University Education Has Changed Tremendously

Although Universities and leading institutions of higher learning will not admit it easily but education as we know it has changed a great deal. The World Wide Web is responsible for that change. No longer are universities the best and only source of knowledge. In fact the emphasis has changed and requires better educated people who are able to know exactly where to find information quickly and how best to analyze and apply that information.

One of the consequences of this is to make second degrees very important. Something like an online master degree is of great value and one excellent place to get is at Capella University which offers 76 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate specializations. Capella is a national leader in online education. For more information, you can visit www.capella.edu.

The Nature Of Maasai Women

Maasai women are quiet, submissive and totally dependent on their men. Other African tribes and communities have been known to have women leaders or ladies with strong personalities. Not the Massai, their womn almost dissapear into the background and merge with the cow dung walls that make up the manyattas, or low mud-huts that they lived in shaped like Eskimo igloos.

Women Are Important

Yet this is not to say that Maasai women are not important. Like in many African communities, the quietness of women does not mean a lack of power. To start with Maasai ladies are real beauties. With their long necks adorned with large round, stiff necklaces that flaot up and down proudly as they dance and sing, (mostly doing the latter) in the Maasai dance of great huge leaps into the air.

A Name Synonymous With Beauty

Peter Belisi started out bartending in Palm beach and struggling to support his family. But all the time he was looking out for a brilliant idea to launch a successful business on. He found it in high quality designer tie collections.

Today the name Belisi Fashions is synonymous with beauty and has earned a loyal following for its high-end, quality ties, and more recently scarves and handbags.

In other words, Belisi stands for good living: great style, quality accessories and giving back to the community. It is said that Belisi unites the luxury and prestige of Palm Beach with Italian beauty and sophistication. This is what has driven droves of high-end customers in its direction.

Why Do White Women Fall For Maasai Warriors?

White Tourist women often fantasize about the Maasai and there have been many instances where steamy love affairs have resulted. In one famous case a married middle aged woman left her husband and financial security to wed a young jobless Maasai warrior with very limited prospects. Naturally her family were puzzled and very hurt about the way she had behaved.

How Do You Love Somebody Who Rarely Has A Bath?

So what is it about the Maasai that makes them so irrestitible? How does somebody fall in love with a primitive Maasai warrior who rarely has a bath let alone use a deodorant or cologne? One needs to stand close to a genuine Maasai to quickly realize what I am talking about here. While the Maasai are "well endowed" no doubt helped along by the fact that they do not wear inhibiting trousers or underwear, there is little else to explain this bizarre attraction.

Why Link Popularity Is So Important

One of the interesting things that seems to happen online all the time is folks stubbornly sticking to something that has been long outdated. For instance algorithm changes at Google has caused PR or page rank to drop dramatically in importance as far as the positioning of sites in search engine results is concerned. Yet you will still see plenty of articles written by so-called experts, still singing the importance of PR.

What has become really important for any site owner to do is to increase link popularity. There are various ways of doing this including link baiting articles, but the really effective way to do it is to use the popular Blogitive service.

Blogitive currently has more than 2000 Blogs within its network and is growing. To use the service, what you need to do is to submit a web release (mini press release) through Blogitive to these Bloggers and they will write about your release and link to your website in any manner you want, including any URL and any keyword phrase. Blogitive has proven to be extremely effective in increasing link popularity and is also very cost effective. Please visit the Blogitive site (www.blogitive.com) to learn more.

Leaps And Screams That Are The Maasai Dance

One of the really fascinating things to behold about the Maasai tribe are their highly unique dances. The Maasai dance involves singing in rhythm to a song mainly sang by the women but responded to by men as they scream and take great big leaps into the air ands on their side with one holding a spear.

Song And Dance Before War

It seems that the Maasai dance helps work young warriors into a frenzy that leaves them fierce and ready to do battle. It is also akin to an athlete warming up their muscles in readiness for their sporting event. Whichever way you look at it, nobody wants to mess with a Maasai after they've been through their dance routine of leaping several times, high into the air even as they stretch their necks to lift their heads high.

A Marriage Made In Russia

Many people say that the average Russian woman has the looks of a super model. And yet women from the former Soviet Union will tend to seek marriage and a family before career.

