Mayday DC is a radical housing and homeless advocacy organization in the Washington, D.C. area. The group is known for using tactics such as disruption of public events held by politicians, banner hangs, and illegally occupying buildings to make political statements.
The work of the group includes the following:
* Advocacy to reopen or prevent the closure of homeless shelters such as the Franklin school shelter, the Gayle's school, the Randall shelter, and others;
* Copwatch to prevent and document instances of police brutality;
* Services such as weekly meals and providing clothing to the homeless;
* Work to change conditions in shelters that some homeless claim are substandard;
* Anti-gentrification activism to prevent increases in housing prices;
* Increase access for homeless and D.C. residents to city services.
History
Mayday DC was formed in August 2002 by some of the people who had lived in the house of the Olive Branch Community, a longtime homeless advocacy group, as the house was being evicted. Its first action on August 7, 2002, was a housing takeover of the empty Franklin school building to demand that it be used as a homeless shelter. The group made news when one of its members known as "Bork" staged a sit-in on a ledge five stories high within the Wilson building, the city hall of Washington, D.C.
The work of the group includes the following:
* Advocacy to reopen or prevent the closure of homeless shelters such as the Franklin school shelter, the Gayle's school, the Randall shelter, and others;
* Copwatch to prevent and document instances of police brutality;
* Services such as weekly meals and providing clothing to the homeless;
* Work to change conditions in shelters that some homeless claim are substandard;
* Anti-gentrification activism to prevent increases in housing prices;
* Increase access for homeless and D.C. residents to city services.
History
Mayday DC was formed in August 2002 by some of the people who had lived in the house of the Olive Branch Community, a longtime homeless advocacy group, as the house was being evicted. Its first action on August 7, 2002, was a housing takeover of the empty Franklin school building to demand that it be used as a homeless shelter. The group made news when one of its members known as "Bork" staged a sit-in on a ledge five stories high within the Wilson building, the city hall of Washington, D.C.
Xen, Ancient English Edition, Complete & Unexpurgated, is a science fiction novel “translated” by D.J. Solomon, about a true utopia on Earth, in the distant future.
The Context
Xen is a book from a future world of humanity. It is a highly revered text, that explains how the new Utopia of Earth came into being. Xen is actually written in a language called Eartherian, the universal tongue spoken and written by all of mankind’s descendants who survived an apocalypse that wiped out about half the population. After that point, none of the ancient languages still existed except as areas of scholarly study. Naturally, there had been translations of Xen before, just as scholars now may be inclined to do further translations of ancient works. The “translator,” a person enjoying this future world, having a penchant for Ancient English, among his many other interests, decided to do just that. Hence, this “translation” into Ancient English. During his Translator’s Note, he comments on his decision, references the other English translations already available, and even discusses his future plans.
The story
Xen consists of several layers of stories, interwoven in 10 Books rather than chapters. It is presented, after the Translator’s Note, as a myth, just as mythology has always been used to explain legends. Thus the allegory begins with the origins of Wind, Water, Fire, and life itself on Earth. Wind and Water bicker over the depravity of mankind and Wind worries that mankind will destroy himself and possibly the Earth as well. Water bets against Wind that this will be the outcome, in this first Book, the Bet. Wind and Water return in the Book of History and to settle the bet in the end of the last Book.
The remainder of the novel is a stream of consciousness, from the perspective of several characters, each written in the second person:
*The Scientist who lives during man‘s years of decadence and immorality (the present), who can’t help having startling racist and sexist thoughts, despite realizing that he is not in any way a racist or sexist. He also considers the power of illegal drugs.
*The Mother, who is reading the Story to her very young son.
*The Minister (of Earth) in the future Utopian world, who is ultimately responsible for the writing of Xen.
*The Adolescent, a contemporary of the Minister‘s, who reflects on her Utopia, and actually describes it.
There are three Books of Scientist, three books of Minister, one book of Adolescent, and one book of Mother and Child.
