Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Zombie Caterpillars?
The parasitoid wasp Glyptapanteles lays its eggs, about 80 at a time, in young geometrid caterpillars. The eggs hatch and the larvae feed on the caterpillar's body fluids. When they are fully developed, they eat through the caterpillar's skin, attach themselves to a nearby branch or leaf and wrap themselves up in a cocoon.
Having partially developed inside caterpillars, the larvae of the wasps manipulate their hosts into watching over them as a mother or bodyguard might.
The caterpillar, still alive, behaves as though controlled by the cocooned larvae. Instead of going about its usual daily business, it stands arched over the cocoons without moving away or feeding.
Here's a video:
The caterpillar - now effectively a zombie - stays alive until the adult wasps hatch.
"We don't know exactly what kills the caterpillars, but it is fascinating that the moment of death seems to be tuned to the duration of the wasp's pupal stage," says Arne Janssen of the University of Amsterdam.
Although Janssen and his colleagues do not know how the parasites make the caterpillars change their behaviour, they think that a few larvae in each brood may sacrifice themselves to help their brothers and sisters.
"If we dissect the caterpillars, we find one or two parasitoid larvae have stayed behind, even after the rest of the brood has emerged and formed cocoons," says Janssen.
It could be that the larvae that remain in the host control its behaviour in order to make it protect the rest of the brood.
Cool huh? I found this at New Scientist, where you can read the entire article.
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 3:46 PM 0 comments
Zombie Cockroach Cure?
And how about this? Scientists have developed a cure for zombie cockroaches... I guess because we need more of them? Or is it because there really will be a zombie apocalypse and we're going to need the cure for ourselves? And is it wasps who will turn us into zombies? Or scientists experimenting with them? I don't know... what do you think? Here's a video:
Watch how jewel wasps turn cockroaches into "zombies" and find out about the antidote scientists have discovered.
For more info see this article at New Scientist
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 2:10 PM 0 comments
Monday, March 21, 2011
The Rat Temple
The Karni Mata Temple is an important Hindu site. It is a beautiful temple made of marble with solid silver doors. However, it is not the architecture of this temple that attracts tourists; it is the thousands of rats that inhabit it. There are special holes and tunnels around the temple to facilitate the rats' movements as well as a wire screen over the courtyard to protect them from birds of prey.
More interesting stuff can be found on my new website: Hey It's Me
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 10:09 AM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?, this is interesting
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
153 Chickens Rescued

153 chickens rescued from man's bedroom??
Yes, it's true!
And I thought having five cats was bad...
Here's the story:

The SPCA has confiscated 153 fertile broiler chickens from a Rylands man who was keeping them in a darkened bedroom.
The man told SPCA inspectors, who arrived at his home late last week, that he was a former employee of Rainbow Chickens. (Probably it was a place that looked like this)

City SPCA boss Allan Perrins said the man claimed he had "rescued" eggs from his former employers and put them into his oven where, "to his surprise", they hatched.
Neighbours called the City of Cape Town health department complaining of a stench emanating from the house, and officials from the department who inspected the property found the chickens.
They called in the SPCA.
Senior SPCA inspector Peter Lombard said: "The place was a mess and the room was dark." (I looked but couldn't find a single picture of a dark bedroom full of chicken shit)
Lombard told the homeowner he had 12 hours to find a more suitable home for the chickens, which were evidently neglected and badly fed.
The man called the SPCA on Thursday and signed the chickens over to inspectors - but then contacted them again, asking for the animals to be returned to him because he had found a home for them on a Faure farm. (Probably doesn't look much like this)

Many of the birds had already been put down, Lombard said. (I'd like to think it was something merciful and soothing ... like ... well ... this)

"Broiler chickens are genetically bred to feed 24 hours a day and resort to cannibalism when they don't get enough food," he said. (Be very grateful that I didn't put some pictures of that here!)
The SPCA ethics committee will consider the man's request about the Faure farm and make a ruling.
By Janis Kinnear
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 4:47 AM 0 comments
Labels: funny stuff, Say what?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Not Giving Up On Love
Check this out - I may have found the dating site that's right for me! I know my man Stan will be disappointed, but let's face it, he just isn't quite what I need. This new dating site promises to be interesting... and I'm sure that I'll be able to find the love of my life!

