Project #38306 - Comm 300 discussion

Uncertainty Reduction Theory

Life is full of uncertainties, and nothing is more uncertain than meeting someone for the first time.  Your text states that “when strangers first meet, they are primarily concerned with increasing predictability in an effort to make sense out of their communication experience.”  Thus, researchers Charles Berger and Richard Calabrese devised the Uncertainty Reduction Theory to explain what happens on first encounters.

One of my favorite films is “The Goodbye Girl,” a 1977 romantic comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss and Marsha Mason.  Mason, an unemployed dancer, is reluctantly forced to share an apartment with Dreyfuss, a struggling off-Broadway actor.  This scene depicts an early encounter in which they try to decide if this living arrangement can possibly work.

(You can read more about the film at

On page 150 of your text, the authors identify seven assumptions about the Uncertainty Reduction Theory.  As you review the film clip, try to see how these assumptions apply to the scene.

Social Exchange Theory

As we know from the Social Penetration Theory, not all relationships go in a perfectly straight line.  Often people experience problems that make them want to consider the costs and rewards of those relationships.  That’s the major idea behind the Social Exchange Theory

The Social Exchange Theory, according to your text, “is based on the notion that people think about their relationships in economic terms.”  In other words, costs versus rewards.  My initial interpretation was that the theory was limited to dollars and cents.  However, the text goes on to define costs as “the elements of relational life that have negative value to a person” and rewards as “the elements of a relationship that have positive value."

“The Social Exchange perspective argues that people calculate the overall worth of a particular relationship by subtracting its costs from the rewards it provides,” the authors state.  Pretty simple, n'est-ce pas?

Well, it turns out to be somewhat more complicated than that.  The Social Exchange Theory is based on several assumptions about human nature:

·         Humans seek rewards and avoid punishments.

·         Humans are rational beings.

(How true do you think those assumptions are?)

Moreover, your text identifies two assumptions that Social Exchange Theory makes about the nature of relationships:

·         Relationships are interdependent.

·         Relational life is a process.

(Probably not too much to disagree with about that!

One of the best examples of the application of the Social Exchange Theory is domestic violence.  Most victims of domestic violence, as you know, are women.  Those of us who have never experienced such abuse often ask “Why does she stay in an abusive relationship?”  An answer to that question comes from Leslie Morgan Steiner, an American author, blogger and businesswoman, whose 2009 memoir Crazy Love talked about surviving domestic violence. Here is her story:

As you view her presentation, please address the questions raised by the assumptions about human nature and relationships listed above.  How did Ms. Steiner evaluate the costs versus the rewards of her relationship?  Finally, why do you think she stayed in that relationship for so long?

Question 3: Social Penetration Theory

Have you ever had a relationship that evolved over time, going from superficial to intimate?  Well, that’s what the Social Penetration Theory is about.  It’s an effort to understand how relationships develop.  The interesting thing is, they aren’t necessarily linear or progressive.  They have their ebbs and flows, their ups and downs.

The Social Penetration Theory was developed by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor.  They based their theory on several assumptions:

·         Relationships progress from non-intimate to intimate.

·         The development of relationships is generally systematic and predictable.

·         Relationship development includes de-penetration and dissolution (that is, we go in and out of them or sometimes end them entirely).

·         Self-disclosure is at the core of relationship development.

Consider the way the relationship develops between Harry and Sally in “When Harry Met Sally.”  You will recall from last week that they began as strangers sharing a car trip from Chicago to New York discussing why (according to Harry) men and women can’t be friends.  They come in and out of each other’s lives over a period of years, trying to figure out exactly what they mean to each other.  They even have fights that damage the relationship.  (CAUTION: SPOILER ALERT!) Finally, Harry decides that he’s in love with Sally, despite the fact that they are friends (thereby disproving his original theory).  Sally agrees.  Happy ending.  Fade to black.

There’s a visual depiction of the Social Penetration Theory here that does a pretty good job at illustrating the theory in two minutes.  After you’ve viewed the clip, think about a relationship you’ve had (not necessarily a romantic one) and briefly discuss the assumptions listed above. For example:

·         Have you ever had a relationship that went from intimate to non-intimate?

·         Based on your experience, do you think that relationships are ALWAYS (or mostly always) "generally systematic and predictable"?

·         Have you ever had a relationship in which you or the other party became emotionally separated ("de-penetrated")?  Do you think that USUALLY leads to dissolution of the relationship?

·         Finally, do you agree that "self-disclosure is at the core of relationship development"?

I look forward to reading your thoughts.

Question 4: Relational Dialectics Theory

Well, I don’t know about you, but I had to look up the meaning of “dialectic.”  According to Webster’s New World Dictionary, dialectic is “the art or practice of examining opinions or ideas, often by the method of question and answer, so as to determine their validity.”

It’s similar to the Social Exchange Theory, where people think about their relationships in terms of costs versus rewards.  Only Relational Dialectics suggests that relationships are often characterized by ongoing tensions between contradictory impulses.  Perhaps that’s why victims of domestic violence have such a difficult time deciding whether to stay or to go.  “On the one hand,” she says, “he’s a loving father to our children.  On the other hand, he beats me every day.  Our children need a father.  Therefore, I must stay and endure the beatings.”

Like the other theories we’ve discussed, RDT is based on several major assumptions:

·         Relational life is characterized by change

·         Relationships are not linear.

·         Contradiction is the fundamental fact of relational life.

·         Communication is central to organizing and negotiating relational contradictions.

As I read through this chapter, I began thinking about one of my favorite movies: “Casablanca.”  The film is set during World War II, when Nazi Germany is threatening to take over all of Europe and Northern Africa.  The main characters, Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) and Ilsa Lund (Ingrid Bergman), meet in Paris as the Nazis are closing in.  They carry on a brief love affair and agree to leave together on a train to avoid capture.  However, Ilsa doesn't show up.

Heartbroken, Rick travels to Casablanca in Morocco and opens a night club.  Some time later, Ilsa shows up with a Czech resistance fighter, Victor Laslo (Paul Henreid), whom we learn was her husband when Ilsa was seeing Rick in Paris; however, Ilsa had been told he was killed in a concentration camp.  As she and Rick are planning to leave Paris, she learns that Victor was alive, but injured, on the outskirts of Paris.  Ilsa decides that she must give up Rick to take care of her husband.

Victor and Ilsa have come to Casablanca to seek passage to the United States, where he can continue his fight against Germany without being captured by the Nazis.  Understandably upset and angry, Rick refuses to help them.  His feelings soften when he learns that Ilsa still loves him.  In the closing scene, Rick gives up Ilsa so Victor can continue his work.  Here, Rick explains why.

As you view the film clip, think about how the Relational Dialectics Theory applies to the relationship between Rick and Ilsa.  From what you know about the movie plot, how do the assumptions on which RDT is based apply? Finally, how do you think Rick arrived at his decision?

(If you're not familiar with the film, go to

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Overall patient satisfaction with their healthcare delivery experience is a significant measure of the perceived quality of care of a health care practice. One common facility related factor that correlates well with improved perceptions of care is the general openness and accessibility of the facility. However, health care providers also have a primary responsibility to ensure that the care that they provide to the public is done in a safe manner and setting. Delivering the highest quality of medical care in the safest and most comfortable environment should be the foundation of any healthcare practice mission statement.

