Colosseum of Rome

The Colosseum or Coliseum, originally the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium, Italian Anfiteatro Flavio or Colosseo), is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and engineering.

Occupying a site just east of the Roman Forum, its construction started between 70 and 72 AD under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under Titus, with further modifications being made during Domitian's reign (81–96). The name "Amphitheatrum Flavium" derives from both Vespasian's and Titus's family name (Flavius, from the gens Flavia).

Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It remained in use for nearly 500 years with the last recorded games being held there as late as the 6th century. As well as the traditional gladiatorial games, many other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building eventually ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era. It was later reused for such varied purposes as housing, workshops, quarters for a religious order, a fortress, a quarry and a Christian shrine.

Although it is now in a ruined condition due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum has long been seen as an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. Today it is one of modern Rome's most popular tourist attractions and still has close connections with the Roman Catholic Church, as each Good Friday the Pope leads a torchlit "Way of the Cross" procession to the amphitheatre.

The Colosseum is today one of Rome's most popular tourist attractions, receiving millions of visitors annually. The effects of pollution and general deterioration over time prompted a major restoration programme carried out between 1993 and 2000, at a cost of 40 billion Italian lira ($19.3m / €20.6m at 2000 prices). In recent years it has become a symbol of the international campaign against capital punishment, which was abolished in Italy in 1948. Several anti–death penalty demonstrations took place in front of the Colosseum in 2000. Since that time, as a gesture against the death penalty, the local authorities of Rome change the color of the Colosseum's night time illumination from white to gold whenever a person condemned to the death penalty anywhere in the world gets their sentence commuted or is released,[10], or if a jurisdiction abolishes the death penalty. Most recently, the Colosseum was illuminated in gold when capital punishment was abolished in the American state of New Jersey in December, 2007.

--Link to source site: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colosseum>

Second Chances

I believe in second chances.

The path might be different, different people, different situation but God always bestow us with second chance to redeem what we have done and claim the good in us.

Avail every second chance you have, Give people their second chance and feel big, open and great at heart. To accept people as they are and make your way through has the greatest power.

Loved Ones

We have friends and family and people we value. How much we value them, we don't know until we realize that we will lose them. The time we know that they are no longer there and than we realize how precious they are, it hurts inside and it hurts bad.

Irony is that life has its own way of continuation; unbounded by the human desire of way of operations. So life continues in times when we want to seize it and it stops when we want to last forever.

and what happens after we lose people and life continues?? Sometimes, life is strong enough to make us forget what happened and sometimes events stay there; as guilt, as distraction, as a source of smile or as a mere memory that pinch the heart and bring a smile on the face.

Important thing is that we should value whatever we have, whatever we had. The power of forgiveness and love is something which is unmatched by any other and is only brought by the character big enough to conquer our fear and rage and admit where we flawed.

-- For the people that were in my life once and are no more. I do love you all no matter what.
JS

Lich

Through the use of powerful spells, items and incantations, users of magic have long been able to prolong their mortal lives beyond what is considered to be the standard life expectancy for their particular race. To continue pushing back the fingers of death is a goal that requires years of training, study and research. Although the magic can sustain an individual's life force, inevitably their body will continue to age and wither away as time marches on. Much of this time is spent in further research and this can easily become an all consuming struggle for those concerned.

Evil mages (especially necromancers) and clerics who serve the dark gods have been known to take a different route in the search for what is, essentially, eternal life. Rather than fighting death, they have sought to embrace it, making use of their familiarity with the dark forces acquired through years of evil practise. The end result is that they become liches, creatures that are among the most powerful of the undead.

Having turned its back on life a lich's body will begin to decay. The process continues until all that remains is the creature's skeleton. This may not be readily apparent, however, as a lich will appear in the fine garments and robes that it would have worn in its natural form.

A lich retains the ability to use spells that it had in its previous existence, while this new form grants it immunity to many types of magic and weapons that others may try to use against it.

The simple touch of these creatures can cause injury and death and those not already frozen in terror at the sight of this monster may also become paralysed (unfortunately, having been afflicted, no-one has ever lived long enough to determine if the paralysis is only a temporary condition).

Liches have glowing red eyes which are able to transfix an opponent. This leaves the victim unable to take any action or to defend themselves. The use of this power takes a significant amount of concentration on the part of the creature, which is then limited to controlling any of the legions of the undead that may be nearby.