Created by Mingle2.com
Take a look at this guy! He's kind of cute, don't you think? Isn't that a nice smile? And such big eyes!

Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 12:15 PM 0 comments
Labels: Looking For Love, my sanity issues, Say what?, zombies
Monday, June 21, 2010
And Now For A Special Treat!
How wierd is that? Kind of gives you the creeps doesn't it? It reminds me of that nursury rhyme about the little girl who had the curl right in the middle of her forehead... You know, the one who was really horrid? And if she didn't look so... well... mean and scary... I'd feel really sorry for her.
OK... that's not entirely true... if she didn't look so mean and if I was a nicer person, I'd feel really sorry for her... as it is, I'm just thinking, "Thank God it's her and not me!"
Oh, and by the way, I found this at (of all places) Chicken Crap.com.
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 1:33 PM 0 comments
Friday, June 18, 2010
Is this scary? Or cool?
Actual living and replicating cells created by a computer, with a website address encoded into their DNA??? I'm leaning towards scary... how about you?
Craig Venter and team make a historic announcement: they've created the first fully functioning, reproducing cell controlled by synthetic DNA. He explains how they did it and why the achievement marks the beginning of a new era for science.
Who is this guy anyway?
Craig Venter, the man who led the private effort to sequence the human genome, is hard at work now on even more potentially world-changing projects.
First, there's his mission aboard the Sorcerer II, a 92-foot yacht, which, in 2006, finished its voyage around the globe to sample, catalouge and decode the genes of the ocean's unknown microorganisms. Quite a task, when you consider that there are tens of millions of microbes in a single drop of sea water. Then there's the J. Craig Venter Institute, a nonprofit dedicated to researching genomics and exploring its societal implications.
In 2005, Venter founded Synthetic Genomics, a private company with a provocative mission: to engineer new life forms. Its goal is to design, synthesize and assemble synthetic microorganisms that will produce alternative fuels, such as ethanol or hydrogen. He was on Time magzine's 2007 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.
In early 2008, scientists at the J. Craig Venter Institute announced that they had manufactured the entire genome of a bacterium by painstakingly stitching together its chemical components. By sequencing a genome, scientists can begin to custom-design bootable organisms, creating biological robots that can produce from scratch chemicals humans can use, such as biofuel. And in 2010, they announced, they had created "synthetic life" -- DNA created digitally, inserted into a living bacterium, and remaining alive.
or he's one of the most maddening."
~Washington Post
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 8:36 PM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?, videos I like
Monday, February 8, 2010
I Found My Man!
So, today I was researching how to find a mentor for the Prosperity Project and ended up (of all places) on Mail Order Husbands! So, I took their quiz to find my ideal match and this is who I came up with:
Congratulations!
You have completed our survey and our proprietary algorithms have determined that you are a very unique and special individual. We have many high quality bachelors and the one that most perfectly aligns with your spiritual and personal values is listed below.
Stan, (stationed) in IraqI got way too much time on my hands over here. I'm on my second tour in Iraq and am supposed to go back in a few months. I'm cool with going to most anywhere afterwards. I'm looking for a traditional type of woman who wants a bunch of kids.
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 3:45 PM 1 comments
Labels: funny stuff, Looking For Love, Say what?
Thursday, June 18, 2009
The Worst Sympathy Letter Ever Written
Dear Edith,
I just heard the sad sad news! To say I'm sorry doesn't seem to be adequate. It's the old story, ''mere words cannot express - - "
I've thot (sic) of you so often and always going to call, but I'm sure you realize how little time I have; and it's much much more difficult since Wilbur's 2nd stroke - last January.
He can't walk at all now and sits in his wheelchair on the front porch, or inside watching television. Thank God he can still do that as he has had more brain damage.
I sleep on the davenport in living room so I can help him with the urinal every two to three hours - it eliminates a wet bed, which happened at first. I became desperate around about April or May and decided I just had to have a change, so I decided to go with the Hosp. group on their yearly trip. I talked it over with Wilbur and to my surprize (sic) he was for it emphatically!
The two weeks I toured Holland, Germany and Austria with the group Wilbur stayed at Smith Nursing Home in Skokie. He sure was happy when I came to bring him home!
I'm falling asleep writing this. Call me when you feel like it. Edith, I was thinking of you most of today before I heard the news.