The Utopia
The future utopia is a visionary world, entirely egalitarian in every way. There is no gender bias or racism, no exploitation of anyone or anything. There is no war, either off world or on, a critical departure from many other science fiction novels. A major point in Xen is that any race capable of interstellar travel, is a peaceful one. Health is excellent and life very long, although there are exceptions. Machines do much work, but people remain very active at all levels of society, in all manners of work. Government continues in a limited fashion, mostly for organizational purposes. Minister Esse is at the head of this government. Arbitration stands as a means for solving otherwise irreconcilable controversies between individuals, a rarity. With increased longevity, the birth rate is very low. Children remain the most precious resources and given only to those couples most capable of raising the next generation. The chronology of sex in science fiction novels is a spiral toward the ever more outlandish. In the world of Xen, love and sex are present but sexual relations of any type can only occur in the presence of ongoing love and marriage. Consummation of the relationship is not even physically possible until many months after the vows of marriage. Heterosexuality predominates relationships, but other sexuality (e.g. gay and lesbian) still exists. Fire has been banned. The weather has been mastered. Most everyone has pets of one type or another, but not insects or vermin or other species that are biologically mandated to remain a certain distance from mankind. Microbes are handled separately. Food is entirely vegetarian. Consumption is up to individual tastes and resources are plentiful. Even those that are limited, for research purposes, are reasonably shared. Recycling into basic components is utilized, but not required for this world to work. Truly exceptional articles, artifacts and art, for example, are shared in a unique system. There is no need for currency and gold has no value other than as a commodity. Religion also continues for most everyone, but there is no proselytizing. There is not anarchy, paternalism, or socialism, idealistic or not. Individualism is stressed. Emotions remain otherwise unchecked and diversions of all types are available, as desired. Personal responsibility and mutual respect become the hallmarks of interpersonal relationships.
----
Xen is not for the faint of heart. The wonders of this new Utopia are only presented, and hence appreciated, as a contrast to the horrors of life on Earth prior to the apocalypse. The Scientist delineates these early on, as he considers his world and the humor is very bitter sweet, mostly because (probably) everyone has had these same thoughts in one fashion or another. The racism is singeing and the objectification of women contemptible. Worse yet, Wind and Water graphically debate, later in the Book of History, the origins of Mankind’s failings, the origin of his xenophobia, why he is a war monger, greedy, a sexual predator, a follower. In these pages alone, Xen succeeds as a social satire and critique, addressing the issues of bias, propaganda, politics, the media, money, illegal drugs, religion, consumerism. The peaceful world of the new Utopia is singular. And the transition, the apocalypse, entirely fresh. Furthermore, the reason for this transition, which underpins the Minister’s direction for the writing of Xen, is entirely unexpected. In what other context, than a translation, could a modern novel have the conceit to begin with the first line, “It was a dark and stormy night?”
The Cipher
Xen contains a coded message, or word puzzle in Scientist III.
The Lexicon
This novel is dense and empowered by a rich vocabulary, sprinkled with strong language. Hence, the Complete & Unexpurgated Edition. This also allows for eroticism and the droll rendering of the present. Still, there are certain words that are particularly difficult to clarify from Eartherian into English, particularly in the context of Xen. These are defined in a special Lexicon, housed at the end of the book.
The Matriarchy
The utopia is entirely egalitarian, except in one way, which is also a pivotal factor for why the new Utopia thrives. In fact, mankind, as he existed during the time of the Scientist, is no longer present. A new species has taken his place, forcing a bias toward matriarchy, making Xen a highly feminist science fiction work, although this is otherwise not a predominant theme. In this evolution, males and females appear unchanged from their ancestors, but women are now physically stronger than men, which is not a problem in this enlightened society.
The Context
Xen is a book from a future world of humanity. It is a highly revered text, that explains how the new Utopia of Earth came into being. Xen is actually written in a language called Eartherian, the universal tongue spoken and written by all of mankind’s descendants who survived an apocalypse that wiped out about half the population. After that point, none of the ancient languages still existed except as areas of scholarly study. Naturally, there had been translations of Xen before, just as scholars now may be inclined to do further translations of ancient works. The “translator,” a person enjoying this future world, having a penchant for Ancient English, among his many other interests, decided to do just that. Hence, this “translation” into Ancient English. During his Translator’s Note, he comments on his decision, references the other English translations already available, and even discusses his future plans.