In fact many of the women contacted through www.loversplanet.com will be thinking marriage, family and a long term relationship and happiness with the person of their dreams.

Many Americans and people from other parts of the world have long found Russian brides very special. For starters the rate of divorce in Russia is very low when compared to the United States.

This is precisely the reason why a relationship with a Russian woman is bound to be very different from any other that you have ever had.

When You Meet A Maasai, Be Careful

If you ever go to Kenya and meet a Maasai in the coastal town of Mombasa or on a Mombasa beach, then you need to be very suspicious. Chances are that they are not a real Maasai but are in fact entrepreneurs looking to cash bin on you. Let not the traditional dress and regalia fool you.

Maasais Will Be Found Close To Their Beloved Animals

Maasais will almost certainly be found in their usual neighborhood deep in the interior and away from the Coast. In places like Ngong Hills Kiserian, Ongata Rongai and the likes. More often than not they will be found quite close to where their beloved animals are. This is how you will be more sure that it is a genuine Maasai that you are dealing with.

Enduring Gold

It is a fact that gold has endured for centuries as one of the best ways for a person to preserve their wealth and purchasing power. Every recorded major civilization from the Egyptians, to the Greeks and Romans to modern times, all have used gold as a major way to store wealth safetly.

Gold is available for investors in coin or ingot form. Coins have a currency value or they are they are defined as ingots.

You will frequently hear the experts say that gold bullion is the perfect investment. This is one of the reasons why for over 30 years the Monex Deposit Company (MDC) has been America's gold and precious metals investment leader.

Do Maasais Really Share Their Wives?

Much has been said about the "wife swapping" culture of the Maasai people. The Maasai are a very open people, but this is one subject that they will never discuss openly and this has led many to believe that the Maasai tendency towards wife swapping is nothing but a myth. Nothing would be further from the truth.

Wife Swapping Maasais

The truth is that Maasai warriors belonging to the same age group are allowed to drive the spear into the ground and go into the manyatta (Maasai hut) of any agemate and spend the night there and even enjoy the favors of the woma of the house if the husband is for some reason not around.

There Are Lots Of Places, But This One…

There are lots of places where somebody can shop for wedding stuff. However if you want genuine personalized wedding favors then it has to be the Knot Wedding Shop. Here you will find such a wide range of products covering literally everthing that you may be looking for.

Top-quality wedding supplies and novelty items ranging from wedding cameras and ring pillows to personalized attendant gifts, cake toppers, and much more will be found at this unique wedding retailer!

As the largest retailer of wedding supplies on the Internet, this rather unique Wedding Shop is stocked with over 1000 hard-to-find wedding supplies at the best prices around. The Knot Wedding Shop offers brides 24-hour accessibility and quick turnaround delivery for all those last-minute orders before the big day.

Do Lions Really Fear "The Maasai?"

Do powerful wild animals like the lion really fear humans like the Maasai tribe? Or is this just legend and fiction with very little truth?

Actually a lion like most other cats is quick to pick on a scent. The Maasai scent in particular, it would be familiar with because the lions have always lived side by side with the Maasai.
(Read the shocking answer to this question in the next post)

Lions Are Intelligent Enough Creatures To Stay Away From The Maasai

Lions are intelligent creatures, well aware of how fierce the Maasai are and how they will ruthlessly hunt down and kill any lion that attacks their precious cattle. So many times when lions catch the scent of the Maasai, they are agitated and make an effort to get away. There is plenty of evidence to support this claim made by some Maasai.

Nobody Is Better Known In Resorts

Nobody is better known than fairfield resorts when it comes to timeshare.

This well-known entity has introduced more families to timeshare than any other company in the world. Every year over half a million families enjoy the Fairfield lifestyle, vacationing annually at one of more than 70 world-class resorts across America.

Arkansas, 1966, was the place and time the company was launched and few would have guessed that it was destined to grow to today's vast network of resorts, travel services and member privileges that is now headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company has close to 9,000 employees nationwide.

Fairfield resorts started as a land development company selling subdivided lots, whole ownership condos and custom-built homes in large master-planned communities such as Fairfield Bay, Fairfield Sapphire Valley and Fairfield Glade. Lot and home sales continue to this day.