Hoping your sorrow won't be too difficult to bear.
Your friend,
Lucy
P.S. I'll say a prayer for you and your son, Jimmy?
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 3:55 AM 0 comments
Labels: I have feelings too, Say what?
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
111 Insults
It's a definitive list. No excuse now for not coming up with a really good jab when someone pisses you off.
- If you’re one in a million, there are six thousand people exactly like you.
- Don’t be humble. You’re not that great.
- I feel so miserable without you, it’s almost like having you here.
- He was happily married - but his wife wasn’t.
- He has no enemies, but is intensely disliked by his friends.
- Any similarity between you and a human is purely coincidental!
- Anyone who told you to be yourself couldn’t have given you worse advice.
- Are your parents siblings?
- As an outsider, what do you think of the human race?
- Better at sex than anyone; now all he needs is a partner.
- Calling you stupid would be an insult to stupid people.
- Did your parents ever ask you to run away from home?
- Do you ever wonder what life would be like if you’d had enough oxygen at birth?
- Do you want people to accept you as you are or do you want them to like you?
- Don’t you have a terribly empty feeling - in your skull?
- Do you still love nature, despite what it did to you?
- Don’t you need a license to be that ugly?
- Every girl has the right to be ugly, but you abused the privilege!
- Go ahead, tell them everything you know. It’ll only take 10 seconds.
- Have you considered suing your brains for non-support?
- He has a mind like a steel trap - always closed!
- He is living proof that man can live without a brain!
- He is the kind of a man that you would use as a blueprint to build an idiot.
- He’s not stupid; he’s possessed by a retarded ghost.
- Here’s 20 cents. Call all your friends and bring back some change!
- Hi! I’m a human being! What are you?
- How did you get here? Did someone leave your cage open?
- I’d like to see things from your point of view but I can’t seem to get my head that far up my ass.
- I bet your brain feels as good as new, seeing that you’ve never used it.
- I bet your mother has a loud bark!
- I could make a monkey out of you, but why should I take all the credit?
- I don’t consider you a vulture. I consider you something a vulture would eat.
- I don’t know what makes you so stupid, but it really works!
- I don’t think you are a fool. But then what’s MY opinion against thousands of others?
- I hear the only place you’re ever invited is outside.
- I hear you were born on a farm. Any more in the litter?
- I heard you got a brain transplant and the brain rejected you!
- I heard you went to have your head examined but the doctors found nothing there.
- I know you are nobody’s fool but maybe someone will adopt you.
- I thought of you all day today. I was at the zoo.
- I would ask you how old you are but I know you can’t count that high.
- I’d like to help you out. Which way did you come in?
- I’d like to leave you with one thought…but I’m not sure you have anywhere to put it!
- I’d love to go out with you, but my favorite commercial is on TV.
- I’ll never forget the first time we met - although I’ll keep trying.
- I’m busy now. Can I ignore you some other time?
- I’ve seen people like you before, but I had to pay admission!
- If I ever need a brain transplant, I’d choose yours because I’d want a brain that had never been used.
- If ignorance is bliss, you must be the happiest person alive.
- If we were to kill everybody who hates you, it wouldn’t be murder; it would be genocide!
- If what you don’t know can’t hurt you, she’s invulnerable.
- If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean.
- If your brain was chocolate it wouldn’t fill an M&M.
- Keep talking, someday you’ll say something intelligent.
- Learn from your parents’ mistakes - use birth control!
- Pardon me, but you’ve obviously mistaken me for someone who gives a damn.
- So, a thought crossed your mind? Must have been a long and lonely journey.
- Some day you will find yourself - and wish you hadn’t.
- If you were orphaned when you were a child, I feel sorry for you, but not for your parents.
- If you don’t want to give people a bad name, you will have your children illegitimately.
- Is your name Laryngitis? You’re a pain in the neck.
- Is your name Dan Druff? You get into people’s hair.
- I hear you pick your friends — to pieces!!
- I bet your brain feels as good as new, seeing that you’ve never used it.
- They say that two heads are better than one. In your case, one would have been better than none.
- You should toss out more of your funny remarks; that’s all they’re good for.
- People can’t say that you have absolutely nothing! After all, you have inferiority!
