April 28, 2013

How to Read/ Write Gallifreyan

I found out how to write in Circular Gallifreyan!
Here are some instructions from a Wiki Page about it

Circular Gallifreyan is a standardized version of the written Gallifreyan language as seen in Doctor Who. It was standardized by a fan, so it is not officially sanctioned, but it looks terribly cool. You can read a guide to Gallifreyan online or just read The Honey Badger's guide below.
Legal Note!
Doctor Who and Gallifreyan are © BBC, and this alphabet is © Loren Sherman.

Getting Started

If you're reading this guide, that's probably because you found the original guide a bit too confusing. If you haven't read the original guide, I recommend you at least give it a shot - after all, that comes direct from the source and I'm just interpreting the rules.

Letters

Consonants

Alphabet.JPG
Consonants.JPG
Consonants take one of four forms and are modified by one of five different designs. In the chart to the left, you can see the four basic forms along the left side and the five modifications along the top. The dot modifications are included within the circle of the letter while the line modifications extend outward from the circle of the letter. To get a better idea for how each letter looks, to the right is a complete set of Gallifreyan consonants.
When writing out a word in Gallifreyan, it is done based on English spelling with the exception of the letter C and a few phonetic letters (CH, SH, TH NG). Since 'C' makes either a 'K' or an 'S' sound, we use those letters as replacements Here are some examples of Gallifreyan spelling exceptions:
  • 'Cat' would be written as 'Ka T' (don't worry about that a, we'll get to vowels in a second)
  • 'Sauce' would be written as 'Sa U Se'
  • 'Thing' is written as 'THi NG', not 'T Hi N G'
  • 'Shale' is written as 'SHa Le' not 'S Ha Le'
  • 'Change' is written as 'CHa N Ge' and not 'C Ha N Ge'
Consonant designs, that is, the dots or lines that differentiate the consonants, do not rely on placement or size to distinguish. So long as the appropriate number of lines or dots are placed on that consonant, then it is correct. More on this later.

Vowels

vowels.jpg
Vowels are a bit trickier. Vowels are either attached to the preceding consonant or they float on their own - either way they are smaller circles than the consonants and have slightly different rules.
In the diagram to the left, you can see how each vowel looks both attached and unattached to a consonant. 'A' is written as a small circle just outside of the main line of the word. 'E' is a small circle either centered on the line of the word or centered within any full-circle consonant. 'I' is a small circle with a line extending towards the inside of the word, either centered on the line of the word or centered within any full-circle consonant. 'O' is a small circle that rests inside the line of the word when it stands on its own, and when attached to a consonant it rests bisected on the inside edge of the letter. 'U' is a small circle with a line extending towards the outside of the word, either centered on the line of the word or centered within any full-circle consonant.
A vowel does not have to be attached, and can stand on its own at the writer's discretion. As a general rule, however, a vowel should stand on its own if you want to elongate a short word (for example, 'T H E' might be put instead of 'T He'). In cases where a word starts with a vowel ('E Le P Ha N T' for example) or you have two vowels in a row ('Re A L' for example), a vowel will need to stand on its own because it has no consonant to attach to.

Words

Elephant.JPG
Words in Gallifreyan are based around circles. A word begins at the bottom of the circle (that is, the part of the circle closest to the bottom of the image/paper) and proceed anticlockwise around the word. An example can be seen to the right.
Notice both attached and unattached vowels in action in this word. You also have two letters, 'P' and 'Ha' which are connected by lines. Since both 'P' and 'H' have two lines, we can draw those lines connecting the two letters. This does not have to be done, so long as both letters have two lines, they are written correctly. 'N', you can see, has a single line which is extending beyond the circle of the word. So long as lines do not intersect with letters that should not have any additional lines, they can extend as far as the writer wishes.

Sentences

Sentences are essentially just words made up of words. Just like a word, they are based in a circle and you read them starting from the bottom and then proceeding around anticlockwise. Punctuation can be added along the edge of the sentence circle. Sentences are contained within two circles, the inner of which you place the punctuation around, and the outer which is simply a containing circle.