The story
Xen consists of several layers of stories, interwoven in 10 Books rather than chapters. It is presented, after the Translator’s Note, as a myth, just as mythology has always been used to explain legends. Thus the allegory begins with the origins of Wind, Water, Fire, and life itself on Earth. Wind and Water bicker over the depravity of mankind and Wind worries that mankind will destroy himself and possibly the Earth as well. Water bets against Wind that this will be the outcome, in this first Book, the Bet. Wind and Water return in the Book of History and to settle the bet in the end of the last Book.
The remainder of the novel is a stream of consciousness, from the perspective of several characters, each written in the second person:
*The Scientist who lives during man‘s years of decadence and immorality (the present), who can’t help having startling racist and sexist thoughts, despite realizing that he is not in any way a racist or sexist. He also considers the power of illegal drugs.
*The Mother, who is reading the Story to her very young son.
*The Minister (of Earth) in the future Utopian world, who is ultimately responsible for the writing of Xen.
*The Adolescent, a contemporary of the Minister‘s, who reflects on her Utopia, and actually describes it.
There are three Books of Scientist, three books of Minister, one book of Adolescent, and one book of Mother and Child.
The Utopia
The future utopia is a visionary world, entirely egalitarian in every way. There is no gender bias or racism, no exploitation of anyone or anything. There is no war, either off world or on, a critical departure from many other science fiction novels. A major point in Xen is that any race capable of interstellar travel, is a peaceful one. Health is excellent and life very long, although there are exceptions. Machines do much work, but people remain very active at all levels of society, in all manners of work. Government continues in a limited fashion, mostly for organizational purposes. Minister Esse is at the head of this government. Arbitration stands as a means for solving otherwise irreconcilable controversies between individuals, a rarity. With increased longevity, the birth rate is very low. Children remain the most precious resources and given only to those couples most capable of raising the next generation. The chronology of sex in science fiction novels is a spiral toward the ever more outlandish. In the world of Xen, love and sex are present but sexual relations of any type can only occur in the presence of ongoing love and marriage. Consummation of the relationship is not even physically possible until many months after the vows of marriage. Heterosexuality predominates relationships, but other sexuality (e.g. gay and lesbian) still exists. Fire has been banned. The weather has been mastered. Most everyone has pets of one type or another, but not insects or vermin or other species that are biologically mandated to remain a certain distance from mankind. Microbes are handled separately. Food is entirely vegetarian. Consumption is up to individual tastes and resources are plentiful. Even those that are limited, for research purposes, are reasonably shared. Recycling into basic components is utilized, but not required for this world to work. Truly exceptional articles, artifacts and art, for example, are shared in a unique system. There is no need for currency and gold has no value other than as a commodity. Religion also continues for most everyone, but there is no proselytizing. There is not anarchy, paternalism, or socialism, idealistic or not. Individualism is stressed. Emotions remain otherwise unchecked and diversions of all types are available, as desired. Personal responsibility and mutual respect become the hallmarks of interpersonal relationships.
----
Xen is not for the faint of heart. The wonders of this new Utopia are only presented, and hence appreciated, as a contrast to the horrors of life on Earth prior to the apocalypse. The Scientist delineates these early on, as he considers his world and the humor is very bitter sweet, mostly because (probably) everyone has had these same thoughts in one fashion or another. The racism is singeing and the objectification of women contemptible. Worse yet, Wind and Water graphically debate, later in the Book of History, the origins of Mankind’s failings, the origin of his xenophobia, why he is a war monger, greedy, a sexual predator, a follower. In these pages alone, Xen succeeds as a social satire and critique, addressing the issues of bias, propaganda, politics, the media, money, illegal drugs, religion, consumerism. The peaceful world of the new Utopia is singular. And the transition, the apocalypse, entirely fresh. Furthermore, the reason for this transition, which underpins the Minister’s direction for the writing of Xen, is entirely unexpected. In what other context, than a translation, could a modern novel have the conceit to begin with the first line, “It was a dark and stormy night?”
The Cipher
Xen contains a coded message, or word puzzle in Scientist III.
The Lexicon
This novel is dense and empowered by a rich vocabulary, sprinkled with strong language. Hence, the Complete & Unexpurgated Edition. This also allows for eroticism and the droll rendering of the present. Still, there are certain words that are particularly difficult to clarify from Eartherian into English, particularly in the context of Xen. These are defined in a special Lexicon, housed at the end of the book.