Risk assessment is one of the first steps a healthcare system can take to improve the security and safety of their facilities, patients, visitors, and staff.  Risk assessment answers two questions:

1. What is the probability an event will occur?
2. What is the magnitude of the loss should it occur?

Risk assessments are used for many industries and are critical in the healthcare industry.  Events that present a threat in most healthcare facilities could include:

1. Human threats like combative patients or other workplace violence
2. Natural threats like earthquakes or flooding
3. Environmental threats like chemical leakage or pollution

Risk Assessment Process

The risk assessment process may be completed within several weeks or months depending on the specific facility and industry. The figure below visually represents the 5 step Risk Assessment Process:

1. Identify Threats – Involves a thorough investigation of the healthcare facilities and security procedures.

2. Assess Vulnerabilities – Vulnerabilities are weaknesses in a healthcare system’s protection plan that have the potential to harm assets.

3. Establish Security Measures and Controls– The current security measures are evaluated for effectiveness.

4. Prepare Corrective Action Plan – Any adjustments will be included and implemented.

5. Monitor & Review – Since risk assessment and management is an ongoing process, security  should be continuously monitored and reviewed to measure effectiveness.


Kandinsky's dubb teachings - contrasting sounds

Like many of Kandinsky's paintings, this one titled Accent in Pink is an ecosystem of colors, shapes and special fx. Or it might be the result of an alchemical process. This episode of Kandinsky's dubb teachings is about color, but before we talk about Kandinsky's colors let's see what is going on Accent in Pink in terms of 3D effects.

If you'd look at a bigger reproduction of this painting and let your eyes travel over the surface you'd notice one of the basic games Kandinsky often plays in abstract paintings: you can't really say from what angle you're looking at the objects in the painting. From above or below? Left or right? It's like he says catch me if you can or like spatial hide-and-seek, or like M.C. Escher's impossible spaces...

Kandinsky's spatial warps are not as obvious as the ones Escher uses here, but if you can't see them you're missing a lot. This game of ambiguous 3D space in a painting is not unlike the ambient special effects in dub: warped echoes, reverbs in reverbs etc.

Now let's go back to the use of color, which is also an important feature of Kandinsky's painting styles. If you compare painting to music, a certain palette of colors is to a painting what a certain tuning or scale or harmonic relation is to music. This parallel works in more than one way. On a basic level a musical scale is a bunch of notes that have certain pitches (frequencies) but on a more musical level a certain scale sets a certain mood. Perhaps the most obvious example is the difference between major and minor scales but of course there are many more variations and nuances.

It's the same thing with colors. While a rational person might think of a certain color as some measurable thing that can be defined as a combination of hue, brightness and saturation, it is undeniable that certain combinations of colors have a certain emotional effect that can be compared to the effect of a melody or harmony in a certain musical scale or the use of certain ratios. The effects are very diverse and unpredictable, but obvious at the same time. For example, the mood of a certain palette can be in your face or subtle.

Degas - Dancers in pink

Whistler - Symphony in White No.1, The white girl

It can be 15 seconds of hype or timeless art

Marilyn Monroed

Van Gogh - Self portrait

Both scientists and artists are fascinated with the correspondences between sound and color. It's obvious that there's some kind of relation but it's also clear that it's mostly subjective. Fred Collopy's website Rhythmic Light.com has a nice history of experiments and thoughts about color/sound correspondences. The 'color scales' of Newton, Von Helmholtz, Scriabin and many others, linking hue to pitch, are over here.

The most striking element of Kandinsky's painting Accent in Pink is the luminous pink accent. It's almost over the top in the same way that dub fx can be over the top. This works so well because the rest of the painting has a relative sense of understatement. Basically it's all about contrast, as the title suggests.

Wassily Kandinsky

Kandinsky is known for his unusual palettes, his color sensitivity and his deep (or extravagant) theories. The basic premise of his color theory is the idea that color has an external side and an internal side. The external side of color is what you see, the internal side is the emotional effect of color. As the internal aspect of color is felt, not seen, it's invisible. Actually, some evolutionary biologists now say that the emotional quality of color was important for the evolution of social life. They think it's the reason we have all these birds with beautiful feathers, and so on.

In the previous episode i said that 'abstraction' is a vague and slippery concept. It's the same thing with color because it's very hard to analyse how it works. The philosopher Wittgenstein said that "the logic of the concept of color is just as much more complicated as it might seem". I think Kandinsky's ideas about the internal and the external side of color show why the concept of color is so elusive.

Philosophers, architects, fashion designers, graphic designers and of course painters have always struggled with the elusiveness of colors. For example it's simply impossible to paint a blue sky on a canvas that gives the same color-impression as the sky above your head. You can try real hard to capture it on a canvas or even on a photo but it will always look like a flat second hand imitation. Kandinsky would make this point when he defended his abstract painting style.

OK, so for a scientist color is very difficult. But it's just as hard to make vibrant colors work in a painting. Artists have tried all kinds of solutions to enhance or tame the effects of colors but it seems that only a few painters who have a strong intuitive sense of color can handle its full power without making it look contrived.

Matisse - Odalisque in red trousers

Although the ordered spectrum of pure rainbow colors suggests that a systematic approach or some kind of 'color management' might work, art history shows that a rigorous color system doesn't help a painter at all. Take the American Synchromists or the Delaunays from Paris. Although they had their colors on a theoretical leash they sometimes have a tendency to jump all over the canvas like a bunch of puppies.

Robert Delaunay - Nudes with ibises

Stanton Macdonald-Wright - Conception synchromy

Kandinsky has a lot more to say about color and there are more interesting parallels with music besides scales and tunings. For example, he researched how pure color can be used in paintings the same way musicians/producers use acoustics for spatial effects. I'll save that for the next episode (or two).


Introduction: Bondic How-To - Craft Necklace, Invisible Crimp Beads

To perfect a craft jewelry project, sometimes crimp beads are necessary. The problem is that they can make the project look ugly with the squashed bits of metal on it that you almost always want to cover up. Thankfully with Bondic, you can quickly and easily create invisible crimp beads or stoppers on your creations!

Never heard of Bondic? Click here for more information!
Bondic® is the World's First pocket 3D liquid plastic welder that allows you to fix, fill, mold, and even build almost anything. It will only solidify when you cure it with the included UV LED light, so you control the drying time. Once the UV light hits, it only takes 4 seconds to harden with no pressure needed and it will not stick to your skin. Keep in mind that Bondic® is NOT A GLUE and should not be used like one. It literally is a welding tool that uses a unique formula to build new plastic around two objects instead of “gluing” two flat surfaces together. Think of Bondic® closer to that of a 3D printer, creating new material where it has been lost. Additionally, for Bondic® to stick onto surfaces, it needs to be rough to allow the Bondic® fluid to seep into the pores of said objects and literally “grab” onto them when cured. We always like to think of Bondic as like gripping something with your hands. If you are trying to grab onto a smooth surface it will be really difficult to do so. But if the surface is rough, you can get a much better grip.

Step 1: Bead Your Necklace

Using any beading wire of your choosing (in this case I used clear elastic bead cord), start to add beads and play with it until you find the design you like best.

Once you have the perfect design, lay your necklace on a flat surface or a bead board, (asshown in the pictures) which I highly recommend.

Step 2: Apply Bondic

Now that you have your beads properly spaced on the necklace string, simply add a drop of Bondic to one of the sides of the bead's hole. Do not worry if you did not put the Bondic fluid in the right position, Bondic will only harden if exposed to the UV light, so you have lots of time to get it right! Once you have the fluid in the right spot, shine the UV light and watch it harden in seconds!

Repeat the same step the each side of the beads to hold them in place on your string.

