog and story is all run by one person. The story will be told in a written form with accompanying artwork.

Introductions [1] [2]

Character refs [1]

Prologue [1]

Currently working on: Chapter 1 Part 1

[silentspacenstuff]

I've mentioned this character a number of times before, but now she's finally getting a proper introduction.

Name: Callisto Alioth Age: at the time she and Warp meet, she appears to be around 24 Earth years old; however, she is chronologically at least ten thousand years old   Sex: Female Species: Ezzari Height: 4'9" Weight: 122 lbs Orientation: Straight Occupation: Prior to being cryogenically frozen and sent from her homeworld, an apprentice priestess to her grandmother Theia; after her rescue from a slave auction, a maid in the house of Warp Darkmatter Homeworld: unknown Love interest: Warp Darkmatter Family: Theia (grandmother, deceased), Iapetus (father, deceased), Capella (mother, deceased), Blaze (son) Backstory:

Callisto was a member of the Ezzari, an ancient alien race that was one of the most powerful and advanced of its time; they were especially well-known for their creation of a unique and powerful fusion crystal made with an ingredient found only on their homeworld and known only to themselves. However, there came a time when the mighty Ezzari civilization would fall, and their numbers would be decimated. Callisto was placed in a cryogenesis capsule by her father Iapetus, in the hopes that his daughter would be spared the genocide of their people.

Approximately ten thousand years later, her capsule would be found in the jungle of Talera-5 by a team of archeologists, who took pity on the frightened young woman and allowed her to stay with them. Several days later, one of those archeologists would turn out to be a slave trader and sell Callisto to a black market dealer on Tradeworld to be sold at an auction.

When Callisto was brought out on the auction stage, the bidders were intrigued by the exotic beauty before them, especially a Raenok general named Skurj. Several bids were made for the young Ezzari woman, but Skurj managed to retain the highest bid until a muscular blue-skinned man by the name of Warp Darkmatter outbid him at the last minute. Though relieved the Raenok wouldn't be taking her, Callisto was by no means thrilled about being a slave to this cocky brute of a man and made several attempts at escaping from him once he brought her to his home. Though Warp would be injured by her during some of these attempts, he couldn't help but admire her fiery spirit in spite of his frustration.

In an attempt to win her trust, Warp decided to keep his distance from Callisto for awhile, but would leave her gifts by a garden pool she liked to sit by. She remained wary of him, but began to allow him to come closer. One day, while Callisto was massaging Warp's back, the latter noticed the former staring at a decorative urn with great interest.

"Oh, you like that old thing, eh? I found it on one of the moons of Altaari and thought it looked interesting. I have no idea what those odd scribbles all over it are supposed to mean, though."

"I - I know what it means," Callisto responded timidly. "It is in the language of my people." She began to translate the writing on the urn, while Warp listened with great interest.

From that moment on, the two of them would spend more time together, with Callisto telling Warp stories about her world and the Ezzari, and Warp entertaining Callisto with tales of his adventures across the galaxy. However, there came a time when Callisto told Warp something that would be the beginning of the end of the happiest time of his life since joining Zurg. 

"I'm pregnant."

Warp was of course shocked, but also happy he was going to be a father. Callisto, though also happy about her upcoming motherhood, knew something she didn't want her lover to know, fearing if he did know it would endanger her unborn child's life. So she kept it a secret, even as she grew more weak and tired as her pregnancy progressed. Warp was of course concerned, but Callisto assured him she was fine. The day came when a healthy baby boy was born to Warp and Callisto. As Callisto held her son for the first (which would also be the last) time, her smile faded and a tear slid down her cheek. Warp asked if something was wrong, to which Callisto responded, "It's nothing. I'm just tired. Do you think you could take him while I rest awhile?" Warp of course obliged, then asked if she knew what she wanted to named their son, to which she responded, "How about ... Blaze?"

Those were Callisto's last words before she closed her eyes.

She never awakened after that. 

Buzz Lightyear of Star Command and related characters (c) Disney and Pixar Callisto here is mine.

[lokuhapuarachchi]

Sinhala and International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day, observed annually on 21 February, celebrates linguistic and cultural diversity while promoting the preservation and promotion of mother tongues worldwide. This day, proclaimed by UNESCO in 1999 and commemorated since 2000, serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made to protect native languages, notably the Bengali language movement in Bangladesh on 21 February 1952.

The significance of International Mother Language Day lies in its recognition of the importance of linguistic diversity and multilingualism. It honors those who fought for their mother tongues, highlighting the Bengali movement's impact on Sri Lanka's political landscape.

The introduction of the Sinhala Only Act (Official Language Act No. 33 of 1956) on 5 June 1956 replaced English with Sinhala as Sri Lanka's sole official language. Spearheaded by Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, this policy aimed to promote Sinhala and assert Sinhala cultural dominance. However, it marginalized the Tamil-speaking minority, contributing to ethnic tensions and the Sri Lankan Civil War.