The Matriarchy
The utopia is entirely egalitarian, except in one way, which is also a pivotal factor for why the new Utopia thrives. In fact, mankind, as he existed during the time of the Scientist, is no longer present. A new species has taken his place, forcing a bias toward matriarchy, making Xen a highly feminist science fiction work, although this is otherwise not a predominant theme. In this evolution, males and females appear unchanged from their ancestors, but women are now physically stronger than men, which is not a problem in this enlightened society.
Sarah Jane Ceylon (born July 22, 1982), is an American fetish and bondage model.
Biography
Early life
Sarah Jane Ceylon was born in a suburban Pennsylvania town in July 22, 1982, but her specific birth place is unknown. She attended the local high school, where her creativity and talent for artwork was discovered early by her teachers, but she often felt isolated among the students. She couldn't find a date and went to the prom alone, contributing it in parts to her unusual fashion style. After graduating high school, she lived for almost a year at a friend's college dorm room in upstate New York, enjoying the college party life, but then moved off campus and took different jobs. Ceylon also worked in a tattoo shop where she got several tattoos of her own, later commenting, "My tattoos gave me a sense of confidence and greatly improved my self-esteem."
Adult industry
Ceylon was approached by an talent agent while attending a fetish ball. Skeptical about the offer at first, she eventually embraced the opportunity to earn money for being tied up; something she fantasized about in her personal life. Initially, she expected her modeling to be a mere second career, but she quickly realized that with her interest in the subject and her unusual flexibility and ability to perform and endure BDSM scenes for extensive periods of time, she could become a full-time model. Ceylon made her first notable movies for the infamous BDSM website Insex, where she appeared as "625" in both live feeds and recorded shows. She also worked for the Insex successor Hardtied.com as "Jenny", and more recently appeared in numerous videos for the Kink.com network, using her new stage name, Sarah Jane Ceylon. She is a prominent figure within the fetish community, usually attending and performing her acts at bondage and fetish related conventions such as the annual US-based FetishCon.
Personal life
Ceylon is married to fetish director Cyd Black.
References
*, sarahjaneceylon.com
*[http://www.kink.com/php/modelt/index.php?actionshow&id12772 Model page], Kink.com
Biography
Early life
Sarah Jane Ceylon was born in a suburban Pennsylvania town in July 22, 1982, but her specific birth place is unknown. She attended the local high school, where her creativity and talent for artwork was discovered early by her teachers, but she often felt isolated among the students. She couldn't find a date and went to the prom alone, contributing it in parts to her unusual fashion style. After graduating high school, she lived for almost a year at a friend's college dorm room in upstate New York, enjoying the college party life, but then moved off campus and took different jobs. Ceylon also worked in a tattoo shop where she got several tattoos of her own, later commenting, "My tattoos gave me a sense of confidence and greatly improved my self-esteem."
Adult industry
Ceylon was approached by an talent agent while attending a fetish ball. Skeptical about the offer at first, she eventually embraced the opportunity to earn money for being tied up; something she fantasized about in her personal life. Initially, she expected her modeling to be a mere second career, but she quickly realized that with her interest in the subject and her unusual flexibility and ability to perform and endure BDSM scenes for extensive periods of time, she could become a full-time model. Ceylon made her first notable movies for the infamous BDSM website Insex, where she appeared as "625" in both live feeds and recorded shows. She also worked for the Insex successor Hardtied.com as "Jenny", and more recently appeared in numerous videos for the Kink.com network, using her new stage name, Sarah Jane Ceylon. She is a prominent figure within the fetish community, usually attending and performing her acts at bondage and fetish related conventions such as the annual US-based FetishCon.
Personal life
Ceylon is married to fetish director Cyd Black.
References
*, sarahjaneceylon.com
*[http://www.kink.com/php/modelt/index.php?actionshow&id12772 Model page], Kink.com
The Van Halen Winter 2008 Tour is a concert tour occurring in the early months of 2008, featuring hard rock band Van Halen. It is a continuation of the band's 2007 tour, which finishes a mere 3 1/2 weeks earlier, and is the first with the band's original singer (from 1972-1985 and again briefly in 1996) - David Lee Roth.