Step 3: Time to Wear It!

Once you have added the drop of Bondic onto each side and cured it with the UV light, you are done! It is a very quick and painless process and very easy to make adjustments later on.

BullXL (author)2016-07-24

I like it

kathynv (author)2016-07-12

Your material sounds interesting, but your Instructable would get a lot better response if you showed how to make the beads, rather than simply showing pre-made beads being strung. Most of the people who inhabit the jewelry instructables know how to string beads, from what I can see. But I haven't heard of anyone using your material, and I for one, would love to actually see it being used.

Bondic (author)kathynv2016-07-18

Hi Kathynv, thank you for your feedback, we really just wanted to focus on what Bondic can add to the design, but we will definitely look into more detailed instructables for our next video!

About This Instructable

Bio: Bondic® is the World's First pocket 3D liquid plastic welder that allows you to fix, fill, mold, and even build almost anything. It will ... More »
More by Bondic:Bondic How-To - Fix A Leaking Air MattressBondic How-To - Repair Frayed CordsBondic How-To - Fix Broken Headphones (Beats By Dre)
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How do you measure someone’s life? Have you given a voice to those who cannot speak?

Have you bravely taken on Church and State and won? Have you been instrumental in getting laws changed and changing the course of history?

Not many people can say yes to those things but Christine Buckley did all of them during her 67 years.

She exposed the horrors that were inflicted on innocent children in Goldenbridge orphanage in Dublin.

Christine herself suffered unimaginable abuse from the age of three when she was sent there by a judge as she was found “wandering” the streets.

The daughter of a 31-year-old married woman and a 20-year-old Nigerian student, she was just three weeks old when she was fostered.

In 1950, her world would never be the same again after she was sent to Goldenbridge where she found herself in the care of the Sisters of Mercy.

This morning on learning she had lost her battle with cancer, I listened back to some of her interviews through the years.

Her voice was always so powerful because it was honest.

Listening to her describe the beatings meted out by the nuns which she called “slaughterings” because of the level of depravity involved, sends shivers down my spine.

Christine was once so badly beaten she needed 100 stitches in her leg.

When she was 10, a kettle of boiling water was poured over her thigh. She also told how infants were strapped to potties and beaten if they did not behave while older children were treated as slaves and forced to make 60 sets of beads a day.

Yet this sickening abuse was carried out on tiny babies and young children by so-called Brides of Christ.

While these kids were incarcerated in Goldenbridge they were treated like criminals by the nuns.

This was overseen by our State and justice system who sentenced children to a life of hell at the orphanage for the simple reason that they were born into poverty or out of wedlock.

Somehow Christine survived and found the courage to be the first person to speak out about the atrocities which took place at the hellhole.

She reached out to the entire nation and told her story through the powerful drama Dear Daughter, which was based on her memories of Goldenbridge.

But it took many, many years of brave fighting on Christine’s part to bring about the investigation and the apology which victims of institutional abuse needed and deserved.

When it looked like the fight was failing or their quest was being strangled by bureaucracy, Christine fought on.

Her courageous battle for the truth eventually led to then Taoiseach Bertie Ahern apologising on behalf of the State to people who were abused and degraded in State-run institutions as children.

He said he was inspired to issue the apology after many meetings with Christine.

He also set up the Ryan commission and a compensation scheme which has paid out to 15,000 people who suffered abuse thanks to her intense campaigning.

Christine’s legacy is truly an amazing one.

She is an inspiration to anyone who has ever suffered at the hands of powerful individuals.

Her message is simple, keep fighting and eventually justice will be served.

Her husband Donal perhaps paid the best tribute to his wife, when he described her as a “warrior”.

He said: “She was a warrior for people to try and trace their parents. She was a warrior for justice.

“She was a warrior for education and the benefits education can bring to people.

“She was a warrior for, most of all, people like her who spent time in industrial institutions.”

For a warrior like Christine, the phrase Rest in Peace just feels inadequate.

Like all great warriors down through the years, Christine may be gone, but her accomplishments on the battlefield will never be forgotten.

Ní bheidh a leithéid arís ann.


Home | Engineering | Important Question And Answer: civil - Applied Hydraulic Engineering - Part 2

civil - Applied Hydraulic Engineering

   Posted On :  13.07.2016 09:26 pm

civil - Applied Hydraulic Engineering

51.Write down the conditions for the most economical trapezoidal channel?

1.Half the top width is equal to one of sloping side (b+2 nd)/2=d?(1+n2)

2.Hydraulic mean depth is equal to half the depth.

52.Write down the conditions of most economical circular channel with maximum velocity?

53.What do you mean by open channel flow?

1.Open channel flow has a free surface which is subjected to atmospheric pressure.

2.In open channel flow the cross section is irregular.

54.What do you mean by pipe flow?

1.Pipe flow has no free surface and subjected to hydraulic pressure only.

2.The cross section of the flow is fixed

55.List the instrument used to measure open channel flow

1.pitot tube

2.ultrasonic flow instrument.

3.Dropper instrument

4.Gurley instrument.

56.What is the best side slope for trapezoidal channel ?

?=60� is the best side slope for trapezoidal channel.

57.what do mean by M1 profile?

The most common of all gradually varying flow is of M1 type which is a sub critical flow condition obstructions to flow such as wiers, dams etc�which produce M1 profile.

58.What are the types of flow profile? Mild slope profile

Steep slope profile Critical slope profile Horizontal bed profile Adverse slope profile

59.What do you mean by M2 profile?

The M2 profile occurs at a sudden drop in the bed of the channel in to the ponds or pools or lakes.

60.What do mean by M3 profile?

The M3 profile occurs the flow yielding from a spillway or a sluice gate. 61.What is speed ratio?

Where U1 � tangential velocity of wheel at inlet

? -speed ratio

H � Head of the turbine.

62.What do you mean by coefficient of velocity?

V1=Cv (2gH)

V1 = velocity of jet

Cv     = coefficient of velocity

H = head of the turbine.

63.What are the main parts of pelton wheel turbine?

1.       nozzle and flow regulating arrangement

2.       runner with buckets

3.       casing

4.       breaking jet

64.What are the main mechanism of Radial flow reaction turbine?

2.guide mechanism

4.draft tube

65.Define Multistage pump:

If centrifugal pump consists of two or more impellers the pump is called multistage pump. To produce a high head impellers are connected

in series .To produce high discharge impellers are connected in parallel.

66.Define Manometric head:

Manometric head is the head against which a centrifugal pump has to work.

Hm = Hs +hd +Hfs +Hfd + (vd2/2g)

� manometric head

Hs - suction head

Hd � delivery head

Hfs � friction head loss in suction pipe

Hfd � friction head loss in delivery pipe

67.What is Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) ?

NPSH is defined as the total head required to make liquid flow through suction pipe to pipe impeller.

68.Define slip of a reciprocating pump and negative slip:

Slip is defined as the difference between theoretical discharge and actual discharge. If actual discharge is greater than theoretical discharge negative value is found this negative value is called negative slip.

69.What do you know coefficient of  discharge?

It is defined as the ratio of actual discharge by theoretical discharge. It is denoted By Cd.

70.What do you know Drop down curve?

The water surface has a convex profile upwards this curve is called drop down curve.

71.What is separation of reciprocating pump?

If the pressure in the cylinder is below the vapour pressure , dissolved gasses will be liberated from the liquid and cavitations will takes place . The continuous flow of liquid will not exit which means separation of liquid takes place. The pressure at which separation takes place is called separation pressure and head corresponding to the separation pressure is called separation pressure head.