Liches that were once clerics appear to have a special affinity with other undead creatures. Anyone foolish enough to invade the lair of one of these monsters is likely to encounter several "lesser" undead (acting as guards and servants) before running into the head creature. It's wise to think of these early meetings as warnings of what lies ahead and that, assuming a quick death has been avoided, turning back now is the best course of action.

In the unlikely event that it should require assistance, any lich is able to summon aid to its location. This is accomplished simply as a result of concentration and help will appear in the form of whatever undead is in the local area. While reinforcements can take a few minutes to arrive, this is still extremely bad news for any opponent of the lich.

Link to source site: <http://www.nascr.net/~jcburd/cofc_lich.htm>

Black Balloon

Babys black balloon makes her fly
I almost fell into that hole in your life
And youre not thinking about tomorrow
cause you were the same as me
But on your knees

A thousand other boys could never reach you
How could I have been the one
I saw the world spin beneath you
And scatter like ice from the spoon
That was your womb

Comin down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someones prayer

You know the lies they always told you
And the love you never knew
Whats the things they never showed you
That swallowed the light from the sun
Inside your room

Comin down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder
Or are you someones prayer

And theres no time left for losin
When you stand they fall

Comin down the world turned over
And angels fall without you there
And I go on as you get colder

All because im
Comin down the years turn over
And angels fall without you there
And Ill go and lead you home and
All because im
All because im
And Ill become
What you became to me

-- Black Balloon performed BY Goo Goo Dolls

Absense of alternatives

The absence of alternatives clears the mid marvelously.
--Henry Kissinger

Creature of Chaos: Hydras

These creatures come in three specific types but all are extremely dangerous. While each has adapted to its own way of life, the one feature that they have in common is their multiple heads.

Hydrae have been known to have as few as two and as many as twelve heads, each connected to their body by long, snake-like necks. Each head operates separately from the others and all are able to attack simultaneously, whether at the same target or at anything else within range.

During combat, it is not unknown for one or more heads to be severed from the creature's main body. However, while this obviously causes some distress, providing other heads remain connected this monster won't slow down. In fact, it simply appears to increase the hydra's resolve to put an end to its tormenter.

The most common form of these creatures are large and have a strong, dragon-like body with four legs and a long powerful tail. Unlike dragons, however, these hydrae do not possess wings. They prefer to inhabit inland waters, especially swamps, but generally only threaten those who encroach on their territory.

The largest example of these creatures is the sea hydra. These monsters have adapted to water and, as a result, possess fins instead of legs. Apart from this, they are very similar to their land-based cousins.

Preferring to inhabit the southern seas, where the water is warmest, sea hydrae have made shipping along certain routes in these waters an extremely dangerous business.

Quite what it is that caused these attacks to begin in the first place still remains something of a mystery. However, it appears now that sea hydrae have acquired a taste for sailors, despite their being rather tough and sinewy. Research is underway to either make sailors less palatable, in order to gradually convince hydrae to search for food elsewhere, or to develop some sort of toxin that is safe for the ships crew to ingest but that will adversely affect the monster once the sailors have been consumed. This second option is the primary goal as it should greatly reduce numbers of sea hydrae along the more lucrative shipping routes.

The last of these creatures is extremely rare or, at least, so the number of reported sightings would suggest. This may be partly to do with the manner in which these monsters attack. Flying hydrae have huge bat-like wings which enable them to swoop out of the sky and carry away several victims at once.

Usually a flying hydra will only attack groups containing up to as many creatures as it can carry. The result being that nothing gets left behind. Sometimes, if the monster miscalculates or a potential victim gets lucky, individuals can get left behind. Unfortunately, attacks tend to be so swift and unexpected that there is very little that anyone left behind can do other than watch (as their companions are carried away) before going to report the bad news.

Having several mouths allows the flying hydra to begin consuming its catch even before it has found a place to land.

Link to source site:
<http://www.nascr.net/~jcburd/cofc_hydra.htm>

When hatrid grows

And people say that there are others who oppose them and who hate them and our belief is not complete unless we annihilate others. What we don't understand is that we are becoming what we despise. I don't know if this is right or wrong but what i do know is that its belief for some and business for others. Real irony is that almost everyone believe that they are doing the right thing when they are being driven by so many factors that they don't even want to consider.

When fights go beyond the battle grounds and reach the homes in terms of the cultural values, moral beliefs and social structure; it gets very gray between good and bad. How to identify whats right and wrong? how to identify good intentions vs malicious intentions??? how to draw the line between actions and intentions????