The official Van Halen website originally listed the tour as "Van Halen Fall Tour 2007" for the 2007 tour, even when 2008 dates were first added. There were just in a different coloured font; the 2007 dates are in white and the 2008 ones are in brown), a mere 3 1/2 weeks later. This has not specifically been announced as a separate tour, and it is still part of the band's reunion touring plans. In total, it would bring the total dates of the current tour up to 68 scheduled, if the two were seen as one.
Tourdates
First leg (USA)
* 22 January, 2008: Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
* 24 January, 2008: San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
* 26 January, 2008: Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
* 28 January, 2008: Houston, TX - Toyota Center
* 30 January, 2008: Little Rock, AR - Alltel Arena
* 01 February, 2008: Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
* 04 February, 2008: Omaha, NE - Qwest Center
* 08 February, 2008: New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
* 10 February, 2008: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
* 12 February, 2008: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
* 14 February, 2008: Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
* 16 February, 2008: Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
* 18 February, 2008: Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
* 20 February, 2008: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
* 22 February, 2008: Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena
Second leg (USA)
* 05 March, 2008: Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena
* 07 March, 2008: Raleigh, NC - RBC Center
* 09 March, 2008: Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
* 11 March, 2008: Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
* 13 March, 2008: East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
* 17 March, 2008: New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
* 19 March, 2008: Hershey, PA - Giant Center
* 21 March, 2008: Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
* 24 March, 2008: Providence, RI - Dunkin' Donuts Center
* 26 March, 2008: Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
* 28 March, 2008: Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall
* 30 March, 2008: St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
* 01 April, 2008: Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
* 03 April, 2008: Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
* 05 April, 2008: Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
* 07 April, 2008: Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center
The official Van Halen website originally listed the tour as "Van Halen Fall Tour 2007" for the 2007 tour, even when 2008 dates were first added. There were just in a different coloured font; the 2007 dates are in white and the 2008 ones are in brown), a mere 3 1/2 weeks later. This has not specifically been announced as a separate tour, and it is still part of the band's reunion touring plans. In total, it would bring the total dates of the current tour up to 68 scheduled, if the two were seen as one.
Tourdates
First leg (USA)
* 22 January, 2008: Oklahoma City, OK - Ford Center
* 24 January, 2008: San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center
* 26 January, 2008: Dallas, TX - American Airlines Center
* 28 January, 2008: Houston, TX - Toyota Center
* 30 January, 2008: Little Rock, AR - Alltel Arena
* 01 February, 2008: Denver, CO - Pepsi Center
* 04 February, 2008: Omaha, NE - Qwest Center
* 08 February, 2008: New Orleans, LA - New Orleans Arena
* 10 February, 2008: Atlanta, GA - Philips Arena
* 12 February, 2008: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
* 14 February, 2008: Orlando, FL - Amway Arena
* 16 February, 2008: Jacksonville, FL - Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena
* 18 February, 2008: Tampa, FL - St. Pete Times Forum
* 20 February, 2008: Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BankAtlantic Center
* 22 February, 2008: Charlottesville, VA - John Paul Jones Arena
Second leg (USA)
* 05 March, 2008: Cincinnati, OH - US Bank Arena
* 07 March, 2008: Raleigh, NC - RBC Center
* 09 March, 2008: Baltimore, MD - 1st Mariner Arena
* 11 March, 2008: Manchester, NH - Verizon Wireless Arena
* 13 March, 2008: East Rutherford, NJ - Izod Center
* 17 March, 2008: New York, NY - Madison Square Garden
* 19 March, 2008: Hershey, PA - Giant Center
* 21 March, 2008: Pittsburgh, PA - Mellon Arena
* 24 March, 2008: Providence, RI - Dunkin' Donuts Center
* 26 March, 2008: Uncasville, CT - Mohegan Sun Arena
* 28 March, 2008: Atlantic City, NJ - Boardwalk Hall
* 30 March, 2008: St. Louis, MO - Scottrade Center
* 01 April, 2008: Columbus, OH - Value City Arena
* 03 April, 2008: Rosemont, IL - Allstate Arena
* 05 April, 2008: Grand Rapids, MI - Van Andel Arena
* 07 April, 2008: Milwaukee, WI - Bradley Center