72.What is an indicator diagram?

Indicator diagram is the graph between the pressure head and distance traveled by the piston from inner dead center for one complete revolution.

73.What is Air vessel?

Air vessel is a closed chamber containing compressed air in the top portion and liquid at the bottom of the chamber . It is used to obtain a continuous supply of water at uniform rate to save a considerable amount of work and to run the pump at high speed with out separation.

74.What are the assumptions of gradually varying flow profile?

1.Pressure distribution at any section is assumed to be hydrostatic.

2.The velocity distribution at the channel section is fixed

3.The channel is prismatic

4.The roughness coefficient is independent of the depth of flow.

75.What the two cases where distance of the normal depth of flow does not exit?

(a)When the channel bed is horizontal

(b) When the channel bed has a adverse slope.

76.What are the methods used for finding gradually varying flow profile?

1.Direct integration method

2.Numerical method

3.Graphical representation method.

77.What are the classification of hydraulic turbine according to the type of energy at inlet ?

(a)Impulse turbine and

(b Reaction turbine

78.What are the types of turbine according to direction of flow through runner?

(a)Tangential flow turbine

(b)     Radial flow turbine

(c)Axial flow turbine

(d)     Mi  ed flow turbine

79.What are the types of turbine according to the head at the inlet of the turbine?

(a)high head turbine

(b) medium head turbine

(c)low head turbine

80.What are the types of turbine according to the specific speed of the turbine?

(a)Low specific speed turbine

(b) Medium specific speed turbine

(c)High specific speed turbine.

81.Write down the expression for energy loss due to hydraulic jump?

HL  =   (d2-d1)3  /  (4d1d2)

HL � energy loss due to hydraulic jump D2 - depth of flow after the jump

D1 -- depth of flow before the jump 82.What do you mean by length of hydraulic jump?

This is defined as the length between the two sections where one section is taken before the hydraulic jump and the second section is taken immediately after the jump.

83.What are the classification of flow in channels?

1.steady flow and un steady flow.

2.uniform flow and non uniform flow.

3.Laminar flow and turbulent flow and

4.sub critical , critical and super critical flow.

84.What are the types of Non uniform flow?

(i)      Rapidly Varied Flow (R.V.F)

(ii)     Gradually Varied Flow (G.V.F)

85.What do you know about laminar and turbulent flow?

Laminar flow: The flow in open channel is said to be laminar if the Reynolds number( Re) is less than 500

Turbulent flow: If the Reynolds number is greater than 2000 it is called turbulent flow.

86.What do you mean by specific energy curve?

It is defined as the curve which shows the variation of specific energy with respect to depth of flow.

87.Write the manometric efficiency of the pump?

Manometric efficiency  = (gHm)/(Vw2U2)

Hm �manometric head

88.Write the expression for over all efficiency ? over all efficiency

= (?g QHm)/(1000 x P) Where

Hm � manometric head

P       - power

89.What is the minimum speed for starting the centrifugal pump?

N=(120 ?manVw2 D)/(?(D22-D12) Where

?man � manometric efficiency

Vw2 _- Whirl at out let of the turbine D2 - diameter of impeller at out let

90. Write down the use of centrifugal pump?

1.Used in deep sump and basement

2.The high discharge capacity

3.It is driven by electric motors

Tags : civil - Applied Hydraulic Engineering
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Seeing Auras

Contrary to popular belief, one does not have to be born with the talent to be able to see auras.  The technique to learn how to see auras only takes one minute to learn.  However, it may take years to see auras well enough physically to glean all the information they can offer.

Aura reading, as with most things psychic, is a lesson in patience.  You may see auras right away, or within a few days of practice.  You may not.  You may see them initially, and then have a period of time where you don’t seem to see anything.  Although some people see colors almost immediately, others may practice for several months before colors start to appear.  Keeping your chakras clean, especially your third eye, should aid in seeing them.

As with any psychic work, DON’T STRAIN YOURSELF!  Practice initially only a few minutes per day; as your eyes get used to refocusing, you may look at the aura for a longer period of time. If you feel any strain on your chakras, STOP.  If your chakras begin to hurt, STOP, close them up, and don’t practice anything for a few days.  This goes for any time you overstrain your chakras.

To See Auras:

Get a partner or stand in front of a mirror.  The background (wall, etc) should be blank and preferably white.  Rooms that aren’t too bright usually seem to work better.  Have the subject (or yourself) stand approximately 18 inches from the wall.

To see the aura, look at the wall behind the person and a couple inches away from their body.  Remember the 3-D stereogram pictures that were popular a few years ago, where the trick was to look a few inches into the “noise” to see the 3-D image?  The trick to seeing auras uses the same concept.  Look beyond where the person is standing.  Ignore the person’s body; if you look at them you’ll lose the aura image.  You should see an area around the person where the background wall may look lighter than the rest.  If you can, try to see the color.  If you had to pick any color (besides white) to describe this area, what would it be?  Also, different areas of a person’s aura may be different colors.  The color you pick for one area may be different than another area.

Once you think you see it, have them sway from side to side.  The energy field you see should move with their movement.  An after-image would not move with the person, it would only move as your own eyes moved.  Also, after-images are the exact opposite color of what you were looking at; auras may be any color.

You can also practice seeing the various colors, however, by looking at after-images.  Cut out several circles, each approximately 3-4 inches in diameter, from colored construction paper, or color them in with markers.  You should end up having red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, white and black circles.  Place one on a white piece of paper, and stare at it approx 30 seconds.  Remove the circle and look at the white paper.  You should see an afterimage, the exact opposite color of the circle you stared at.  Bring the color into focus, and you may find your eyes refocusing a few inches deeper than the surface of the paper, just like looking at auras.  Practice with each circle.

Most people have little problem seeing the whitish area around people.  A few months of practice, and you may notice that this whitish area separates into light yellows and blues and pinks.  More practice, and these colors will separate further; oranges may be found where you once saw yellows, greens may be seen instead of light blue.  An electric blue or purple area may also be seen close to the body, and this is the etheric body.  The etheric body is quite vivid, and may be seen within a few months of practice, even while no specific colors are visible in the rest of the person’s energy.  Eventually, you may see the person’s chakras, which may look like brighter energy areas, energy vortices, etc.

If you are in school, try seeing the aura around your teachers and classmates.  At work, look at the auras of your colleagues as they talk to you.  Practice on your friends!  But remember, while you may be looking at auras, others may think you’re staring, so be discreet  😉

Auras tend to have a base color, which determines the person’s overall personality.  Also, several other colors may be shown at various places around the body. These other colors may describe the person’s current state of mind, as well as any ailments.  Illnesses may be seen in the aura which have not yet manifested themselves physically.

Although certain colors have a general meaning, these colors may mean something totally different to you.  You will have to learn what each color (or combination of colors) means to you.  For example, some people see pain as a red inflammation, while others may see it as a black splotch.  Pink may mean love to one person, and shyness to another.  While seeing the aura, feel it emotionally.  Describe the color that you see in the way it feels to you.

Listed below are the basic Aura Colors, these may vary depending on your sight.

