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I received the following in my hotmail this morning, and thought that the efforts of these unfortunates deserved to have a word coined for them What would be an apt neologism for "efforts made to prove that one is really alive"? I'm confident that between them, NicholasW and tsuwm will find a word already coined, probably from Webster's Concise Palaeo-Ugritic/Neanderthal-CroMagnon book of verse, 3rd Edition, pbk

The Continuing Crisis: An October New York Times dispatch from
India highlighted the growing problem of intra-family frauds in
which one member will claim a living relative's land or wealth
by swearing to the government that the relative is dead. An
advocacy group, the Association of Dead People, helps aggrieved
citizens figure out just how to prove that they are indeed alive,
which can be a difficult concept for India's bargelike bureau-
cracies to accept. The association's founder said he remained
officially dead even after he ran for office, filed lawsuits
and got arrested just to get his name on public records.



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Strom Thurmond?


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I assume that you're looking for something other than zombie?!


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Ayleurs?


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Grateful!



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In reply to:

Grateful!


Thanks, but I was after thoughtful, well-constructed replies. I didn't want any Jerry-built rubbish.



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here's the best I can come up with in the realm of existing words; it appears to be Ibo (Nigeria)..

"...it is even suggested that she might be an ‘ogbanje’, a ‘living dead’" /og BN/


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In reply to:

Thanks, but I was after thoughtful, well-constructed replies. I didn't want any Jerry-built rubbish


But he really is dead. Can't you tell the difference?



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>The Continuing Crisis: An October New York Times dispatch from
India highlighted the growing problem of intra-family frauds in
which one member will claim a living relative's land or wealth
by swearing to the government that the relative is dead. An
advocacy group, the Association of Dead People, helps aggrieved
citizens figure out just how to prove that they are indeed alive,
which can be a difficult concept for India's bargelike bureau-
cracies to accept. The association's founder said he remained
officially dead even after he ran for office, filed lawsuits
and got arrested just to get his name on public records.


The technical term for these is adjurants, since they have been the subject of an adjuration. They might also be termed the exorcised, since they have been dispossessed by an adjuration.

Ted wanders off grinning to himself at this most subtle of puns. (Or perhaps not so subtle, but a damned fine one anyway!)



TEd
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I was intrigued by your question, and ICQ'd a friend of mine who lives in India and speaks Hindi. The best she could come up with is "zinda laash", which translates literally to "alive corpse"

bridget=)

Ipsa scientia potestas est ~Bacon

#15411 01/13/2001 3:13 AM
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Nam Et Ipsa Scientia Potestas Est

=For knowledge too is itself power.






#15412 01/13/2001 3:16 AM
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When he wasn't busy having his plays plagiarised by that fraud Will, didn't Bacon set up Liz's secret service? That quote sounds like something a spymaster would say, with the possible exception of Dubya's Dad


#15413 01/13/2001 4:13 AM
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Attention, Father Steve (and all):

We'll need to be careful about making the distinction between bridget96--welcome, Dear--and our good ol' pal
from Australia, Bridget.

'Twas the same with lusy and Lucy. Unfortunately that problem seldom arises any longer.




#15414 01/13/2001 6:23 AM
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didn't Bacon set up Liz's secret service?

Yep, and wrote Shakespeare's plays and told Francis Drake how to beat up the Spaniards and Walter Raleigh that a trip to Virginia might be a commercial success but a personal downfall. Plus he probably recommended to Liz that posing as a virgin might be politically expedient, chose her dresses, ran Billingsgate Fish Market ...

Bacon gets credit, but these days seldom where it was due. In fact, Francis Walsingham should get the "credit" for Liz's secret service. If a Bacon was involved in this at all, it would have been Sir Francis' father, Nicolas, who was Keeper of the Queen's Seal, but I've never read anything to suggest that this was the case. Francis Bacon actually only achieved political prominence under James 1 ... then got caught with his fingers in the till, spent a few days in the Tower of London and was then kind of forgiven, but never held office again.

I am not, however, trying to detract from his very real actual achievements. He was definitely a bright lad.



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#15415 01/13/2001 6:25 AM
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Jackie warns: We'll need to be careful about making the distinction between bridget96--welcome, Dear--and our good ol' pal from Australia, Bridget.

You mean we have to use a standardised, authorised and abridgeted approach do you, Jackie?