While globalization challenges narrow socio-political attitudes like "Sinhala only," it does not diminish the imperative to preserve mother tongues. UNESCO's list of endangered languages underscores the importance of safeguarding linguistic diversity, including Sinhala.

Sinhala, spoken by approximately 16 million worldwide, holds deep cultural and historical significance. Its evolution, influenced by various factors, has yielded a rich literary tradition. The Sinhala script, comprising 58 basic letters, represents consonant-vowel combinations, with additional diacritics altering pronunciation.

Education in one's mother tongue, such as Sinhala, fosters effective learning and cultural preservation. Language also plays a pivotal role in communication, identity formation, and access to opportunities. Promoting multilingualism and linguistic tolerance enhances cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

Efforts to save Sinhala require collective action, including language education, bilingualism promotion, cultural festivals, media support, community engagement, and digital initiatives. Advocacy for language rights and documentation of linguistic heritage are essential steps toward preserving Sinhala for future generations.

By embracing these strategies, individuals and communities can ensure the vitality and relevance of the Sinhala language in Sri Lanka and beyond.

story by / Anuruddha Lokuhapuarachchi

[secular-jew]

Daily Caliphate Headlines: The Repugnant and Vile Voices of the Global Islamic Caliphate:

Syrian Journalist: Supporting Terrorist Organizations In The Name Of Solidarity With The Palestinian Cause Endangers The Middle East

In Speech Leading To Her Arrest, International Coordinator Of Samidoun Charlotte Kates At Vancouver Rally: Long Live October 7; Hamas, PFLP, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hizbullah Are Not Terrorist Groups, They Are Heroes

Muslim American Society Staten Island Imam Abdelrahman Badawy: The Zionist Devils Have Envy, Hatred, Evil In Their Hearts; They Are Like The Sneaky, Cunning, Conniving, Foul Jewish Tribe That Battled The Prophet Muhammad

Islamic State Mozambique Province Releases Photos Showing Operatives Taking Down Crosses, Torching Church In Christian Village In Nampula

Jordanian MPs Join The 'Gaza Freedom Flotilla' In Turkey: We Have Written Our Wills And Are Here With The Intention Of Waging Jihad, Becoming Martyrs; We Will Sacrifice Our Souls And Blood To Redeem Our People; We Will Break The Siege And Join Our Brothers In Gaza

Hamas Senior Official Mousa Abu Marzouk: Most Of Hamas's Leaders Are Jordanian Citizens; If We Had To Leave Qatar, We Would Go To Jordan

The Houthis Seek To Position Themselves As A Regional Power Opposing The U.S. And The West; Houthi Shura Council Member: Everyone Hostile To America Is Our Friend, We Will Welcome Exchange Of Military Expertise

Strengthening Relations With Palestinian Factions; Coordination With Hamas Regarding Crew Of Highjacked "Galaxy Leader" Ship

Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) Claims IED Attacks Against Nigerian Army, Affiliated Militia In Borno State; Publishes Photos Of Armed Assault On Army Barracks In Niger's Diffa Region

'Al-Akhbar' Daily: Iran-Backed Militias Deliberately Not Claiming Responsibility For Attacks Against U.S. Forces; Attacks To Continue Until U.S. Forces Withdraw, War In Gaza Ends

Iranian TV Report About Gaza 'Freedom Flotilla,' American Attorney Lamis Deek: The Age Of Israeli Impunity Has Ended; We Will Make Sure Every Israeli Soldier, Settler, Head Of State Pays For Every Crime Committed Against Palestinians Since 1948

Yemeni-Houthi Minister Of Information Dayfallah Al-Shami: We Chant 'Curses Upon The Jews' Because They Are Cunning Schemers; We Would Fight Against The Zionists Directly In Gaza, But It's Too Far Away

English-Language Salafi-Jihadi Telegram Channel Criticizes 'Tamed' Version Of Islam That Limits Jihad; Endorses Terror Attacks In Non-Muslim Countries

In Dari-Language Article, Hizb-ut Tahrir Afghanistan Writes: 'America Is Trying To Influence And Interfere In Afghanistan In Many Ways, Including The Issue Of Women'; 'Women In Western And American Thought Are Nothing More Than A Commodity To Be Used... To Secure The Evil Interests Of Western And American States' 

In Karachi, Suicide Bombers Target Van Carrying Japanese Nationals Working In Pakistan's Export Processing Zone

Sec.-Gen. Of The Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit: The Jews Have No Conscience Left – It Was Burned In The Holocaust; Israel Does Not Have The Right To Self-Defense Just Like The Nazis Did Not Have It In WWII

Hamas's Izz Al-Din Al-Qassam Brigades Spokesman Abu Ubaida: We Salute The Heroes In The West Bank And The Jordanian Masses And Call Upon Them To Escalate Their Activity And Resistance