Red: Red is the first of the primary colors and in ancient symbolism it represented the body, the earth, and hell, all three of which meant the same thing in the old mystery religions. As to the meaning of red, it indicates force, vigor and energy. Its interpretation depends upon the shade, and as with all colors, upon the relationship of the other colors. Dark red indicates a high temper, and it is a symbol of nervous turmoil. A person with dark red in his aura may not be weak outwardly, but is suffering in some way, and it is reflected in his nervous system. Such a person is apt to be domineering and quick to act. If the shade of red is light it indicates a nervous, impulsive, very active person, one who is probably self-centered. Scarlet indicates an overdose of ego. Pink or coral, is the color of immaturity. It is usually in young people, and if it shows up in the aura of one who is grown it indicates delayed adolescence, a childish concern with self. In all cases of red there is a tendency to nervous troubles, and such people ought to take time to be quiet and to get outside themselves.  Red may also indicate pain or an inflammation of some kind.

Orange: Orange is the color of the sun. It is vital and a good color generally, indicating thoughtfulness and consideration of others. Again however it is a matter of shade. Golden Orange is vital and indicates self-control and creativity. Brownish Orange shows a lack of ambition and a don’t-care attitude. Such people may be repressed, but usually they are just lazy. In the early church orange signified glory, virtue, and the fruits of the earth, all of these being connected naturally with the sun.

Yellow: Yellow is the second primary color.When it is golden yellow it indicates health and well-being. Such people take good care of themselves, don’t worry, and learn easily; good mentality is natural in them. They are happy, friendly, and helpful.  They may think a lot. If the yellow is ruddy, they are timid. They are thus apt often to be indecisive and weak in will, inclined to let others lead them.

Green: Pure emerald green, particularly if it has a dash of blue, is the color of healing. It is helpful, strong, friendly. It is the color of doctors and nurses, who invariably have a lot of it in their auras. However it is seldom a dominating  color, usually being over shadowed by one of its neighbors.  As it tends toward blue it is more helpful and trustworthy. As it tends toward yellow it is weakened. A lemony green with lots of yellow, is deceitful. As a rule the deep, healing green is seen in small amounts, but it is good to have a little in your aura. In the early church it symbolized youthfulness and the fertility of nature, taking this quite naturally from the sight of the fields in spring.

Blue: Almost any color of blue is good, but the deeper shades are the best. Pale blue indicates little depth, but a struggle toward maturity. The person may not be talented, but he tries. He will have many heartaches and many headaches, but he will keep going in the right direction. The middle blue, or aqua, belongs to a person who will work harder and get more done than the fellow with the light blue, though there may be little difference between them in talent. Those with deep blue have found their work and are immersed in it. They usually are apt to be moody and are almost always unusual persons, but they have a mission and they steadfastly go about fulfilling it. They are spiritual-minded for the most part, and their life is usually dedicated to an unselfish cause, such as science, art, or social service. Many sisters of mercy have dark blue, and many writers and singers do also.

Indigo and Violet: Indigo and violet indicate seekers of all types, people who are searching for a cause or a religious experience. As these people get settled in their careers and in their beliefs, however, these colors usually back into a deep blue. It seems that once the purpose is set in the right direction, blue is a natural emanation of the soul. Those who have purple are inclined to be overbearing, for here there is an infiltration of pink. In the early church indigo and violet meant humiliation and sorrow.

White and Other Colors: The perfect color, of course, is white, and this is what we all are striving for. If our souls were in perfect balance then our color vibrations would blend and we would have and aura of pure white. Christ had this aura, and it is shown in many paintings of him, particularly those that depict Him after the resurrection. Although black is not a color per se, I have added it in here. A person with a black aura or no aura is dieing or will die soon. To see a person with such an aura is not uncommon. If you ever visit a person who is very ill you will notice there aura is dull or lacks color it does not shine. A person who is dieing slowly loses there aura. When total black is present the person either is just about to die or just died.

Brown: Teddy bear personality, humble, earthy, sincere, a gentle heart.

Kidney Bean: Chemical alteration.

Grey: Absence of life force.  Grey appears because the body’s energy has been significantly reduced.  It’s like plugging your 220V electric stove into a 110V outlet. Skepticism.

Silver:  Balanced life force, an appreciation for life and its offerings, universal outlook.

A pregnant woman may have sparkles around her stomach.   Green in a certain area may indicate that that area is in the process of being healed.  Again, this is a general color chart, as you learn, you’ll see clues in the aura which may indicate something special to you.

Remote Viewing Techniques

This is a compilation of various media to associate more with the techniques and the structure of Remote Viewing. Please watch these commentaries, and then read the section about Psychic Defense… Enjoy.

Blocking Psychic Attacks

I just wanted to write a quick article on how you can stop someone from reading your mind. I refer to this as a psychic attack but that can refer to many other things. In this case, it’s when you’re face to face with someone and you feel like they’re trying to intrude upon your thoughts. The person kind of stares into your eyes while unfocusing their own. They seem to become silent for a moment and you get a strange feeling come over you. This scenario could vary from person to person but this is the one I’ve been most familiar with. I can also “feel” when people are trying to read me and I become very uncomfortable and have even come close to throwing up because of it.
The most practice I’ve had with this technique happened with my mum’s first son’s. He could regularly read a person’s thoughts and he felt that it was always his business to know what others were thinking about. It didn’t take long to know when he was trying it – he acted exactly as I wrote in the previous paragraph. I’ve had others do this and they all had a similiar look so I think I’m on to something. Whenever she would get the “stare” going, I would picture a brick in my mind. Sometimes it was an entire brick wall. I would concentrate on that brick and I probably had that same blank look in my eyes while I was doing so. By thinking about nothing but a brick wall you create a barrier between the person and yourself. In time, all I had to do was think “brick” and I would instantly have a force-field surrounding my thoughts. He would afterwards comment on the fact that I had a strong mind and he could never tell what I was thinking. Then he would ask what I was thinking and I would always tell him it was a fork. It worked every time and he rarely caught me off guard.
Try picturing a brick in your head right now. It should be sitting just inside your forehead and it’s not hard to do. If you concentrate just a little harder you’ll then realize how strong that brick really is. Turn it into a brick wall and nothing will get through. That’s all there is to it – you now know how easily you can fend off a psychic attack from close range. It’s amazing the little things the mind can do and it sometimes sounds too fantastic to be true but once you’ve used it and seen how well it works you’ll begin to believe in a lot more.

The Matrix Simplified

Technical Remote Viewing

Technical Remote Viewing is a highly structured and standardized technique that allows you to consistently obtain accurate information, on demand, using a rigorously applied set of protocols. It is a trained ability to acquire accurate direct knowledge of things and events – targets – distant in time or space, while conscious awareness remains totally “blind” to details about the target itself. It is a data collection skill. Like any other skill, practice is required to become proficient. The TRV techniques result in an accurate transfer of information from the viewer’s unconscious mind into conscious awareness, before the aware, creative, and analytical part of the mind has time to distort, contaminate, or otherwise interfere with the data flow. The target information is then converted into words or sketches, using only a pen and plain white paper. During this process, the viewer becomes linked directly to the collective unconscious – also referred to as the Matrix. The process works whether the target is in the next room or on the other side of the world. This information can exist anywhere in time or at any point in the Universe, as mind exists outside of time and space.