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#15416 01/15/2001 2:35 PM
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Well thanks for the welcome, Jackie, and how nice to have been mentioned at all in the random postings of individuals who are so clearly members of the upper echelon of living linguiphiles. and witty to boot.... i think i'm gonna like it here =) OTOH, since i rarely have anything of quality to contribute i suspect i'll have the 'stranger' moniker for record time.

bridget=)

Ipsa scientia potestas est ~Bacon

#15417 01/18/2001 1:22 AM
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since i rarely have anything of quality to contribute i suspect i'll have the 'stranger' moniker for record time.

For someone whose day job is goddess, we were hoping, perhaps, just a few miracles at lottery time? (I've made burned offerings of a whole pack of Marlboros for you. Promise.)

cheer

the sunshine warrior


#15418 01/18/2001 4:41 PM
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Bridget96 wrote since i rarely have anything of quality to contribute i suspect i'll have the 'stranger' moniker for record time.
Good heavens, bridget96, don't let that stop you! For encouragement just read some of my past posts!
Welcome and now whenever I wear my Bridget medallion I will think of you.
Oh, BTW does anyone have a good link to the ancient Celtic Mother Godess Bridget who was transmorgrified into Saint Bridget by early Christians ?
I tried a few times but got a lot of junk stuff and people trying to sell me St. Bridget's crosses which I have had for years over the entry/exit doorways of my home.
Thank you,
wow




#15419 01/18/2001 4:47 PM
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Oh, BTW does anyone have a good link to the ancient Celtic Mother Godess Bridget who was transmorgrified into Saint Bridget by early Christians ?

I don't have any links, but I'd try looking by spelling it Bridgid. I'd love to hear if you find anything - I've got a kid due in June and we're considering this as a name if it's a girl, and would be interested to learn more.


#15420 01/18/2001 5:26 PM
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> we're considering this as a name if it's a girl,

What a coincidence. My sister Una's middle name is Bridged. Now how she got that name is a very LONG story.

Ted -- who's whole name is Theophilus, because when I was born my father said, "That's theophilus looking baby I ever saw."



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#15421 01/18/2001 10:06 PM
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Hyla suggested : I'd try looking by spelling it Bridgid
Good thinking and I did find a link for more than you ever wanted to know about Saint Brigid, the Irish saint ....
http://www.cin.org/saints/bridget.html
and from what it says it would be a lovely name for your baby girl.
However still no help with the original Brigid/Bridget the Celtic godess who is characterized as mythical by above site. HA!
Anyone offer other help?
All I've gotten is "no match found." sigh
wow


#15422 01/18/2001 11:04 PM
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> since i rarely have anything of quality to contribute i suspect i'll have the 'stranger' moniker for record time.

General question: Is a person's title (ex. "stranger") something that is automatically determined by the AWAD service?


#15423 01/18/2001 11:08 PM
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wow wrote:

Good thinking and I did find a link for more than you ever wanted to know about Saint Brigid, the Irish saint ....

Saints alive! What a trove of information! So dense as to be nearly unreadable!

I'm actually more interested in the pre-Catholic version as well. I'll let you know if I find anything.


#15424 01/18/2001 11:21 PM
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Yes, fahrenheit410, the board itself determines your status. There is a constant stream of consciousness about this. The latest version can be found at: http://wordsmith.org/board/showflat.pl?Cat=&Board=announcements&Number=12275&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5

Enjoy, for what it's worth!

I've heard of American Pie - what's with French Pi? Still figure it must be related to beverleyhills91210!



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#15425 01/18/2001 11:27 PM
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wow: some slightly random possibilities

http://www.pantheon.org/mythica/articles/b/brigid.html (claims she's the inspiration for Groundhog Day in the US

http://inanna.virtualave.net/brigit.html

http://www.lunaea.com/goddess/creativity/bridlinks.html A fair number of Brigid links here, if you can believe it.

Hyla


#15426 01/19/2001 3:35 AM
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try this one: http://www.casagrande.com/~gallae/brigit.htm

just a warning, it gets a little racy:

A Bhrigid, scar os mo chionn
Do bhrat fionn dom anacal

Oh Brigid spread Above my Head
Your mantle bright To guard me."