- You must have a low opinion of people if you think they’re your equals.
- wish you were all here. I don’t like to think there is more!
- If we were to kill everybody who hates you, it wouldn’t be murder; it would be genocide!
- Even your best friend cheats on you and lies to you, and that’s the best friend you can get.
- I don’t think you are a fool. But then, what’s my own humble opinion against thousands of others?
- Nobody says that you are dumb. They just say you were sixteen years old before you learned how to wave goodbye.
- People say that you are the perfect idiot. I say that you are not perfect, but you are doing alright.
- Ordinarily people live and learn. You just live.
- The mind reader had a very busy day today reading minds. You were a vacation for him.
- I thought of you all day today when I was at the zoo.
- When you talk, other people get hoarse just listening.
- I would say that you are barking up the wrong tree, but that is your natural voice.
- I reprimanded my brother for mimicking you. I told him not to act like a fool.
- I’m very careful of how I express my opinions of you because I want to put as much vituperation in them as possible.
- I don’t hold your behavior against you because I realize it was caused by childhood trauma; your parents spanked you when you fell on your head and broke the cement.
- I heard you got a brain transplant and the brain rejected you!
- I think you should live for the moment. But after that, I doubt I’ll think so.
- Man alive! But I wish you weren’t.
- I believe in respect for the dead; in fact, I could only respect you if you WERE dead.
- Is your name Maple Syrup? It should be, you sap.
- You spent so much time trying to get rid of that halitosis that you had only to find out that you are not popular anyway.
- You are the kind of person who, when one first meets you, one doesn’t like you. But when one gets to know you better, one hates you.
- We know that romance brings out the beast in you — the jackass.
- I’m looking forward to the pleasure of your company since I haven’t had it yet.
- There are several people in this world that I find obnoxious and you are all of them.
- All of your girlfriends kiss you with their eyes closed. Considering your face, that’s the only way they could.
- I hear that when your mother first saw you, she decided to leave you on the front steps of a police station while she turned herself in.
- Would you like to replace my business partner who died this morning? I’ll arrange it with the undertaker.
- People say that you are outspoken, but not by anyone that I know of.
- Your conversation is like the waves of the sea. It makes me sick!
- We can always tell when you are lying. Your lips move.
- When you get to the men`s room, you will see a sign that says, “Gentlemen.” Pay no heed to it. Go right on in.
- The only things you ever make are mistakes and cigarette ashes.
- You always manage to keep your neck above water. We can tell by the color of it.
- All that you are you owe to your parents. Why don’t you send them a penny and square the account?
- I heard you have hair on your chest, and that`s not your only resemblance to Rin Tin Tin.
- No one should be punished for accident of birth, but you look too much like a wreck not to be.
- There was something about you that I liked, but you spent it.
- Sit down and give your mind a rest.
- There is no vaccine against stupidity.
- I heard you went to have your head examined, but the doctors found nothing there.
- Don't get me wrong. I`m not trying to make a monkey out of you. I can’t take the credit.
- I bet your brain feels as good as new, seeing that you've never used it.
- I wish you were all here. I don't like to think there is more!
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 9:26 PM 0 comments
Labels: lists I like, Say what?
Monday, August 18, 2008
Lakota Sioux Secede From US, Declare Independence
I was clearing out my inbox today - and found this little gem. It's old news, (Published on Friday, December 21, 2007 by Rapid City Journal -South Dakota)and apparently nothing much came of it, and I wanted to post it here to, in my small way, promote the idea.Political activist Russell Means, a founder of the American Indian Movement, says he and other members of Lakota tribes have renounced treaties and are withdrawing from the United States.
“We are now a free country and independent of the United States of America,” Means said in a telephone interview. “This is all completely legal.”
Means said a Lakota delegation on Monday delivered a statement of “unilateral withdrawal” from the United States to the U.S. State Department in Washington.
The State Department did not respond. “That’ll take some time,” Means said.
Meanwhile, the delegation has delivered copies of the letter to the embassies of Bolivia, Venezuela, Chile and South Africa. “We’re asking for recognition,” Means said, adding that Ireland and East Timor are “very interested” in the declaration.
Other countries will get copies of the same declaration, which Means said also would be delivered to the United Nations and to state and county governments covered by treaties, including treaties signed in 1851 and 1868. “We’re willing to negotiate with any American political entity,” Means said.