 Pro-Al-Qaeda Media Group Praises Stabbings In Australia, France; Warns 'Crusader Peoples' Against Defaming Islam

Commanders Of Iran-Backed Iraqi Militias Hold Secret Meeting In Syrian City Of Al-Bukamal

Senior Hamas Official Praises Anti-Israel Demonstrations Across U.S.: 'Today's Students Are The Leaders Of Tomorrow'

Hizbullah-Affiliated Academic Sheikh Sadek Al-Naboulsi: The Pre-October 7 Element Of Surprise Has Been Lost, But Hizbullah Is Preparing For Nasrallah's Orders To Cross Into The Galilee At The Right Time

Qatari Shura Council Member Essa Al-Nassr: October 7 Was An Introduction To The Annihilation Of The Zionist State; There Can Be No Peace With Them; They Are The Slayers Of The Prophets

Dearborn, Michigan Friday Sermon By Dr. Baqir Berry: Zionism, Israel Pose An 'Imminent Danger' To Humanity, Like Nazism; The Jews Need To Be Re-educated; In America Too, The Zionists Are Barbaric, Criminal Savages – What Kind Of Peace Can You Have With Them?

Greenville, North Carolina Friday Sermon By Imam Khadem AbuZain: Allah Decreed Friday Sermons In Order To Inspire Youth To Raise The Banner Of Jihad; We Have Become Numb To The Nature Of The Jews, Who Killed Prophets And Apostles, And Strive To Spread Corruption; Gaza Is Harboring The Heroes Of Palestine Who Declared Jihad

[fatehbaz]

it is the hime habu!

Oh cool. Thank you for the confirmation and clarification!

So I think it is true that there are 4 vipers living on Okinawa? And 2 of them are native, while another 2 are introduced?

Ovophis okinavensis (hime habu, princess viper). An endemic species in Ryuku Islands, including Okinawa.

Protobothrops flavoviridis (habu, Okinawa habu). Also an endemic species in Ryuku Islands, including Okinawa.

Non-native, introduced: Protobothrops elegans (Sakishima habu). And though it was introduced to Okinawa, it is still actually a kind of “local” snake and is an endemic species of Ryuku Islands, though it originally naturally lived in Yaeyama Islands (south of Okinawa).

Not native, introduced: Protobothrops mucrosquamatus (brown-spotted pit viper, Taiwan habu) which originally naturally lives across a large stretch of land including most of southern mainland East Asia.

Here's an English-language graphic from Okinawa Prefectural government:

(And then I think the Ryuku Islands are also home to another endemic species of Protobothrops -- P. tokarensis -- which lives in Tokara islands closer to Kyushu?)

Previously, I had read that the small Indian mongoose (Urva auropunctata) was deliberately introduced to Okinawa around 1910, to eliminate rats that fed on profitable sugar cane crops, and also to eliminate habu.

When I first saw that photo/post with the hime habu, I went off and tried to learn more about mongooses on Okinawa.

I found a cool informational/educational pamphlet kind of thing released by The Ministry of the Environment Naha Nature Conservation Office and Okinawa Prefecture Environmental Life Department.

The pamphlet explains the history of mongooses on the island, and also describes the uniqueness of Okinawa's many endangered and/or endemic species including the critically endangered Okinawa woodpecker; an endemic species of leaf turtle; an endemic subspecies of ground gecko; and many cool amphibians like the crocodile newt.

They are all threatened by the mongoose, since there were no native carnivorous mammals living in Yambaru/northern Okinawa before the mongoose arrived.

A similar fate shared by Hawai'i, Fiji, the Caribbean, and Okinawa: The introduction of mongooses to protect colonial cash crops, followed by the death of many birds, snakes, amphibians, etc.

All of those endemic and endangered island creatures of Okinawa... Consider all of that environmental damage resulting from the initial introduction of "merely" 17 mongooses.

[railyardunderthestars]

OC introduction: Roland Everhart Age- 32 Birthday - December 31st. Pronouns - He/Him Orientation - Bi

Spoken Languages - English, German

Likes: Stargazing, high places, reading, savory and spicy foods. Born to a poor family in the slums of a colony city on Mars, Roland spent much of his time around the homeless kids and street gangs of the city. When his parents died in an accident, he chose to live with the other street kids over being passed around the corporate foster care system. During his youth, he discovered his latent supernatural talents that allowed him to excel with firearms and stealth. Not long after, he was picked up by a group of Shadowrunners, and took up the Runner name Freeshooter, after a German tale of a hunter with magic bullets.

A quiet, calm, and collected mercenary by trade, there are very few jobs he'll turn down, as long as they don't needlessly endanger innocent people. Despite first impressions, he enjoys people and conversation, but has a very difficult time starting said conversations. As such, he spends a lot of his downtime at clubs and bars listening to people speak or enjoying the background noise. At one point in his life, he was much more talkative and open, but past events have made him guarded and distant.