Maasai Attire: The Tourist Attraction That Embarrasses

People do not like to talk about it, but there is no denying the fact that one of the main attractions of the tall powerful Maasai tribesmen to many tourists is their attire and in particular their nakedness.

Maasai's are famous for their dazzling bright red traditional cloth, which they loosely hang over their shoulder and loosely fasten around their waist. The result is that anybody can catch a glimpse pf their manhood hanging and at times dangling as they perform their high leaps into the air, punctuated by piercing war cries.

Read more

Naked Maasai's Attract Tourists

In spite of their attire which some may feel is embarrassing and causes indecent exposure; the Maasais pride themselves in their bravery. Apart from brutal circumcision practices, young warriors must get involved in a lion hunt before they are accepted officially into the community as warriors. You try hunting a full-grown lion with a spear and you'll realize just how brave the Maasai really are. In fact it is said that if you are one day stuck in the African bush and want to stay safe from lions, then all you need is the Maasai scent. Lions have learnt to stay clear off it and will often quickly retreat deeper into the bush the moment they pick it up.

As anybody would expect, after a lifetime of never wearing any trousers let alone inhibiting underwear, the Maasai are quite well endowed and many who have caught a glimpse of some of the sizes have choked in amazement. This is one aspect of very effective tourist attraction that continues to pull in thousands of tourists to Eastern Africa, the home of the Maasai, but few will dare talk about it – at least not officially.

Blogitive Set To Launch Other Programs Soon

The popular pay-per-post site that helps bloggers make money from their blogs, is set to launch other programs soon that will be of great help to writers and blog owners to make even more money.

For instance there is NewsNerve which is a service that you can utilize on your Blog or website that will display relevant syndicated news headlines and allow you to earn money from every click that your visitors make on the news stories.

Then there is an excellent Ghost Writing program in the works that will allow you to just make money for writing in general. You will receive writing assignments through Blogitive from their clients and submit your work for approval through the system provided. You won’t need a website or Blog to participate in this service; you just need to use your writing skills.

There are many other services planned that will give you the ability to make money online that Blogitive plans to roll out.

Maasai Murder Story To Continue Soon

Let me be the first to admit that writing this story has not been easy. I did my last entry on the unfolding saga quite a while back. Now I am organizing myself to return and to start making some new posts to carry this story forward. I'm wondering if you can help because there is something that you can do.

I Need Your Help To Write This

You are of course aware that big TV shows have various people working on thei story lines, including folks that don't write but are simply consultants. That is how you come in. I would love t receive comments from you to help me re-launch the writing of this amazing blog novel. Just read what has been written so far and make suggestions on where the story can now go or how to create as much suspense as possible.

Say Goodbye To Online Learning Blues

These days online learning has never been easier. While you do whatever else you do on your computer every day, you can actually go back to school and before you know it, you'll have a new title next to your name.

Capella University is an excellent place to pursue your online degree. This online university currently serves 16,000 students from all over the world. It is a national leader in online education, committed to providing excellence and pursuing balanced business growth..

Founded in 1993, Capella University offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology. Within those areas, Capella offers 76 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate specializations.

Beware Of Fake Maasais

Toursists to Kenya, famous Maasai country have always been fascinated by the Maasai tribe.

Some hard up locals know this and there is now a whole new industry where they dress up like Maasais and visit beaches and other popular tourist hot spots in places like Mombasa where they easily pass off for the “real thing.”

Just remember to be very suspicious when the Maasais find you rather than you seeking them out.

Non-stop Rains Pound Tourist Spot Near Maasai Country

Mombasa in Kenya, Famous Maasai country a popular beach resort city, has been pounded by regular rain since May this year.

Residents are surprised at this heavy and unusual rain.

Luckily it has not dampened tourism as the rain usually lasts only a short time and then everybody is able to get back to the beaches.

You Probably Did Not Know This...

You probably did not know the following about silver. Did you know that above ground stockpiles of silver bullion are low, shrinking rapidly and approaching zero. Do you have any idea what that does to the value of this precious metal?

There has never be a better time for buying silver bullion. World demand for silver is at its’ highest in a long time and now exceeds annual production. It has done so every year since 1990.