The United States could face international pressure if it doesn’t agree to negotiate, Means said. “The United State of America is an outlaw nation, we now know. We’ve understood that as a people for 155 years.”
Means also said his group would file liens on property in parts of South Dakota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming that were illegally homesteaded.
The Web site for the declaration, “Lakota Freedom,” briefly crashed Thursday as wire services picked up the story and the server was overwhelmed, Means said.
Delegation member Phyllis Young said in an online statement: “We are not trying to embarrass the United States. We are here to continue the struggle for our children and grandchildren.” Young was an organizer of Women of All Red Nations.
Other members of the delegation include Rapid City-area activist Duane Martin Sr. and Gary Rowland, a leader of the Chief Big Foot Riders.
Means said anyone could live in the Lakota Nation, tax free, as long as they renounced their U.S. citizenship. The nation would issue drivers licenses and passports, but each community would be independent. “It will be the epitome of individual liberty, with community control,” Means said.
To make his case, Means cited several articles of the U.S. Constitution, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties and a recent nonbinding U.N. resolution on the rights of indigenous people.
He thinks there will be international pressure. “If the U.S. violates the law, the whole world will know it,” Means said.
Means’ group is based in Porcupine on Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. It is not an agency or branch of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. Means ran unsuccessfully for president of the tribe in 2006.
Lakota tribes have long claimed that the U.S. government stole land guaranteed by treaties — especially in western South Dakota. “The Missouri River is ours, and so are the Black Hills,” Means said.
A U.S. Supreme Court decision in 1980 awarded the tribes $122 million as compensation, but the court did not award land. The Lakota have refused the settlement. (As interest accrues, the unclaimed award is approaching $1 billion.)
In the late 1980s, then-Sen. Bill Bradley of New Jersey introduced legislation to return federal land to the tribes, and California millionaire Phil Stevens also tried to win support for a proposal to return the Black Hills to the Lakota.
Contact Bill Harlan at 394-8424 or bill.harlan@rapidcityjournal.com
© 2007 The Rapid City Journal
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 3:35 PM 4 comments
Friday, August 8, 2008
Unknown Unknowns
Ha ha... this is just great!
A very profound comment by the Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld! It pretty much sums up where I'm at right now!
I've even got it on video!
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 2:25 AM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Suffering and Working
The other day, I was reading The Way of the Shaman by Michael Harner, and in his quest to become a shaman, he ended up in the deep jungle, and at one memorable moment, when he was exhausted and hungry, the medicine man who agreed to teach him said, "Good! You need to suffer. We want the Gods to take pity on you. Then, they might help you." And I thought to myself... THAT'S IT!
In order to Create Work You Love, (which is what we are currently working on over at the Prosperity Project) you have to be willing to sacrifice and suffer. I don't know for sure that the suffering in and of itself is necessary... but I do think that the willingness to do so is important. By that, what I mean is... when you find something that you are so committed to, so in love with, so passionate about, that you're willing to sacrifice everything for it... then you've found your "dharma," your "life's work," your "bliss".
Just think about it... if you think I'm wrong, I'd sure like to hear what you have to say about it.
I grew up on the concept that Jesus suffered and died for our sins, and all the great saints in the bible went through "trials and tribulations." Don't believe in the bible? Ok... how about Odin, Father of the Gods... he suffered - willingly... Look at just about every religious icon... and you'll see sacrifice and suffering. But that's not all... If you want to lose weight, or "beat" cancer, or climb Mt Everest... a fair amount of suffering seems to be a prerequesite for success. Read stories of great entrepeneurs... you'll see suffering and deprivation and the willingness to endure regardless of rejection and humiliation...
The more I thought about it, the more I am convinced that:
- The "Gods" are much more likely to take pity on you and support you if you are willing to go through a fair amount of suffering in order to reach your goal.
- If you are already doing a fair amount of suffering, there must be a really good reason for it, and the "Gods" are probably supporting you in some way - if only by keeping you alive so that you can endure even more suffering and eventually maybe even reach your goal.
- When you find the work that you love, and work that loves you, it often requires a willingness to give or to sacrifice... and again... endure a fair amount of suffering - at least initially. Once you have "paid your dues" and "offered up your first born child" and stuff like that, things tend to smooth out, and you generally have a decent, if not a happy ending.