[skye-huntress]

The Witch from Mercury Reaction

Episode 12: “Keep Marching on Instead of Running Off”

I am so very late getting this out. Winding back to the night it aired, I recall this intense feeling of apprehension, so I wasn’t in the mood to record my thoughts during or after the show, so I called it a night. After that, I got distracted by one thing or another so I had to force myself to sit down and do a rewatch. I like doing this, I want to do more of this for other things I enjoy, but I don’t keep up the habit it’d be difficult to start over. With that explanation out of the way, here are my thoughts on the Season 1 finale.

That Sophie really has a few screws loose. Giving her dramatic and theatrical introduction to Suletta… who can’t possibly see or hear her!

“The girl will come to us.” “The girl”? That’s some reductive language to use for your own daughter. That said, this reiterates that Suletta is still important to Prospera’s plans. Perhaps she has a certain synergy with Aerial that Prospera just couldn’t match. Just as she needed Ericht to pilot the Lfrith, she needs Suletta to pilot Aerial.

Interesting choice for Jeturk to pilot a suit himself. Perhaps it is that same sense of pride (or arrogance) to take control of one’s own fate that we’ve seen in Bob few times

Why can’t Delling just tell his daughter to put on a space suit without framing it as a criticism?

So despite being Lfrith models like Aerial, these new Gundam’s still seem to function the same as every other Gundam we’ve seen. So the question is, is the technology less dangerous or is there something different about the pilots to keep them from dying?

“The Antidote” doesn’t work on them either, though it’s clear raising the Permit score to 4 puts a severe strain on the body. Sophie’s comment about still being alive is probably something to take note of. I might have an idea or two of what that’s about but perhaps its best to wait until we learn more about the Witches from Earth

That pollution comment is one I take interest in. Using live ammunition in space is especially dangerous, especially when fired so recklessly. Fire a bullet on Earth, and a combination of air resistance and gravity will limit how far and how fast it travels. In the vacuum of space, any object fired will keep its momentum until it hits something. While I’m sure Norea has very valid criticisms of Spacians, especially in regards to Earth’s pollution, she is just as despicable for disregarding this issue even if you ignore the terrorism and murder.

Of course Suletta’s first thought is to save Miorine.

Wasn’t expecting to hear anything about what actually happened to Miorine’s mother. I think I’m starting to get a sense of what Delling is like, though do not get me wrong, he’s still a massive asshole who should probably be sitting in prison.

This is starting to feel a lot like the prologue, what with the ordinary workers just going about their day being murdered indiscriminately.

Looks like Earth House made it despite holing up in a massive target. Of course, it’s difficult to give credit to Nika when she was partially responsible for endangering everyone in the first place. Now the question lingers about how the confrontation with Martin will turn out.

Oh look, Bob got his first win in 11 episodes… and he still loses! Definitely the series’ punching bag. That said, on his account, this was just horrendously bad luck. As for his father, I’d almost consider it karma if I actually thought such a thing existed.

So now the scene between Suletta and Prospera is one I wanted to watch again closely. It’s difficult for me to find fault with anything Prospera is saying because there is clear logic there. This is a kill or be killed situation where surrender and negotiation are not an option. Still Suletta has a certain child-like innocence to her, while also having been moulded by Prospera over the years to be a weapon.

I think the real issue has to do with the mantra, “run, gain one; move forward, gain two”. There are many situations where that works, especially for someone who lacks confidence like Suletta, however it doesn’t always work like that. The prologue proved there are cases where running is the better option. There are also situations where there are more options than “forward” or “run”. Of course, this situation wasn’t it.

There are a number of other nuances regarding this issue as well, but considering they were in the middle of a crisis, it wouldn’t be fair to fault Prospera for not bringing them up, even if she never has any intention to. It just wasn’t the time or place to discuss morality, ethics, rules of engagement and all number of topics. For better and worse, Prospera’s method of encouraging Suletta was probably the difference between life and death for Miorine and a number of other people.

Aerial has received quite the upgrade, but the result I think makes her look less friendly and more intimidating. In other words, more like a true machine of war. I take issue with that. I agree with Sophie, I prefer the old look, too.

Even in the middle of the fight, with life or death consequences, Aerial managed to check the status of Earth House and their ship.

Two Gundams, using live ammo, and they still can’t even scratch Aerial

I’m questioning what it is that Sophie actually wants from Suletta. To fight her? Screw her? Both?

At first, I was somewhat peeved that the credits started after Suletta and Aerial located Miorine, then the after credits scene started and that strong sense of anxiety I had before came back with interest.

I can’t really fault Suletta for that action. There was a terrorist with a gun pointed at her fiancée and she was in a giant robot that wasn’t designed to fight humans on foot. There was an extremely tight window for her to react before he got a shot off. That the action was so gory could not have easily been avoided if that were even possible.