Monex companies are the ones to deal with, since they have been America's silver and precious metals investment leaders for many years.

Get An MBA With A National Leader In Online Education

Here's the place to look if you're seriously thinking of adding an MBA to add to your credentials.

Join a national leader in online education, committed to providing high-caliber academic excellence and pursuing balanced business growth, called Capela University (www.capella.edu) is the distance learning college you should consider first when looking for an online university. This online university currently serves 16,000 students from all over the world and all over the USA.

This is an accredited online university (accredited by The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools) that offers graduate degree programs in business, information technology, education, human services, and psychology, and bachelor’s degree programs in business and information technology. Within those areas, Capella offers 76 graduate and undergraduate specializations and 16 certificate specializations.

Night Unforgettable, Before The Wedding

Message From Our Sponsors:

There is really nothing wrong with being as creative with the night before the wedding festivities as people usually are with bridesmaid gifts. Today couples are getting warmed up for the big day in backyards, bowling alleys, and on beaches. Most of these standout ideas can take place at home or in a restaurant, and each of them is sure to please everyone from Grandma to your grad school roomie.

Just imagine a party where you serve up fresh seafood with all the New England fixin’s at a traditional clambake. To make it an authentic feast, you can have it at the beach and dig a two or three foot deep pit-lined with rocks and then get a wood fire going at the top. Fill buckets with shells and seafood-shaped candies at each table.

Surely, long gone are the days of predictable sit-down dinners the night before the wedding. Couples are instead learning how to get really creative and as a result are ending up making the day such a roaring success, that will not quickly be forgotten.

A $79 Unforgettable Holiday?

Message From Our Sponsors:

At prices starting at $79, you can’t afford not to take advantage of these great California Vacation Packages.

It does not matter whether your are planning your next romantic trip, a family vacation or just a weekend escape, it will pay to take a look at California Vacation Packages.

Just picture yourself wine tasting in California’s wine country or taking in sights from a hot air balloon. Getting away from the bustle of every day and taking a TrendWest vacation could be just the sort of thing you need to rejuvenate yourself and get those creative juices and enthusiasm for work going again.

TrendwestGetaways.com invites you to San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and more hot travel destinations.

New Search Tool Well-Liked By SEO Experts

Message From Our Sponsors

Content-rich sites tend to rank very highly and perform much better in search engine results when you use Google’s brand new Google Accessible Search. This is part of the evidence search engine optimization experts are pointing to in suggesting that this new search tool is a much better performer than the current standard Google search engine.

Chances are high that Google may incorporate this new tool into their main search engine algorithms.

This new Google search tool is currently in beta stage and you too can test out some search terms for yourself and see what you think. Accessible Search is available on Google’s experimental software site at http://labs.google.com/accessible.

USWeb has tested the new tool extensively. To their delight they have also noted one consistent aspect with both the regular search engine and the new experimental Google Accessible search. And that is the fact that their own site and those of clients they have handled always rank very highly in most relevant keyword searches. USWeb SEO experts attribute this to the fact they have always created sites in Web Standards, and in compliance with Web Accessibility guidelines. USWeb is an industry leader with a proven track record in search engine optimization. They will optimize virtually any Website to ensure that it not only achieves but also maintains high rankings for keywords and in the Internet's leading search engines.

Orlando Vacation Home Rental News

Message From Our Sponsors:

It is no secret that a large part of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry. Tourism surrounding Orlando is worth billions of dollars to the area's economy. This is a very rewarding field to be a part of and Orlando has many opportunities within this industry.

Orlando is in fact the number one tourist spot in the world and receives an average of 43 million visitors a year. Most of these tourists stay in one of the 100,000 hotel rooms and visit at least one of the 7 major theme parks. Orlando is still one of the fastest growing communities in Florida and in the United States with current population estimated at 185,000 while Metro-Orlando boasts of over 1,500,000.

Orlando would be the perfect place to spend your holiday, after all 43 million people can’t be wrong. You should consider an Orlando Vacation Home Rental to complete the whole experience.

Online Shopping Advantage

Message From Our Sponsors:

Online shopping has never been easier and giving to charity while you are at it is now a breeze. Latest online coupons and the best deals on the web included.