Now, this may not be true for everyone, but it appears to be true for me. And it might even be true for you. So... how is this helpful in my quest for work that I love? Well, I got to thinking about work that I'm willing to suffer for, and I did come up with a list, here it is:
- Blogging - I am willing to be up all hours of the night, I'm willing to give all my free time, I'm willing to sacrifice quite a lot to be able to do what I'm doing right here, right now. I'd do it for free (well, I practically do), I do it if I'm sick, I do it if I'm busy, I do it hell or high water... If I could make an adequate living by blogging - I'd be one happy camper!
- Playing on the computer - Ok... that does include blogging... and it also includes making cool stuff for cafe press, designing websites, and helping other people with their computer stuff. Again, I do it if I'm sick, I do it for free... I have to MAKE myself NOT do it so that I can have time for things like... taking a shower...
- Art - when I have art in progress - I can't hardly stop doing it. Yes - blogging can and does interrupt it, but I have an amazing amount of stamina and energy when I'm doing art. I can't stand at the sink and wash dishes for 5 minutes without getting tired, but I can stand at the table and work on a mosaic for hours and hours and not even notice that my feet are sore... not even notice that I even HAVE feet.
- Spirituality, Shamanism, Magick - I'm sticking this one in here even though I'm not sure that it's true. I want it to be true - so I'm putting it here! And god damn it, if I put it here that MAKES it true.
So... I figure that if I had a job creating shamanic art in a ritual way and then putting it on the computer and blogging about it - I'd be in heaven! I'm going to put that into a search on Monster.com and see what I come up with.
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 3:02 PM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?
Monday, June 9, 2008
My Sister's Newest Book
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And I'm like.... huh??? Ok, Gracie, I'm pretty intelligent, but hey, I'm not THAT smart! Well, whenever I am confronted with a problem, I turn to the Church of Google. Through which I was directed to a program that might possibly decipher it. I have downloaded said program twice now, and both times my internet connection has gone away before the download was complete.
So, I'm wondering... is this some sort of Alien Cypher? Did you CHANNEL this book from Andromeda? or Sirius? or... the Pleides? Is there an alien conspiracy working to ensure that this book is never read by simple humans like me?
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 12:38 PM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?
Sunday, June 1, 2008
What you should know about snakes!
While researching snakes, I came across this nifty little tidbit. It's a list of do's and don'ts when it comes to snakes.A. Don't cross a snake's path unless you slide or shuffle your feet.