I also can’t fault Miorine’s reaction to seeing that display from her perspective up close, having blood and dismembered body parts make contact with her. There’d probably be something deeply wrong with her if that didn’t freak her the fuck out.

The part that gets me though is how seemingly unaffected Suletta is to the gory mess she created. I get that she now thinks killing to protect those you love is a “good thing”, but she just fell in a pool of blood. It seems unnatural that she is this desensitised to violence after seeing her mother shoot someone in front of her. I’m not too surprised since there is already plenty of evidence she has been conditioned to perform this level of violence. If that’s true, there’s only one person that can help Suletta but she might not be in the right frame of mind right now.

Prediction time

It’s possible Bob will be picked up by search and rescue and interrogated. However, it seemed like one of the Dawn of Fold (Olcott?) spotted his suit as the retreat was sounded so it is possible they picked him up instead. Knowing his bad luck, I’d bet on the latter. That could get interesting. If they know who he is and find out what he did, they could take advantage of him in any number of ways for their own cause. After all, he is the official punching bag of The Witch from Mercury. Actually, given who he is, there’s a solid chance he could be chained to the ceiling and used as a literal punching bag. Seems like the kind of thing Sophie would do.

There’s a high probability that if the rift between Suletta and Miorine isn’t dealt with quickly and effectively, Number 5 will not hesitate to take advantage of it. The Peil faction doesn’t seem like they want to deal with the Dawn of Fold, they just want the secrets behind Aerial, probably more so knowing how effortlessly she fought off two Gundams at once.

As for Suletta and Miorine, this is more of a long term prediction, but I don’t believe we’re close to done with them yet. I do believe they’ll eventually overcome this, and then be met with even more challenges that make this one seem manageable in comparison. After all, even without knowing a thing about Gundam, I had no illusions that it would be smooth sailing for this ship. The drama may hurt, but that just makes it all the more satisfying to see them overcome it and beat the odds. Ultimately, I still think they’ve got a decent shot at being endgame.

That’s it for me, I think. I’ll definitely do this again for Season 2. Meanwhile, I’ll think about what else I want to write about.

[polyglot-thought]

Critically Endangered Language Introduction:

Ainu Language

アイヌ・イタㇰ

Photos provided by AMNH

Some information about the Ainu language:

It’s critically endangered, meaning there are very few native speakers left, who are also elderly, and young people are not picking up the language. Ainu doesn’t have its own original writing system, so Latin script and a modified version of Katakana are used. For this post I will be using both Latin and Katakana script. You can read more about the Ainu language and people on Wikipedia, here and here.

Example Words & Phrases ↓

Provided by Wikitravel at this link

Irankarapte

イランカラㇷ゚テ

Hello/Nice to meet you

E=iwanke ya?

エイワンケ　ヤ？

How are you?

Ku=iwanke, iyairaykere

クイワンケ、イライライケレ

Fine, thank you

E=re hemanta ya?

エレ　ヘマンテ　ヤ？

What is your name?

K=ani anakne ______ ku=ne

カニ　アナㇰネ　_____　クネ

My name is ______ .

E

エ

Yes

Somo

ソモ

No

Amerika-itak

アメリカイタㇰ

English Language (literally: “America Language”)

Kunne

クンネ

Black

Retar

レタㇻ

White

Katuwa

カツ゚ワ

Grey

toy-haru

トィハル

(fresh) vegetables

nikaop

ニカオㇷ゚

(fresh) fruit

Please correct me if I made a mistake

[icyhandss]

"Amanung Sisuan" (Mother Tongue)

Have you ever heard the word “Amanung Sisuan”? most of us Kapampangan maybe not; it was a Kapampangan term for “Mother Tongue”, which a lot of us Kapampangans may or may not be familiar with. As a local language(dialect)of Pampanga, the mother tongue we used was Kapampangan, passed down from generation to generation, but how familiar are our youths today?

Have you ever heard the word “Linggotsi”, "Salugígí","Sandírit","Salubásib","Bungsá, and "Pánanggílu"? 🤷‍♂️😊

First lets define Amanung Sisuan;

From amanu + sisuan, meaning “breastfed language” or “nourishment language”. The word sisuan derived from the word susu (“breast”)

Therefore, Kapampangan is our first and breastfed language in our local community Pampanga, but how familiar is the new generation with this? Have you ever noticed that the culture may not be dying but is slowly being forgotten by this generation? 💔😥

Kapampangan is a language, not a dialect… why? Kapampangan is a language because of mutual intelligibility, meaning both Kapampangan speakers can understand each other regardless of their dialect origin; Kapampangan have different dialects or origins that can also be differentiated by their diction and word use, it can be Kapampangan Mexico, Sasmuan, Guagua, Angeles, etc.