;-)

bridget=)

Ipsa scientia potestas est ~Bacon

#15427 01/19/2001 1:33 PM
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Hyla, Thank you. You're a darling. Brigid's blessings on you. Let us know what you decide about naming your baby girl. One nickname for Brigid/Bridget is Bree which I think is very pretty and unusual.
Wow


#15428 01/19/2001 4:15 PM
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In reply to:

American Pi, French Pi


See:
Bye-bye Miss American Pie,
Drove my Chevy to the levee
But the levee was dry;
All the good old boys
Were drinkin' whiskey and rye. ....


#15429 01/19/2001 4:27 PM
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One nickname for Brigid/Bridget is Bree which I think is very pretty and unusual.

Bree is also the name of a village in Middle-Earth. It wouldn't surprise me if this is where Tolkien got it from.



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#15430 01/19/2001 5:42 PM
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Re Bree Cap K noted: Bree is also the name of a village in Middle-Earth

In the current (Jan-Feb 2001) issue of "Ireland of the Welcomes" magazine there is an article about the Tolkien folk which is about where the "authorized and authentic miniature reproductions of every single character from both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings are being created and sent out to the furthest reaches of the globe."
It's being done in Kilnnamartyra near Macroom, Ireland at "the factory of Prince Albert.". The quotes denote right from article which I haven't finished yet. (Too distracted by the color photographs!)
There is a note at the end which says : " The range of Mithril figures can be viewed on thier website www.mithril.ie
The Lord of the Rings website is www.lordoftherings.net
The magazine is very good and beautifully produced.
USA and Canada folk may contact Ireland of the Welcomes, P.O. Box 5704, Dublin, 8, Ireland. Or call freephone 1-800-726-7207.
Australia, Britain, & Ireland can "avail of our freephone number"
00-800-100-200-20
For what they call "Europe and Elsewhere" use the same address or the freephone
+353-1-296-0382
The Email is iowsubs@irishtouristboard.ie
Extracts of selected articles are available online at www.irelandofthewelcomes.com -- subscriptions and back issues may be ordered throuhg the website.

Happy journey Cap ... say hello to Frodo and Bilbo for me!
wow


#15431 01/19/2001 9:29 PM
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Thanks Wow. I don't know if the members of this august community are aware, but director Peter Jackson has just finished filming three sequential movies covering the entire Lord of the Rings trilogy, presumably one film per book. The first one is to be released in December this year.

It was mostly filmed in the Wellington region, although various sequences were shot all over New Zealand. A call went out about 18 months ago for descriptions of areas of the country which might be "Tolkienesque" in character. I contributed a couple myself, although I have no idea whether anything ever come of it.

Half of Wellington seem to have been extras in the films. I applied, but they were all full up for trolls ... no, I didn't, but the son of a friend of ours was one of the Elven lords and appears in all three films in several places. I think he got a total of two lines of script, however. A couple of guys from work took off for a week to be orcs, and one of them probably wouldn't have needed much makeup ...

You'll be happy to know that Helm's Deep is actually still a going concern and has been transferred (probably by a rich Texan troll who thought he was buying London Bridge) to a quarry on Haywards Hill in Upper Hutt. They built Hobbiton in the Waikato. It's certainly been fun watching it all happen, and I'm rather sad that it's all over bar the editing.

I suppose I should be grateful that Bollywood has taken up Wellington as a suitable venue for filming those mind-numbing musical extravaganzas that they are so enamoured of ... but then again, why should I?

FWIW



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#15432 01/21/2001 9:19 PM
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I don't remember for sure how I came up with that ID - it probably had something to do with the fact that two of my interests are French and math. [shrug]

Thank you for your reply to my question on titles - that was helpful!


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while transferring some very old hospital record files to micro-fiche a friend of mine came upon this:
cause of death:"went to bed fine, woke up dead


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which reminds me of the "American" ditty:

One dark morning, in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got up to fight
Back to back they faces each other
Drew their swords and shot each other
A deaf policeman heard the noise,
and came to rescue those two dead boys
If you don't believe my story-- ask the blind man-
he saw it all!

Like Old Susana, and several other songs- "contrary songs" where (remain) popular.. the 'poem' above is not a song.. but most kids know it (at least in NY area).


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In reply to:

One dark morning, in the middle of the night,
Two dead boys got up to fight


Very popular here too, though ours opens with "One fine day in the middle of the night."


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I remember one that had the lines "a barefoot boy with shoes on / Stood sitting in the grass."



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