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Let Your Fingers Do The Talking
Trainswatting
Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
Heavy Traffic
Parallel Sparkling
Triumph Of The Will
Trainspotting
Safe Havens
Groomer Has It
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englishbreakfasttasteslikedarjeeling
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
this practice should be looked at with as similar of hate as genital mutilation.
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CherriSpryte
08/25/09

@englishbreakfasttasteslikedarj...: I know next to nothing about this practice, but I have to ask - really? Is the death rate as high? Are as many women affected? Are the side effects from this comparable to those of FGM? I'm honestly asking, and please prove me wrong, but I don't see how this compares to genital mutilation. I'm not saying this isn't a problem, and it is definitely a practice that should be stopped (especially if its done to please tourists), but your comparison seems a bit extreme.
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Lymed
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
"The only danger" is that they can't live without the rings? Yes, that is something I would describe as "only danger."
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schweppes
08/24/09

@Lymed: Though there is some evidence that the danger of removing the rings really isn't as grave as people make it out to be. Grey's article repeats the misconception that it's the neck that's being elongated - the WP article rightly describes it as affecting the collarbone - which isn't a real health hazard (lots of instances of women -slowly- removing their rings without any health issues). Not saying it's a great thing or anything like that, but the whole "neck muscles so weak it'll cause you do suffocate" just (as far as I've read) isn't that big of a risk.
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Her Grace
08/25/09

@schweppes: As I have understood it, what happens is the rings slowly push the bones of the clavicle and shoulders down, creating a strong artificial slope. Because the rings are there to obscure where the clavicle ends and the neck begins, we visually perceive everything that is ringed as "neck". Their necks are as long as usual. If the rings come off with care, they are at no risk (and I believe I've heard of some women having rings removed to clean every year or so?).
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Her Grace
08/24/09

In reply to Vacation At The "Human Zoo," See The "Long-Neck Women!"
I knew that it was a disappearing practice before the Padaung fled Burma, and that not all girls and women wore rings, but the tidbit about which girls were given rings was interesting. I'll have to do some research of my own to learn more, if I can find anything, about why these girls (if this isn't another bit of urban legend) were chosen specifically.
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colormeroutine
08/24/09

@Her Grace: I was actually just trying to find something about that, and nothing is popping up...
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a_girl_called_toby
08/25/09

@Her Grace: I remember taking a body modification class for my religion minor and these women were discussed. from what i remember it was a tradition that the women elongated their necks so that they would not be "stolen" from their village and so that they could find a good man to marry within their village. now, this info may not be 100% correct, but there was never any mention of only certain girls being chosen for this practice. the teenage girls they interviewed for the video we watched said that they were doing it to find a good husband (and yes they did mention selling handicrafts to tourists). the teenage men mentioned that they would only marry a girl who lengthened their necks. those are the bits and pieces i remember of it
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NefariousNewt
08/20/09

In reply to Heavy Traffic
One word: scary.
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CurtCole
08/20/09

In reply to Heavy Traffic
That is a disturbing image, but an appropriately disturbing one.
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Skellatrix
08/20/09

In reply to Heavy Traffic
What does it say about me, and the world that I am used to, that I first thought this was an extremely offensive fashion ad?
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feather_spin
08/20/09

@Skellatrix: It could definitely be an "edgy" perfume ad or something. Sad, sad world we live in.
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Edited by feather_spin at 08/20/09 1:19 PM feather_spin was starred feather_spin was unstarred

t-yo3
08/20/09

@Skellatrix: I thought the same. Sad, indeed.
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queenieinmanhattan
08/20/09

@Skellatrix: I thought EXACTLY the same thing. I am horrified.
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Eleanor Ramilly
08/20/09

@Skellatrix: Gee, why would you think that?
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Eleanor Ramilly
08/20/09

.
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Edited by Eleanor Ramilly at 08/20/09 3:27 PM Eleanor Ramilly was starred Eleanor Ramilly was unstarred

sybann
08/20/09

@Skellatrix: Now I thought it was a movie - same diff though.
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Etoiles
08/18/09