Credits: We the Lokal, Ms. Rhia Felicitas

Kapampangan is one of the eight(8) major languages of the Philippines, It is the primary and predominant language of the entire province of Pampanga and Southern  Tarlac, Northeast Bataan, as well as in the province of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, and Zambales that border Pampanga. According to the 2000 Philippine census, 2,312,870 people (out of the total population of 76,332,470) spoke Kapampangan as their native language.

Now that we have an introduction to the language let us further our knowledge to this beautiful culture of Kapampangan, even though Kapampangan is our mother tongue theres a lot of things we didn't know, even by a full flooded kapampangan which born and raised here in Pampanga.

Did you know? 💡💡💡

That Kapampangans have their own ancient script called "Kulitan", also known as "Sulat Kapampangan" and "Pamagkulit"

Kulitan Script

Kapampangan is a rich language with a huge vocabulary. sad to say, many Kapampangans are forgetting their own language itself, why and what are the reasons?

First and foremost, it was not taught on our school curriculum, next is modernization. other parents taught their children English as their first and breastfed language due to the connotation attached to being fluent in english. The colonial mentality and wrong idea of being fluent in english means being smart and classy. It was alarming, and the number of speakers within the total population within daily use is declining especially to the younger generation

Have you ever noticed a regular conversation between two Kapampangans talking to each other using the language, but when it comes to their children, they shifted into another language? Either Tagalog or English. A simple and yet crucial phenomena that may lead into extinction of the language, which also endangers the Kapampangan people in a way of losing their identity as Kapampangan because no one uses the language anymore.

NOTABLE WORDS & PHRASES 👨‍🏫 (❁´◡`❁)

"Salugígí" - Toothbrush "Sandírit" - Propeller "Salubásib" - Straw "Bungsá" - Calamity

Panasbuk Kapampangan (Idioms)

"Masaklo Mata"- Greedy, Widescoped eyes "Maklap a Buntuk" - Slow at understanding, foolish, stupid "Matas a Puluk" - disdain, high pride, overly proud,

FACTS ABOUT KAPAMPANGANS kapampangans are known for being; "MAYABANG"/"PALALU" - Boastful Proud "MAPORMA" - Well-dressed "Ela Maniglo" - not easily impressed

REMINDER ☝

Kapampangans give a different meaning to a word depending on the use of vowels; given a situation where you have to write a certain word in Kapampangan without a context, it may have a different meaning than you intended to, without the use of diacritical marks

for example: Masakit - It hurts Masákit - Difficult Másakit - Sick "Masákit ing Másakit, uling Masakit" "Its tough to be sick because it hurts" Tútuki - Next Tutukí - Come along "Tutuki, enaka tutuki" "Next time, dont come along"

So when you write a certain word without a context and diacritical marks, you can't really tell what it means, placing a heavy importance on the use of vowels and accents 💪

We hope that this will serve as an eye-opener and spread awareness to what's happening in the present, why our "Amanung Sisuan" is gradually forgotten, especially by the younger generation today, serving as a reminder of how rich our language, our culture and identity as well. Hoping that the next generation will preserve our beloved language, passing it down to the next generation without breaking the cycle which imprints our identity as Kapampangan. Luid. Kapampangan ku Pagmaragul ku

[linguistlist-blog]

Books: Dumi Analyzed Texts: Story collection in Dumi (with Grammar Sketch): Mani Rai (2024)

This volume is a compilation of a brief introduction to the Dumi people, a grammatical sketch and analyzed texts in Dumi. Among 29 Kirati languages, Dumi (iso 639-3 dus; Glottolog dumi1241) is endangered and is a minority Kirati language of the Rai group, which belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language branch of the Sino-Tibetan language family with a total population 8,638 (female: 4,373 and male: 4,265) as reported in the national census 2021. It is spoken in their origin (i.e., the remote hill ar http://dlvr.it/TG1Dyy

[jcmarchi]

Apple WWDC: Unleashing the Power of AI and Spatial Computing with Groundbreaking Updates

New Post has been published on https://thedigitalinsider.com/apple-wwdc-unleashing-the-power-of-ai-and-spatial-computing-with-groundbreaking-updates/

Apple WWDC: Unleashing the Power of AI and Spatial Computing with Groundbreaking Updates

The recent Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) showcased significant updates across Apple’s platforms, introducing new features and enhancements designed to elevate user experience and developer capabilities. The event highlighted advancements in AI, updates to various operating systems, and notable improvements in Apple’s hardware and services.

Key Announcements

1. Apple Vision Pro and visionOS 2:

Apple Vision Pro and visionOS received their first major updates. VisionOS 2 includes enhancements for spatial computing, new developer APIs, and features that boost productivity and connectivity.

New Apps: NBA for multiple live game views, “What If?” for Marvel superhero experiences, “Unextinct” for exploring endangered species.

Spatial Photos and Videos: Enhanced with SharePlay for sharing memories in lifelike detail.