The Troubled Times

These are the times when there are things going extremely wrong. How much I despise them, they seem to go on and on and on. I hate it when people don't accommodate each other. I dread it when life believes to extinct other life for their own existence and not so because its their only way to survive but because they want to do it. How can someone want others to die when we understand that every life is equally important and have every right to live as any other human being.

These are the times when you have to take a side or make your own side. This is how world has survived and this is how it will survive.

Picture of the Month - March 2008

Image is the perfect depiction of a life. When you look at life as a continuous journey with stops in between. The fog, the haze, the path: its a great concept work

Link to Source Site:
<http://www.nightqueen.de/photogallery.php?photo_id=1172>

And the Journey Begins

And thee was walking down a lonesome long road; feet tired, shoulders down and path way long. The times was as such when one thinks if he can make it up to the end the way he wanted or if one can ever make it there. Suddenly there was a bilateral in front of him and he looked, paused and thought which way to go. The heart pointed a path and smiled and thee followed. Not sure he was if the decision was right. "What if I go back and take the other path??", asked himself the guy and the heart said "Believe in me and continue for you will have your fair reward in due time". And suddenly there was this bright light in front of him through which he couldn't see. He was stunned. The light was testing yet soothing and thee was astonished as of the source of such a light.

and than came down someone from that light; someone whose beauty was unmatched and how had this soothing aura around her. She was like someone divine and his heart skipped a beat. "And you have your due reward now" said the heart. Thee was looking there in confusion. "What if doesn't work? What if I fail?" asked the mind. "How can you know unless you try?", replied the heart. Thee was standing there listening to all this dialog not sure what to do. And than the sound came from the divine light "Don't worry and don't question yourself. I am afraid too. Remember, I am not here to take your fears away but here so that we can fight them together. Lets move on this journey and see the wonders of the path we chose and all that come around us. Let us be each other shoulders and I promise I won't let you down".

and now thee walked with her, arms in arms to the destiny unknown on the mysterious path but with spirits high and hearts filled with joy, love and hope. No one knows if and when they will make it to destination but their determination and conviction. Than the heart and mind said in unison

"And the Journey Begins ........."


--- Written for Mahwish on our engagement. "You're precious to me dear :) "

What is old age !!!!!! A View

" You don't come to see me, Socrates, as often as you ought: If I were still able to go and see you I would not ask you to come to me. But at my age I can hardly get to the city, and therefore you should come oftener to the Piraeus. For let me tell you, that the more the pleasures of the body fade away, the greater to me is the pleasure and charm of conversation. Do not then deny my request, but make our house your resort and keep company with these young men; we are old friends, and you will be quite at home with us.

I replied: There is nothing which for my part I like better, Cephalus, than conversing with aged men; for I regard them as travellers who have gone a journey which I too may have to go, and of whom I ought to enquire, whether the way is smooth and easy, or rugged and difficult. And this is a question which I should like to ask of you who have arrived at that time which the poets call the 'threshold of old age' --Is life harder towards the end, or what report do you give of it?

I will tell you, Socrates, he said, what my own feeling is. Men of my age flock together; we are birds of a feather, as the old proverb says; and at our meetings the tale of my acquaintance commonly is --I cannot eat, I cannot drink; the pleasures of youth and love are fled away: there was a good time once, but now that is gone, and life is no longer life. Some complain of the slights which are put upon them by relations, and they will tell you sadly of how many evils their old age is the cause. But to me, Socrates, these complainers seem to blame that which is not really in fault. For if old age were the cause, I too being old, and every other old man, would have felt as they do. But this is not my own experience, nor that of others whom I have known. How well I remember the aged poet Sophocles, when in answer to the question, How does love suit with age, Sophocles, --are you still the man you were? Peace, he replied; most gladly have I escaped the thing of which you speak; I feel as if I had escaped from a mad and furious master. His words have often occurred to my mind since, and they seem as good to me now as at the time when he uttered them. For certainly old age has a great sense of calm and freedom; when the passions relax their hold, then, as Sophocles says, we are freed from the grasp not of one mad master only, but of many. The truth is, Socrates, that these regrets, and also the complaints about relations, are to be attributed to the same cause, which is not old age, but men's characters and tempers; for he who is of a calm and happy nature will hardly feel the pressure of age, but to him who is of an opposite disposition youth and age are equally a burden. "

-- Excerpt from "The Republic" By Plato - Book 1

If I didn't exist

Na kuch tha tu Khuda tha
Na kuch hota tu Khuda hota
Daboya mujh ko honay nay
Na main hota tu kya hota

--Mirza ghalib