In reply to Parallel Sparkling
Is Ramadan particularly early or late this year? For some reason in my head I thought it was in late October.
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stacyinbean
08/18/09

@Etoiles: It changes every year because the Islamic calendar is based on the moon. It usually starts about 10-12 days before it did the year before each year.
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SunburnedCounsel
08/18/09

@Etoiles: And yes, it does feel super early this year. Eid is in September, and I think of it being in November. (I understand the lunar calendar stuff, but it still just feels really early this year.)
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Etoiles
08/19/09

@stacyinbean: Yeah, I know about the lunar calendar, but lunar-based holidays tend to have limits to "early" and "late" -- in my head I'm thinking of Hannukkah, which can start before Thanksgiving or after Christmas but always tends to fluctuate within a 6-7 week period. But if it were to start around November 20, I'd think of it as particularly early. ;) For whatever reason I didn't realize that the lunar calendar in use in Islam rotated quite so far.
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AuntieBee
08/18/09

In reply to Parallel Sparkling
"The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is expected to start on August 21." Expected? Ramadan is not a surprise, is it? I mean, I know it moves around the (Western) calendar but so do a lot of holidays... ones that I don't refer to as uncertainties.

Is this pointless and dangerously off-topic? Yes, maybe. But those girls are so cute and I don't want to snark or mock them. And Getty goofed, and I will point out their error. I will.
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stacyinbean
08/18/09

@AuntieBee: Well, if we're getting technical it depends on the moon, which can't be definitively tracked for the purposes of starting Ramadan.
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Beets.Go.On is the Fat Yogini
08/18/09

@AuntieBee: It has to do with movements of the moon through the sky, which is hard to predict to the exact day. It might be a day or two before or after the projected date depending on what the clerics in charge of interpreting the sky decide. Muslims often do not know exactly the time that Ramadan starts until the day before. Getty did not "goof."
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AuntieBee
08/19/09

@Beets.Go.On is one cold lady: Really? I knew it was related to the moon, but I figured that we sort of know the moon's phases and movements by now. I didn't realize it was up for interpretation. Thanks for the insight!
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stacyinbean
08/18/09

In reply to Parallel Sparkling
Well, no one is doubting THEIR commitment to Sparkle Motion.
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Skellatrix
08/18/09

@stacyinbean: I was JUST thinking about Sparkle Motion several hours ago.
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Kali Mama
08/13/09

In reply to Triumph Of The Will
Referencing the nazis in a post about Germans? Fresh!
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mbprice
08/13/09

@Kali Mama: Wait, Nazi references? Where? Am I dense or something?
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HazMatilda
08/13/09

@mbprice: Triumph of the Will is a Nazi propaganda film made by Leni Riefenstahl in the 30's.
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mbprice
08/13/09

@HazMatilda: Oh, in the headline!!!!!!!1 Gah. I am dumb. I was scouring the picture and the post for something. I never even read the headline somehow. Ugh. Thanks.
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Zombie Ms. Skittles
08/13/09

In reply to Triumph Of The Will
I'm not sure that I entirely understand the effigy or the surgical masks, but that looks like one hard core demonstration.
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Maulleigh
06/22/09

In reply to Trainspotting
I'll bet it's REALLY FUN to entertain those kids for hours on end.
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heykoukla
06/22/09

In reply to Trainspotting
I really hope the mother has not packed stuff for the babies in those old fertiliser sacks...
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BlondeGoddess
06/22/09

@heykoukla: That sounds like an episode from House.
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rhymeswithfeather
06/22/09

In reply to Trainspotting
Shiiiit. I've been in that station.

The Thai railroad workers I talked to were disgruntled five years ago. Hopefully, they can work out a reasonably agreement for all.
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NotChoinski
06/22/09

In reply to Trainspotting
Terminal Stillness.
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