The three dots in the outer circle are an exclamation mark. This and the rest of the punctuation marks can be seen in the table below. Sadly, there does not seem to be a comma available at this time.
punctuation.PNG 


April 23, 2013

Greek Mythology Plays



Trojan War
Athena: The first myth we are going to present is how the Trojan War was started.
Aphrodite: The myth is about how Eris, the goddess of strife, threw an apple between three goddesses.
Hera: The apple said “To the fairest of them all”, so the goddesses started to argue over who it should go to.
(Eris throws Golden Apple on stage)
Hera: (picks up apple) What a beautiful apple! Hmmmm… To the fairest of them all… That must be me! I am the wife of the king of the gods…
Aphrodite: I’m the goddess of beauty! It’s ME!
Athena: You are both idiots. I may not be the most beautiful, but…
Aphrodite: (interrupts) You can say that again:
Athena: (glares at Aphrodite) BUT at least I am at least a bit intellectual.
Aphrodite: huh?
Athena: Let me rephrase that… a LOT intellectual.
Hera: What?
Athena: I said INTELLECTUAL. You are both so thick. Anyway, I declare a democracy. Let us pick someone to choose for us.
Hera: How about Zeus?
Aphrodite: That’s not fair! He’s your husband! He’d pick you for sure!
Hera: I’m not too sure about that…
Aphrodite: How about Ares?
Hera: That’s not fair either! He has a major crush on you!
Aphrodite: And for a good reason!
Athena: Stop bickering! You two are such hypocrites-and very biased at that. Let us choose someone impartial.
Aphrodite: Like Kronos?
Athena: What?
Aphrodite: Kronos is in pieces. Zeus chopped him into pieces with Kronos’s own sickle before throwing him into Tartarus.
Athena: No, IMPARTIAL. It means he doesn’t favor any of us.
Aphrodite: Ooooh.
Athena: (sighs)
Hera: How about Paris of Troy?
Athena: Oh, alright.
Hera: Argus, darling, go fetch Paris of Troy.
(Argus leaves, then enters with Paris of Troy and a platter of food and drink. He sets it on a table, bows, and leaves.)
Paris: hmmm… I pick… Aphrodite…no, I mean Hera… No, Athena…
Hera: I can give you power if you choose me.
Athena: I can give you wisdom if you choose me.
Aphrodite: I can give you the love of the most beautiful woman in the world.
Paris: Then I choose Aphrodite.
Hera: So Paris fell in love with Helen of Sparta.
Aphrodite: He stole her off to his homeland of Troy.
Athena: This started a giant war.
Aphrodite: It wasn’t my fault!
Athena: Was too!
 (they continue to argue as Hera drags them offstage)

Medusa
Athena: The next myth is about the foolish, arrogant girl Medusa and how she was defeated by the hero Perseus.
Hermes: Medusa was very vain, always admiring her reflection and bragging about her beauty.
Athena: One day, when she came to my temple, she started bragging about how beautiful she was. I decided to teach her a lesson so I turned her into a horrible monster.
Hermes: Geez, anger management issues, Athena.
Athena: (glares at Hermes) Let me finish my story, arrogant boy. Anyway, I did the same to her sisters and sent them to live on a faraway island.
Hermes: Lights, Camera, Action!
Perseus: (asleep) Hi, Hermes. Am I dreaming?
Athena: No, you died because a giant chicken stepped on you.
Perseus: Really?
Athena: No, you fool! Of course you’re asleep!
Perseus: Oh. (looking downcast) But I wanted to meet Cerberus and Hades!
Hermes: (rolls eyes) Ok, well, to make it short, you need to go kill Medusa.
Perseus: Yay! I get to go kill more monsters! Thanks, Hermes!
Athena: There’s a problem. If you look in her eyes, you turn into stone.
Perseus: So I have to kill her without looking at her? Sounds like fun!
Hermes: You’ll need my winged shoes to fly to the island.
Athena: Here’s a polished shield. Keep it shiny so that you can look at Medusa’s reflection while you fight.
Perseus: Thanks so much, guys! I’ll go kill her now. See you soon! (picks up cardboard boat and goes to Medusa)
Perseus: Hi Medusa! Hermes and Athena say I need to kill you now.
Medusa: Already? I haven’t done any harm!
Perseus: (looks at statues)
Medusa: Well, not much…
Perseus: Sorry, but do you mind if I say that you’re ugly?
Medusa: Yes. (looking angry) I do mind.
Perseus: Well, it doesn’t matter now.
Medusa: Yes it does.
Perseus: No it doesn’t, because I have to kill you now.
(chases Medusa offstage, comes back on with medusa head) I did it!

Commercial
Gorgon: Do you ever suffer from scaly, slithery snakes? (holds up shampoo bottle) Then you need Apollo’s Snake Away! Take it from me, all your snakes will disappear!
Athena: (snorts)
Gorgon: (glares at Athena) Just spread it on top of your head, put a hat on, wait till all the snakes die, and Presto! All you need to do is wait for your hair to grow back- the baldness will only remain for about a year! Side effects include vomiting, fainting, loss of hair, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