All humans have the innate potential to receive detailed information on a target, using only their minds. But throughout history, only a small number of exceptional natural psychics developed their ability to a point of repeatability and consistency. It was not until the late twentieth century when the U.S. intelligence community poured millions of research dollars into the area of psychic functioning that a true breakthrough was realized. In an effort to use psychics for intelligence gathering purposes, the Defense Intelligence Agency contracted Stanford Research Institute to develop a reliable technique that could be used to collect accurate information on distant targets. The outcome of this research was a set of protocols and a training program that allowed virtually anyone to be trained to perceive psychically derived information, while surpassing the accuracy of the best known natural psychics. For the first time, a remote viewer could learn how to consistently separate imagination from true target data and remain locked on to the target signal. Unlike earlier research involving “out-of-body experiences” and freestyle Extended Remote Viewing (ERV), the remote viewer worked fully conscious at a state of high attention. The protocols were designed to slowly bring the viewer to closer target contact, working from the general to the specific, collecting bits and pieces of data in a specific and structured manner, with all viewers following the same rigorously applied six stage process.

Remote Viewing as an Applied Military Intelligence Tool

General Albert N. Stubblebine
– Former Chairman of the Board of PSI TECH

The refinement and development of the process did not end in the laboratory. In the Defense Intelligence Agency’s unit, these remote viewing procedures were tested against top secret and distant targets often involving life or death situations – a motivating factor which simply does not exist in the laboratory research environment. The work these viewers produced had to be accurate and they used it to save lives, find hostages and solve complex problems involving the security of the United States. This resulted in improvements in the techniques and training regimen and brought great strides in perfecting the accuracy of the skill. It was now a highly accurate military intelligence collection and problem solving tool, applied by highly disciplined military intelligence officers. One of the training officers of the remote viewing unit formed a private corporation, in 1989, and the former presiding General of INSCOM (Intelligence Security Command) sat on the board of directors, to help usher this technology out of the confines of secrecy and into the private sector. That company is PSI TECH.

How does TRV work?

First, a target cue or name is formulated and assigned a set of eight random numbers, which serve to keep the process blind and act as a label for administrative purposes. The viewer only receives these numbers and then follows the stages of TRV structure, in order, working for usually forty five minutes in a single session. In the end, the viewer working alone or in concert with a team, almost always has an extremely accurate description of the target, including sketches and often the solution to a problem.

(View the lecture How Technical Remote Viewing Works, then see an actual Technical Remote Viewing demo session performed for a class.)

Where does the information come from?

Think of all of the information in the entire universe existing as patterns of information, at a single dimensional space somewhere. Think of a computer disk. Except this library of information is active. It isn’t passive like a regular library or a random access memory disk. It’s as if your personal unconscious mind is interfacing with a library that’s talking to you. And the way that the books are stored, in this collective unconscious, is in the form of information patterns. Each of these patterns is unique for every person, every place, every thing and every event. When Technical Remote Viewing, you are turning your unconscious mind toward these specific patterns of information that you or your tasker is interested in, in a consistent and very accurate manner, producing descriptions in terms of words, and sketches that fit this pattern – this target. That is essentially the way that the unconscious mind communicates data to conscious awareness, when your mind is trained in this skill.

Properly creating a target cue is analogous to an internet search, or a library search for those of you who are unfamiliar with internet search engines. In a library, you fill out your library card, and you give it to the librarian, and if you’re interested in, let’s say Abraham Lincoln, the librarian comes back with several books, or tomes, on Abraham Lincoln. If you’re interested in something that’s more specific that only existed momentarily, then you might only get one book. If you conducted a library search or an internet search on something that was an abstract or general term like “medical cures,” you’d get dozens of books. Because, in that case, you’re dealing with a very general term that is associated with other abstract ideas, a problem for instance, that affects many different things. And so, for us, in our library search of what we call the Matrix, or the collective unconscious, this is a very unwieldy search term. However, if you select a specific disease as a search term, the results will be limited to that specific cure or treatment. So, using our model, that is essentially how the process works and how information is downloaded.

The Generation II TRV Training Course

When you learn TRV from PSI TECH’s remote viewing training courses, we are training your unconscious to do all of the work, by only giving conscious awareness a Target Reference Number!” , and that is all that conscious awareness has, just a number that is associated with the target and the TRV protocols. Think of it as a library card number, and your unconscious mind performs the research. And the real breakthrough in Technical Remote Viewing was teaching people the protocols, methods, and the techniques to make sure that their unconscious mind turns itself toward the right pattern of information and that the information that is objectified in terms of words and sketches about the target is correct.

These ingenious protocols keep your conscious mind occupied, writing down the information, in a highly structured manner, so that your conscious analytical mind is unable to interfere with the unconscious processing of the data. And through practice, you are installing the procedures and correct order of the stages into your autonomic nervous system, much like learning a martial art. Your unconscious mind becomes trained and knows exactly what you want to do, each time you engage in a remote viewing session.

Technical Remote Viewing is a learned skill as well as a science. A skill like skiing or ice skating, and everybody does it the same way. That is why the results are consistent – because the techniques are rigorous and standardized and were perfected in the most demanding environment.

Learning Technical Remote Viewing will be one of the most important choices you make in your life. Once you realize that it really works, it will change you forever. Continue to the next page to read how TRV has affected the lives of our trainees..

Who Can Learn Remote Viewing?

Virtually anyone can learn remote viewing. You don’t need to be “psychic” to successfully remote view, but it does require training and diligent practice. Some research has shown that left-handed people are more likely to become successful at it. But learning remote viewing has been likened to learning to play a musical instrument. You’re not going to be able to read a book (or website) about it and then be able to do it. You must learn the techniques and then practice. As with a musical instrument, the more you train and practice with it, the better you’ll be able to perform. It takes time, motivation and dedication.

According to Paul H. Smith in his article “Can Remote Viewing Be Trained,” remote viewing “training has been nearly always successful to a greater or lesser degree depending on the level of motivation, preparation and innate ability of a given student viewer.” Remote viewer Joe McMoneagle has compared it to training for the martial arts.

If you’re curious about the potential of remote viewing, there are many resources for learning its methods and techniques. For example, the official Army manual on Coordinate Remote Viewing, written in 1986, is available free online. It provides background, training procedures, how a remote viewing session works and more.

There are commercial courses as well, which can range in cost from free to hundreds of dollars and even thousands of dollars. Be cautious and research a company thoroughly before investing any money in training. Be wary of exaggerated claims and find out exactly what you get for your money. Here are a few sources:

Academy of Remote Viewing and Remote Influencing
The Farsight Institute
Hawaii Remote Viewers’ Guild
Western Institute of Remote Viewing
PSI Tech
Straightline Remote Sensing
Why would you want to learn remote viewing? Paul H. Smith answers:

“Within its inherent limitations remote viewing has been used in intelligence collection, crime-solving, finding missing persons, market predictions, and – more controversially – space exploration. Yet most people who learn it do so not because of practical applications so much as the challenge it represents – learning to do something that few other people as yet know how to do; or acquiring a skill deemed impossible under the currently ruling scientific paradigm; or because it provides convincing and satisfying proof that we are, indeed, much more than our physical bodies.

While skydivers learn that it is possible to transcend the physical fears and bodily limitations that we normally think we are subject to, remote viewers learn something analogous: that it is possible to transcend not only those limitations, but the boundaries of space and time as well..

What Is Remote Viewing?

From this explanation, it is obvious that remote viewing is related to so-called psi (also known as “psychic” or “parapsychological”) phenomena such as clairvoyance or telepathy. Whatever it is that seems to make it possible for human beings to do remote viewing is probably the same underlying ability that makes such things as clairvoyance work. But remote viewing (or “RV”) differs from other, more traditional parapsychological activities in a number of ways:

Most reports of paranormal events come from outside the science lab, and when research is done on these cousins of RV, it is somewhat like examining the natural history of some specimen brought in from the wild. When clairvoyance (RV’s closest relative) was done under controlled conditions for research purposes, it was generally targeted at such things as cards or colors, since these sorts of targets allowed easy scoring of experimental results. Remote viewing, on the other hand, was actually developed and first explored in a research setting (more about this in the history section). And the sorts of targets used for RV research differed from those typically used in other psi research. Targets chosen for “viewing” include geographic locations, hidden objects, and even such things as archaeological sites and space objects about which it was expected that ground truth would eventually become known, so that the viewer’s accuracy could be checked.