B. You'll have leg aches - other diseases - bad luck.
A. Don't eat in front of a snake.
B. When you get older, your throat will close.
A. Don't watch a snake swallow it's food.
B. Your neck will swell up.
A. Don't watch a water snake swallow.
B. You'll lose your voice.
A. Don't open your mouth when you see a snake.
B. He'll jump in.
A. Don't kill snakes or lizards.
B. It will make your heart small - dry up - you will get a crooked back.
A. Don't burn a snake.
B. You'll get sores - rash.
A. Don't kill a snake when it is raining.
B. Lightning will strike your house.
A. Don't put a snake in the open when dead.
B. The lighting will bring it back to life.
A. Don't put a dead snake on a rock.
B. You'll cause a thunderstorm - it will come back to life.
A. Don't kill a snake with your hand.
B. Your hand will swell up.
A. Don't go to the bathroom in front of a snake.
B. He will be jealous of your wife and turn her yellow.
A. Don't pick up things between two fingers.
B. Only snakes do that.
A. Don't watch snakes having intercourse.
B. You'll go blind.
A. Don't step on a snake.
B. Your legs will swell up - get crooked.
A. Don't draw in the sand with your fingers.
B. Snakes will come to it.
A. Don't talk about snakes.
B. They will come around.
A. Don't laugh at a snake.
B. It will bite you.
A. Don't make faces at a snake.
B. It will bite you some day.
A. Don't spit at a snake.
B. It will get after you.
A. Don't watch a snake crawl out of its skin.
B. You'll get sick or jump out of your skin.
A. Don't shoot an arrow at a snake.
B. It will go crooked - hit something else - be spoiled.
A. Don't run over a snake in your car.
B. You'll have a bad life.
A. Don't break snake eggs.
B. The snakes will get you.
A. Don't wear anything made out of snakeskin, especially boots or shoes.
B. You will get crippled.
A. Don't touch a snake.
B. It has nothing and it will make you have nothing.
A. Don't call a person a snake.
B. You'll be bitten by one.
A. Don't urinate on roads that cross each other.
B. That is the same as a snake trail
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 7:14 PM 2 comments
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Snake Animal Pearls
Mountain Snake Pearl- Type B
English Name Unknown
Rough texture, opaque Pearl, Magickally Powerful
General virtues of all snakes’ pearls:
Improves the quality of the aura, Attracts luck; improves business and social life; charisma; personal magnetism; healing; regeneration, Magickal energies.
Snake Animal Pearls are said to impart their particular magical virtues to their owner. Snake Pearls are characteristic of its host animal; they possess all the awesome characteristics that may be seen in the Snake itself; the stealth and power of this animal is contained within the pearl waiting for its proper owner to bestow its inner magic to that unique and fortunate individual.
For century’s shamans, priestesses, spiritualists, and practitioners of the occult have used Snake animal pearls to transfer the powerful magical energy of the Snake to themselves and to others in need of this commanding animal magic. Snake pearls are sought after by any wishing to absorb Snake virtues into their lives and develop stronger mental abilities such as those embodied by this versatile creature. The owner of a Snake pearl will see their lives, spiritual energy, and mental clarity imbued with all of the virtues attributed to the Healer of the animal kingdom, the Snake.
I was thinking I might want one! So I went looking for more snake pearls (and trust me, they're not cheap) and I found these:
This is a "Snake Crown Pearl"
And this is an "Anaconda Pearl"
At this point, I browsed the FAQ on the site to see if I could find out what these stones might actually be. Interested? Read on...
What Are Mustika Pearls and Bezoar Stones & How Do They Compare to Other Kinds of Healing Crystals?
Mustika pearls and bezoar stones may look like “typical” rocks, stones or gems, but because they’re actually natural animal by-products, it would be more accurate to think of them as fossils.
Despite the fact that both bezoar stones and mustika pearls occur naturally, finding these unique gems that surpass the average healing crystal is a rarity.
However, the Mustika pearls and stones we offer are even more rare than other mustika pearls and bezoar stones (or any other kind of healing crystals) available on today’s market.
Where do Mustika Pearls & Bezoar stones come from?
Most of our Mustika Pearls & Bezoar stones come from Indonesia. They are found only in places where nature is undisturbed, and the elemental and spiritual energy is very high. They are obtained by highly trained and spiritually developed Pawangs (Shaman) working in close cooperation with nature.
How are the stones obtained?
Obtaining a Mustika Pearl & bezoar stone is an intense and highly complicated magical operation that can only be performed by advanced Shamans. When they are seeking pearls and stones, the Pawang or Shaman live in the jungle and perform magical rituals to open up communication with the elemental and mystical realms. They are then guided to where the stone or pearl can be found which is inside the body of a plant or animal. The journey to obtain these items is often fraught with danger.
Do the stones confer psychic or magickal power?
No object can guarantee to bestow any kind of magical power on an individual; the power of the pearl depends wholly on the individual’s readiness and degree of spiritual development. All those who wear them, however, will notice gradual changes that are bestowed through the law of resonance. Because the pearl is highly charged with magickal energy, this energy will be absorbed by the carrier, creating an evolution of their spirit. This will affect each individual in a different way. Wherever you are at in your psychological and spiritual development, it will tend to raise you to the next level. Those who are already developed spiritually will find their journey greatly accelerated.
What benefits do pearls and stones bestow?
The first benefit you will notice is an enhancement to your aura, this, in turn, will provide protection against negative influences and an improvement of health and energy levels. Since it is hard for negative energy to exist in their presence, you will become more positive in your thinking and in your attitude towards life’s daily challenges. You will soon find your intuition developing naturally. There are also many individual benefits according to the type of pearl you wear. For example, tiger pearls will give you charisma and an authoritative presence. Bamboo pearls will attract money. Any mustka pearl can help your magical operations become more powerful.
Are animals harmed in the obtaining of these bezoar stones?