The Minotaur
Theseus: Every year, the king of Crete orders us Athenians to send seven young men and seven young women to go be eaten by the minotaur. As you can see, this is very draining on our population, so I offered to go as one of the sacrifices and be eaten by the minotaur.
Ariadne: I still think it was a stupid idea.
King Colchis: Hurry up, let’s get this show on the road!
Theseus: Dad, I’m gonna go kill the Minotaur.
King Colchis: Good idea, son. Go for it!
Theseus: Thanks, dad. I’ll sail away on a ship with black sails. If I live, I’ll change the sails to white when I come back. If I die, I won’t change them because I would be dead.
King Colchis: Good idea, son. You make me proud!
(Theseus, Woman, and Man get in the boat)
Woman : I don’t wanna die!
Theseus: I’ll avenge your death by killing the minotaur.
Man: (glares at Theseus) Hey! You won’t have to avenge her death because I’LL save her!
Theseus: Yeah right… it’s obvious that I’ll be the only survivor.
Woman : (sarcastically) Thanks, that’s so reassuring. (rolls eyes)
King Minos: Welcome to my island!
Ariadne: (looks at Theseus) Do we have to kill him, dad? He’s so handsome!
King Minos: My little darling’s growing up! No. We have to kill him.
Theseus: (walks up to Ariadne) Hey, you want to sit next to me at dinner?
Ariadne: Sure! (walks offstage with Theseus, comes back on and puts up cardboard labyrinth)
King Minos: Ariadne, you can send the sacrifices into the maze.
Ariadne: Thanks dad!
Ariadne: (to extras) You go ahead. (extras  nod and go into the maze) Theseus… I don’t want you to die… put this ball of yarn on the ground and it will lead you to the center of the maze. But you have to promise to take me back to Athens with you.
Theseus: Whatever you want, my love.
Woman: HELP! HELP! AAAAGH!
Man: RAAAAAGH! DIE MINOTAUR DIE!!!!!! AAAAAAAGH! HELP ME!!!!
Minotaur: GRUNT GRUNT RRRRAGHHH I KILL YOU GRRRRAAAARRRRR DIE SILLY HUMAN DIE GRAAAGH (throw red painted fabric over the wall)
Woman 1: Mercy! Have Mercy! AAAAAAAaaaaaagggggh
Theseus: (looks into maze) eeew. Don’t look, Ari.
Ariadne: ok,Thesee.
Theseus: (goes into the maze)
Ariadne: (gasps) Theseus? You ok?
Theseus: I’m fine… just fine….. AAAAAAAGHHH!
Ariadne: Theseus!
Theseus: Just kidding.
Ariadne: That was mean!
Theseus: No, it was funny.
Ariadne: (rolls eyes) Whatever. Just get going.
Theseus: (falls) AAAAAAGH!
Ariadne: Cut it out Theseus. (waits) Theseus? THESEUS?! (Charges into the maze)
Minotaur: AAAAAAAAUUUGHHHHH!
( Ariadne and Theseus walk out. Ariadne holds a Minotaur head.)
Theseus: Alls well that ends well…
(all sail back home in boat)
King: AAAAA! THESEUS!
Theseus: oooops…. (glances up at sails) Well, I guess I’m king now!
Ariadne: (rolls eyes) your dad just died.
Theseus: Oh. Well… I’m still king!
(all bow)




April 19, 2013

DELICIOUS Chocolate Cake Recipe

You have to try this! It's a British recipe, and gluten free, so it's more like a really rich brownie, but still! SO GOOD.



Decadent Gluten-Free Chocolate Cake
7oz butter
7oz dark chocolate
6oz caster sugar (Baking sugar here in the US)
4 eggs
2 tbsp ground almonds (Or almond meal or almond flour)

1. Preheat the oven to 180áµ’ C/fan 160áµ’ C/gas mark 4. Line a 8” round cake tin with nonstick baking paper.
2. Melt the butter with the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the pan doesn’t touch the water. Add the sugar and stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture cool a little before adding the eggs one by one, mixing well after each addition. Add the ground almonds and mix again until smooth.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 20-25 minutes, until the center is set but still a little wobbly. Turn the oven off but leave the cake inside for another 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and place the tin on a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Remove the cake from the tin, then wrap it in clingfilm and store it in the refrigerator. Take it out about 1 hour before serving. Remove from the clingfilm and serve in generous slices.


April 5, 2013

Awesome Minecraft Trick!

 
In only fifteen minutes, I found:
One enchanted flame resistance book, 11 lapis lazuli, iron boots, 3 apples, 17 redstone, 26 bones, 28 rotten flesh, 28 pumpkin seeds, 38 melon seeds, 8 minecart rails, an iron pickaxe,27 gold, 48 iron, 51 bread, 39 coal, and 5 DIAMONDS!!!!!
This is one of the fastest ways to find tons of loot. Plus, it's also a super fast way to find strongholds! I found this one in only five minutes!





The trick? (it only works on PC edition)Create a new world. Make it superflat, and use the desert preset. Then, delete the sandstone and stone layers. The sand will all fall, leaving strongholds and mineshafts exposed.