Unlike most other psi disciplines, remote viewing is not precisely one thing, but rather an integrated “cocktail” of various phenomena. Despite the “viewing” part of the term, remote viewing is only partly about experiences associated with what might be visible about a target. It also involves mental impressions pertaining to the other senses, such as sounds, tastes, smells, and textures, as well as limited telepathy-like effects, and in some cases just plain intuitive “knowing.” RV owes some of these qualities to the fact that lessons learned from research in clairvoyance, telepathy, and even out-of-body experiences — traditionally considered separate disciplines — played a role in its development.

Remote viewing tends to be more structured than other psi disciplines. In some important varieties of remote viewing, viewers follow specific scripted formats. These formats are designed to enhance the viewer’s performance in various ways, such as to better deal with mental “noise” (stray thoughts, imaginings, analysis, etc. that degrades the “psychic signal”) or to allow incoming data to be better managed. Some of these structural methodologies are widely used. Other methods are more personal. An individual remote viewer, for example, might through trial and error develop his or her own customized approach.

Proper remote viewing is done within a strict science-based protocol. As mentioned, the remote viewer is kept unwitting of either the nature or identity of the target until after the session is completed. Except in training situations, the monitor (a sort of remote viewing “guide” or facilitator that may assist the viewer during the session) is also unwitting, and external clues or data about the target are carefully excluded. Sessions are conducted in a setting that prevents knowledge of the target “leaking” to the viewer. These measures are important to insure that the viewer does not receive hints or clues about the target in any way other than what would be considered “psychic.”

Remote viewing is not used to give “psychic readings,” “tell fortunes,” “read auras,” or other sorts of popular activities of this nature, but is rather a means of doing serious science research and for performing operational-type tasks in criminal investigations, government intelligence work, commercial applications, etc. Many who want to explore their individual human potentials also become interested in it.

Finally, one last point related to structures or methods that are often employed in remote viewing: RV is not really a “psychic phenomenon” as such, but actually an imposed discipline or skill that helps the viewer to facilitate or “harness” his or her own innate, underlying psi abilities. Some RV theorists think that formal RV methods are really just strategies that help the viewer to more successfully and reliably access the subconscious, where it is most likely that information obtained from RV first emerges into human consciousness.

Telekinesis refers to the ability to move physical objects with one’s mind.? There are many techniques that may be applied to achieve this, but the fact remains – TK is hard! Don’t expect to be lifting couches and chairs with your mind any time soon; as with anything, TK, even with small objects, takes a while to learn, and many have minimal success.

The easiest forms of Telekinesis occur with an already-moving object, or some event that has a chance (however slight) to happen as you wish it to.? In this way, you only need to increase the chances that the outcome occurs the way you want.? This affecting of probability is called MicroTK.? Moving candle flames and causing electronic equipment to work are examples of this.
MacroTK, on the other hand, involves moving a stationary physical object.? Because you are affecting the object on a physical, tangible level, instead of merely on an energy or probability level, it is much more difficult to get results.? I recommend practicing at least some with microTK first, because macroTK can be frustrating if one does not see immediate results.

There are several methods that may be used; one may work well for one person, and another person may have no results with the same technique.? Try these, but DON’T STRAIN YOURSELF!? Try only 5 or 10 minutes per day; if your head feels like it may start hurting, STOP.
The idea behind TK is focus, not concentration.? You do not need to think hard to do TK; in fact, as with most psychic activities, a relaxed and meditative mind usually works better.? Keeping your mind from wandering, however, is important.
Relax, get comfortable.? Set a lighted candle in front of you; we will try PyroKinesis (moving fire) first.

Method 1:? Becoming One With the Object

Stare at the base of the flame (not at the flame itself, don’t get retina burn, and yes, you may blink).? Gaze at it, defocus your eyes and enter a meditative state.? Watch how the candle dances and moves.? Imagine the flame as an extra limb, feel that you are able to move it as easily as your arm or leg.? Keep watching, and when you feel it is a part of you, try flexing it.? See the flame grow wider, thinner, taller, shorter, flicker, or stand still.? Do this for 5-10 minutes, then snuff the candle out.

Method 2: Visualize!

With this method, just see what you want to have happen clearly in your mind.? If you want a parking space near the door of a crowded mall, visualize clearly an empty space right near the front door before you leave your house.? Looking for a special something?? See it clearly, see yourself in possession of it and happy.? To enforce the visualization, write down exactly what you want.? Be descriptive!? If you need it, it will happen.? If not, realize there may be a reason it did not occur as you wished; perhaps something better will come along, or it just wasn’t appropriate for this thing to happen at this time.? Always ask that it be done in the best interests of all concerned.? This also works on faulty electronic equipment and many other things; just see the computer/vcr/car/etc working perfectly.

Method 3: Pushing With Energy

Read the beginner logs and master Energy Balls before attempting this one. Blow up a balloon and set it on the floor (preferably a surface with very little friction; a linoleum floor perhaps) Form an energy ball, making it as dense as possible.? With the energy ball between your hand and the balloon, push the balloon along the floor with the energy ball.? Do not touch the balloon with your hand.


Posted in Batman, Comics, Discussion, Superheroes, Superman

Healing through comics: Dark Night, It’s A Bird, and Something Terrible.

Comics have had this stigma following them for years. That they are created solely for children and the illiterate. Comics are primarily known for their colourful characters and leaps in logic, and because of this, for years, it was hard for people to shake that mindset. By 2017, we have entire film and game franchises based on the world of comics. While the print media doesn’t get as much attention as it should, the franchises and culture spawned from their pages have spread worldwide, to every culture and corner of the world. Pop culture has taken on a life of its own, and intertwined itself with our own. With characters we can all connect with, or at least recognise, some have gone on to use these familiar grounds to tell their own personal stories. To help them overcome terrible situations, and to impart their message to those that shouldn’t have to suffer in silence.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story – Battling Depression and the Aftermath of Assault.

dark-knight-true-batman-story-1Paul Dini is responsible for one of the most beloved animated comic series of all time, Batman: The Animated Series. Having been a part of Warner Bros. Animation department, working on Animaniacs, and Tiny Toons, as well as creating the widely popular character of Harley Quinn. Paul Dini is practically a veteran of pop culture. In his 2016 book, Dark Night: A True Batman Story, with art by Eduardo Risso, Dini tells a very personal tale. Discussing not only his life long battle with depression, but an incident one night that shock him to his very core, and caused such physical harm, that he found himself in hospital, requiring major surgery. Dark Night tells Dini’s incredibly personal story about how pop culture, and specifically Batman, has helped shape his life, and got him through that painful point in time. Dark Night explores the importance of pop culture. How we use figures in our lives, the real and the fictional, to personify our demons. The idea of the Scarecrow telling us to give into fear. The Joker, mocking us for weakness. But how our heroes can knock some sense into us, and act as our guiding light out of darkness.

It’s A Bird – The fear of inevitable illness and worthlessness.