Productivity Boosts: Improved Mac Virtual Display, new intuitive gestures, and train support in Travel Mode.

2. iOS 18:

iOS 18 brings extensive customization options, new privacy features, and significant updates to core apps like Messages and Mail. Enhancements include new Home Screen personalization, Control Center improvements, and an all-new Photos app redesign.

Personalization: Dark Mode app icons, custom app icon tints, reorganization of Home Screen apps and widgets.

Control Center Enhancements: New Controls Gallery, developer-added controls, and multiple control groups.

Privacy Features: App locking, hidden apps, selective contact sharing, and intuitive accessory pairing.

3. iPadOS 18:

iPadOS 18 features new ways to use Apple Pencil, a redesigned Photos app, and the long-awaited introduction of the Calculator app optimized for iPad. The update focuses on enhancing productivity and personalization.

Math Notes in Calculator: Leverage Apple Pencil for complex calculations, graphing, and variable management.

App Redesigns: New floating tab bar, sidebar morphing, and distinct looks for apps like Pages and Keynote.

SharePlay and Freeform: Enhanced screen sharing, remote control, and presenting board sections in Freeform.

4. macOS Sequoia:

Named after the majestic trees, macOS Sequoia includes new Continuity features, such as iPhone Mirroring, improved window management, video conferencing enhancements, and a new Passwords app for secure credential management.

iPhone Mirroring: View and control iPhone apps on Mac, iPhone notifications on Mac, integrated audio.

Window Management: Suggested tiled positions, quick keyboard and menu shortcuts for window arrangement.

Video Conferencing: Presenter preview, background replacement, improved segmentation for clear video calls.

Passwords App: Unified access to credentials, verification codes, and security alerts across devices.

5. Apple Intelligence Integration:

Apple Intelligence marks a significant leap forward in integrating AI capabilities across Apple devices. This system brings powerful generative models to the core of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia, offering deep natural language understanding, image generation, and advanced privacy protections. Here’s a detailed look at its features and capabilities:

Apple Intelligence Capabilities

Language and Text Understanding:

Deep Natural Language Understanding: Apple Intelligence uses large language models to understand and generate human language. This enhances Siri’s ability to understand and respond to complex queries, maintain conversational context, and provide relevant information based on personal data.

Writing Tools: These tools offer systemwide support for rewriting, proofreading, and summarizing text. They can enhance productivity in apps like Mail, Notes, Safari, Pages, and Keynote by ensuring text is well-structured and appropriately toned.

Smart Reply: In Mail, Smart Reply suggestions are based on the email content, helping users respond quickly and accurately. This feature streamlines email management by offering intelligent, contextually relevant responses.

Image Generation and Processing:

Genmoji: Leveraging generative models, users can create personalized emojis that match specific descriptions. These Genmojis can be used as stickers, Tapbacks, or inline in messages, adding a fun and personal touch to conversations.

Image Playground: This feature allows users to create original images based on themes, costumes, accessories, and more. It’s integrated into apps like Messages, Keynote, Pages, and Freeform, enabling quick and easy image creation for various purposes.

Image Wand in Notes: This tool transforms rough sketches into polished images, making notes more visual and engaging. It uses on-device intelligence to analyze sketches and suggest relevant images.

Action and Contextual Awareness:

Personal Context Understanding: Apple Intelligence can draw on personal data from across apps to provide contextually relevant assistance. It can process data from emails, calendar events, messages, and other sources to deliver personalized responses and actions.

On-Device Processing: Most tasks are processed on-device, ensuring user privacy. For more complex requests, Apple Intelligence uses Private Cloud Compute, which involves Apple silicon servers designed with strong privacy protections.

Orchestration Capabilities: Siri, powered by Apple Intelligence, can take actions across apps, such as pulling up files, finding photos, or playing specific podcasts. This orchestration makes Siri more useful and integrated into daily workflows.

Privacy and Security:

On-Device Processing: Apple Intelligence primarily processes data on-device, minimizing the need for data to be sent to external servers. This ensures user privacy and data security.

Private Cloud Compute: When more computational power is needed, Apple Intelligence uses Apple silicon servers in a private cloud setup. These servers process data without storing it, and independent experts can verify the software’s privacy practices.

Transparency and Control: Users have control over when and how their data is used, with clear permissions and transparency built into the system.

Integration with Third-Party AI Models

ChatGPT Integration:

Apple Intelligence integrates with external AI models like ChatGPT from OpenAI, enhancing Siri’s capabilities. Users can access ChatGPT for generating content, answering questions, and providing specialized knowledge.

Compose in Writing Tools: This feature allows users to create custom content with ChatGPT, such as personalized bedtime stories or unique illustrations. The integration ensures seamless access to ChatGPT’s generative capabilities.

Privacy and Security: Users can access ChatGPT for free, with their requests and information not being logged. ChatGPT subscribers can connect their accounts for additional features, and all data sharing is controlled by user permissions.