No. The Pawangs/Shamans maintain a harmonious relationship with nature at all times and would never harm any of the living beings they work with. It would actually be impractical to try and hunt animals for pearls, as they are extremely rare, and the hunter could not possibly know which animals held pearls in their bodies. It is the elemental of the pearl that chooses to work with the Pawangs, and offers itself only when a relationship of trust has developed.
How do we know that the pearls are genuine?
There are indeed fakes on the market, particularly in Indonesia where bezoar stones & Mustika Pearls are quite well known and are often sought for ornamental purposes. The difference is usually well known, as the genuine pearls are only obtained from Pawangs. All our mustikas are obtained via someone who has a long standing relationship to the Pawangs in Indonesia, and only deals in genuine Mustika pearls and bezoar stones. Furthermore, our pearls go through an intense psychic scanning process to verify that they are genuine. You can test them for yourself by holding one between your thumb and forefinger and calling the name of the elemental. You will soon feel intense energies flowing through your fingers as the spirit begins to respond to you.
How rare are the stones and pearls you sell?
On the whole, mustika pearls are all rare. Some, however, are rarer than others. Pearls are more commonly found in bamboo and banana plants, for example, but some species will very rarely produce a mustika and you will find some pearls that are strictly one of a kind. The rarest will be from non-physical beings such as dragons. Even these, however, are beginning to appear more often as more people are waking up to them and are ready to work with them.
These pearls are rare, and many fakes are being offered for sale. It is up to the customer to determine which seller is real and which is not. Your best choice is to use a trusted source, we cannot indicate which companies are honest and which are dealing in fake items. We can only advise you to pay attention to how they present themselves, how long they have been in business and to beware if they offer “guarantees” or “certifications” of their pearls and stones. These cannot be made by any seller no matter what they say.
Who are your sources?
We go directly to the first line of acquisition. Our sources are Indonesian Shamans and suppliers. Mani Zone partners in Indonesia have been dealing with shamans and suppliers for many years and had strong relationships before they decided to join our company. Mani Zone Staff members in Indonesia have connections to large networks, suppliers and shamans over years of personal knowledge in their fields—they were not educated in technology nor did they have the necessary equipment available to them to offer such items on the internet prior to now.
Other sellers may claim that they posses the only direct source but this is not true. It is impossible for anyone to state that they own the only genuine market of Mustika pearls and Bezoar Stones. We have no reason to malign other companies or individual sellers about their claims; we prefer to let the client decide which claims are true or false. We find no need to try and discredit other companies because we are confident in our sources and psychic testers.
Most sellers, on the whole, are genuine and are interested in helping humanity advance spiritually, which aligns well with our own spiritual mission. Please keep in mind that if our sources were not direct, we would not be able to offer our pearls and stones at good prices. With the addition of middle-men our prices would soar, by using direct sources we are able to keep our prices within a reasonable range.
So what do you think?
Scam? Hoax? Bullshit? Real? Awesome? Cool? Boring? Ridiculous? What?
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 12:55 PM 1 comments
Saturday, February 9, 2008
My life is worth how much?
Your Life Is Worth... |
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Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 10:36 PM 5 comments
Labels: cool quizes, Say what?
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Toothpaste For Dinner?

I found this wonderful silliness at toothpastefordinner.com, and now I'm sharing. Isn't that special?
-oOo-

-oOo-

-oOo-

-oOo-

-oOo-

Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 12:10 PM 0 comments
Labels: Say what?
Friday, December 14, 2007
I should have been a doctor! Who knew?
You Should Be a Doctor |
![]() You are practical, sharp, and very intuitive. Optimistic and energetic, you are a problem solver who doesn't get discouraged easily. You are also quite compassionate and caring. You make people feel hopeful. You're highly adaptable and capable. You do well with almost any curve ball life throws at you. You do best when you: - Are always learning new subjects - Use your knowledge to solve problems You would also be a good therapist or detective. |
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 10:02 PM 1 comments
Labels: cool quizes, Say what?
Friday, December 7, 2007
Me? A Tortured Genius?
You Are 87% Tortured Genius |
![]() You totally fit the profile of a tortured genius. You're uniquely brilliant - and completely misunderstood. Not like you really want anyone to understand you anyway. You're pretty happy being an island. |
Posted by Shirley Twofeathers at 10:22 PM 2 comments
Labels: cool quizes, Say what?