Its-A-Bird...cover_Steven T. Seagle is a comic writer who has just been given every comic writers dream, the chance to write Superman. However, Seagle is nowhere near excited, due to his inability to connect to Superman. The idea of Superman brings to his mind his fears of death, long term genetic illness, and loss, due to what happened during his first encounter with a Superman comic. Steven relays to the reader how he came to understand a disease he fears, his strained relationship with his father, and his feelings of worthlessness.  It’s a Bird provides a touching semi-autobiographical story that explores mortality. The cultural significance of the Icon, the importance of Superman, and the power of an idea. The book follows Steven while he battles his own memories, and talks to those around him, asking what Superman means to them.

Something Terrible – Childhood Sexual Abuse and Breaking the Cycle

something_terrible_cover_by_dryponder-d64psaoSexual abuse is one of the worse things someone can experience, particularly at a young age. Your sense of self and safety are corrupted, and you feel like you can never trust those around you. Dean Trippe is one man who suffered such a terrible ordeal in childhood, and sought comfort in his love of Batman. However, he hears of the cycle of abuse, that ‘the abused becomes the abuser’, and as he grows up, marries, and has a son of his own, he lives with a metaphorical gun to his head, in fear that it may be true. Through this short book, Trippe explores what happened to him, the impact it had on his life, and decides to draw himself a new version of events. This stunning book acts as a reminder to all affected, that they are not alone. That even their fictional loves, in Trippe’s case Batman, can be used to help in the healing process. Trippe portrays the reality of the events in a slightly off black and white tone, only to explode in colour when the world of pop culture comes to young Dean’s aid, in a single page spread that brings a tear to the eye. While the comic is available online for anyone to see, the printed version contains a touching added epilogue of Dean ‘returning the favour’ for Batman.

We all deal with trauma in different ways. Sometimes it’s hard to find a comfort, and easy to feel like you are alone. But these stories exist to prove that it is possible to find a way out, and that no matter your coping method, what world you choose to live in. You are not alone.

Dark Night: A True Batman Story by Paul Dini and Eduardo Risso is available in both Hardcover and Paperback through DC’s Vertigo Imprint. Available on Amazon.

It’s a Bird by Steven Seagle and Teddy Kristiansen is available in Paperback with an out of print Hardcover. Published through DC’s Vertigo Imprint. Available on Amazon.

Something Terrible by Dean Trippe is available in Hardcover from Iron Circus Comics. Available on Amazon.

Posted in Comics, Discussion, Marvel, Spider-Man, Superheroes

Should Marvel Stop Doing Event Comics?

The monthly trip to the comic store is a must for collectors. The lines of new issues and collected books surrounding individual characters, events and teams, can provide hours of enjoyment. When Marvel releases a new film in their line-up, it’s an opportunity to promote their books to the none comic reading public. However, when looking for a starting point, an interesting question strikes. Does Marvel release too many event comics?

Event comics act as a massive crossover, involving multiple teams of heroes coming together to stop or incite a major shift in their universe. The outcome of these events changes the dynamic within each of the company’s title, the same as a real life major event would affect our own lives. One of the first, and Marvel’s first cross-over event was 1982’s Contest of Champions. A three-issue story by Mark Gruenwald, John Romita Jr., and Bob Layton. The story followed The Grandmaster challenging Death to a game to resurrect the Collector. The pair decide to use teams of Earth heroes as their champions in an all-out battle. The short story allowed fans and first-time readers to see the likes of Captain America, Wolverine, Iron Man, Daredevil, and Captain Britain, fight in an all-out brawl for a genuine reason. Giving long time readers a fun cross-over story, and hopefully attracting new customers who would see heroes they might recognise, on a number one cover. Making the company a little extra money in the process. The more well-known and praised event, Secret Wars, debuted 2 years later in May of 1984. Secret Wars was created completely for marketing purposes, to sell toys and comics to new and existing readers. The event was demanded by Kenner toys, the company who had the Marvel toy rights, and was named Secret Wars, because marketing showed that children responded well to the words ‘secret’ and ‘war’. Pure marketing. Since these first two stories, Marvel has produced fifty-five events in thirty-two years.

Surprisingly, twenty-five of those events have taken place in just the past 8 years. Marvel went from producing one event every two or three years, to an average of three every year. From the company’s position, the point of these events has remained the same. To draw in new readers, while shaking up the status quo for regular readers. While new events make sense from a business stand point, as they do bring in money and attract attention. But for regular, ongoing fans, do the constant shake-ups come off as an annoyance, rather than an actual event?

For an example, take Spider-Man. To the public, Spider-Man is Peter Parker. A high school nerd who is bite by a radioactive spider, and now swings around New York in a red and blue suit, fighting crime. For fans who have been dipping in and out of comics for years, and keeping up to a degree on events, we are aware that there are several people in comics that take up the Spider mantle. Right now, there are two Spider-Men running around, plus Spider-Woman, Silk, Scarlet Spider, and an alternate reality Gwen Stacy known as Spider-Gwen. However, event with this surface knowledge, this does not mean that casual fans know the entire story. For many casual fans, there is a limited number of books you can pick up month to month, due to limited budgets. Meaning that without online scans or piracy, it is almost impossible to be one hundred percent up to date all the time. With the increased price of event comics, it leaves readers with a choice, do you buy those event comics in place of your regular books, continue with just your regular books, or spend extra for both. A logical work around, and method many adopt, is to carry on with your usual books, and later collect the event in a complete book, months later.

In the case of last year’s events, Marvel released the highly enjoyable Civil War II, hitting shelves around the same time as the similarly named film, Captain America: Civil War. The similar name, likely to attract fans of the film, even those that don’t read comics. However, those jumping into the comics through this event, maybe confused by the appearance of Spider-Man. When Spider-Man shows up, sporting a different costume than the public is used to. The new readers maybe a little confused, but would assume that it is the same Spider-Man they are familiar with, just in a different costume. However, when his mask is removed, it’s revealed that this is not Peter Parker, but a young boy named Miles Morales. To those who did not know this, they are faced with several questions, who is this kid? Why is he Spider-Man? What happened to Peter Parker? Now new readers have several options, to five up because they are confused, an extreme option. To keep going with the story and hope that it is explained later, it may not be. Take to the internet and do some detective work, a sensible but time consuming and confusing venture. Or continue with the story, and pick up a few solo issues to try and figure it out themselves, the option Marvel would want you to take.

The problem with Marvel releasing so many major events, particularly around the time of the film releases, is that these shake ups could be causing more harm than good. Starting in 2000, there was a line of Marvel comics that was created to help new readers feel more welcome to the world of comics. The Ultimate line of Marvel comics. These comics set all the characters back to their origin, and gave us a clean start in their own world. The popularity of the Ultimate line even influenced the look, and style of the Marvel films, with design and character choices taken directly from the pages. Logically, and especially now, these would be perfect for those wanting to transition from the films to the comics, but don’t know where to start. Unfortunately, this line of comics no longer exists, thanks to the 2015 event comic, Secret Wars, named after the original 1984 event. The universes were merged to create one knew comic continuity where there are two Spider-Men. One Peter Parker, one Miles Morales.

With the overly confusing nature of comics, especially to new readers, Marvels constant cycle of events may be a detriment to the readers. It seems that Marvel has gotten into the habit of thinking that major events need to happen, regardless of the actual stories being told. New readers feel overwhelmed by the amount of information needed just to follow along, while existing readers become victims of reader burn out. If every little event that pops up every few months, is a must read, world changing story that must be read, then why bother reading anything else? If the universe changes every five minutes, then why get attached to it?


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