Developer Opportunities

SDKs and APIs:

Apple has updated its SDKs with new APIs and frameworks, enabling developers to integrate Apple Intelligence features into their apps. This includes the Image Playground API and enhancements to the App Intents framework.

App Intents Framework: This framework allows developers to define actions in their apps that Siri and other system features can perform. It enhances app functionality and integration with Apple Intelligence.

Xcode Enhancements: Generative intelligence tools in Xcode provide on-device code completion and smart assistance for Swift coding, helping developers create more efficient and intelligent apps.

Conclusion

The WWDC presentation underscored Apple’s commitment to innovation and user-centric design. With significant updates across its platforms and the introduction of Apple Intelligence, Apple continues to lead in integrating advanced technology with everyday usability. The new features and enhancements promise to provide users and developers with powerful tools to enhance their digital experiences, making Apple’s ecosystem more intelligent, private, and seamless.

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The Importance of Learning Flower Names in Different Languages and Alphabets

Introduction

Learning flower names in different languages and alphabets may seem like a niche interest, but it has profound implications in various aspects of life. From enhancing cognitive abilities to fostering cultural appreciation and promoting environmental awareness, this practice holds significant benefits. This article explores these advantages, providing a comprehensive understanding of why investing time in learning flower names across languages and scripts is worthwhile.

Cognitive Enhancement

Improved Memory and Cognitive Flexibility

Learning new words in different languages and alphabets is a mental exercise that enhances memory and cognitive flexibility. Recognizing and recalling flower names involves both short-term and long-term memory, strengthening neural pathways and improving overall cognitive function. Additionally, the process of switching between different languages and scripts can enhance multitasking abilities and problem-solving skills.

Cultural Appreciation

Bridging Cultural Gaps

Flowers often hold unique meanings and symbolism in various cultures. By learning their names in different languages, one can gain deeper insights into the cultural significance of these plants. For instance, the cherry blossom (桜, Sakura) in Japanese culture symbolizes the transient nature of life, while the lotus (蓮, Lián) in Chinese culture represents purity and enlightenment. Understanding these cultural connotations fosters greater empathy and appreciation for diverse traditions.

Enhancing Travel Experiences

For avid travelers, knowing flower names in the local language can enrich travel experiences. It allows for more meaningful interactions with locals, who may be impressed by the effort to learn their language. Additionally, it can enhance the enjoyment of local flora, whether in botanical gardens, nature reserves, or everyday encounters with street vendors and marketplaces.

Environmental Awareness

Promoting Biodiversity

Understanding the names and characteristics of flowers in different regions highlights the importance of biodiversity. It brings attention to the variety of plant species and their roles in ecosystems. This knowledge can inspire more responsible environmental behavior and advocacy for conservation efforts. For instance, recognizing endangered species and understanding their ecological significance can motivate efforts to protect natural habitats.

Gardening and Horticulture

For gardening enthusiasts, learning flower names in various languages can provide access to a broader range of resources. It enables better communication with international gardeners, researchers, and suppliers, fostering the exchange of knowledge and best practices. This global perspective can enhance gardening techniques and contribute to the cultivation of diverse and resilient plant varieties.

Social and Professional Benefits

Networking and Collaboration

In professional fields such as botany, horticulture, and environmental science, knowing flower names in different languages can facilitate international collaboration and research. It aids in the accurate identification and classification of plants, reducing misunderstandings and ensuring consistency in scientific communication. This linguistic proficiency can open doors to global networking opportunities and collaborative projects.

Personal Enrichment and Social Interaction

On a personal level, discussing flowers and their names can be a delightful social activity. It can serve as an icebreaker in conversations, allowing individuals to share their knowledge and learn from others. This shared interest can strengthen social bonds and create a sense of community among like-minded individuals.

Practical Steps to Learning Flower Names

Utilizing Technology and Resources

Today, numerous resources are available for learning flower names in different languages and alphabets. Mobile apps, online courses, and language learning platforms offer interactive and user-friendly ways to acquire this knowledge. Botanical dictionaries, flashcards, and mnemonic devices can also aid in memorization and retention.

Engaging in Cultural Activities

Participating in cultural activities such as flower festivals, botanical exhibitions, and gardening workshops can provide immersive learning experiences. Engaging with local communities and experts offers practical insights and enriches the learning process. Traveling to different regions and exploring their flora firsthand can further solidify this knowledge.

Conclusion

Learning flower names in different languages and alphabets is a rewarding endeavor with wide-ranging benefits. It enhances cognitive abilities, fosters cultural appreciation, promotes environmental awareness, and offers social and professional advantages. By embracing this practice, individuals can develop a deeper connection with nature and the world around them, enriching their lives in multifaceted ways.Moreover, if you want to learn flower name  in different  languages you can visit here.