An easy-to-use online shopping portal that gives consumers cash back whenever they shop online at more than 800 name-brand stores has announced that members can now automatically donate the cash-back they earn directly to their favorite charity while shopping. Ebates (www.ebates.com) has with this announcement made it very easy for online shoppers to save and send money to any charity or non-profit organization fo their choice including those assisting victims of Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Mississipi.

Message From Sponsors: Airsoft Used Where It Is Illegal To Own Guns

Japan is a leading Airsoft country and the sport became popular there in the early 80s at a time when it was illegal to own firearms. It later spread like wild fire to Hong Kong, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Airsoft started appearing in North America and Europe during the middle of the 1990's. Whta makes this sport so popular are the Airsoft guns which are 1:1 scale replicas of actual firearms that fire 6mm, round, plastic pellets commonly called as "BB's" which are propelled out of the guns by compressed air.

Zephyrpaintball.com sells cheap airsoft guns online. The web site has Airsoft pistols and rifles arriving daily from Firepower, KWA and China Airsoft. One of the main objectives in founding Zephyrpaintball.com was to bring low prices, customer service and fast shipping to the paintball world.

Lions Are Not Found In Maasai Country Only

Despite the fact that the most famous Lion country in the world is in East Africa where the Maasai tribe dominate lion country, having lived side by side with this cat for centuries, it is notthe only lion country.

This article points to other placs in Africa where Maasais are absent but lions are present...

African Lion Safari
by Alison Cole

African wilderness safaris are not only fun and educational, but also make your African vacation a memorable one. African lion safaris are ultimate adventure passports, wherein one can spot the majestic animals either during an elephant ride or from an open safari vehicle. Lion safaris also offer explorers the chance to catch a glimpse of elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, giraffes and many species of antelope, as well as a wide range of bird life. However, while planning an African lion safari, one must employ a qualified game ranger to make the tour completely safe.

African lion safaris are take place in the natural habitat of lions and are found in areas like South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya, and Tanzania. Some of the famous African lion safaris are in Kruger National Park, Pilanesburg National Park and Kalahari Gemsbok National Park in South Africa; Chobe National Park, Central Kalahari Game Reserve and Linyanti Game Reserve in Botswana; Etosha National Park in Namibia; Lake Manyara National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area and Tarangire National Park in Tanzania; and Aberdare National Park, Samburu National Reserve and Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Kruger National Park is one of the most famous national parks on the continent, and offers excellent game-viewing opportunities. The park was established in 1889 to protect South Africa's wildlife, and now contains more species of wildlife than any other game reserve in Africa. Pilanesburg National Park is the fourth-largest national park in southern Africa and, being a malaria-free park, is ideal for game viewing. Kalahari Gemsbok National Park, on the other hand, is a semi-desert park between Namibia and Botswana, which also showcases a wide variety of animals.

Chobe National Park in Botswana is the third largest game park in the country and is famous for its huge herds of elephant and buffalo. Botswana also has the Linyanti Game Reserve, which is known for its large prides of lions and huge herds of elephants. Tanzania has some of the largest and most underdeveloped game reserves in Africa, with its Lake Manyara National Park (famous for its tree-climbing lions) and the Ngorongoro Conservation Area with its magnificent black-maned lions. The Masai Mara National Reserve is one of Kenya's finest wildlife parks and supports a year-round population of lions, while lions can also be spotted in Aberdare National Park amidst spectacular scenery.

African lion safaris can be the experience of a lifetime, especially with careful planning in the company of trained naturalists and expert game spotters.
---------------
About the Author
African Safari provides detailed information on African Safari, African Lion Safari, African Safari Vacations, Best African Safaris and more. African Safari is affliated with Botswana Culture.
================
There is this plastic surgery blog that believes that by providing prospective patients with the appropriate information, they will become fully aware of both the benefits and risks of the plastic surgery procedure they want. This is www.surgery-directory.com. This site is so detailed that it includes feature stories about people who have had plastic surgery and details of their experiences, both good and bad. The ideal place if you are looking for Los Angeles Plastic Surgeons.

Plenty of Maasai Tribesmen Can be Found In Kenya

One of the countries where you can visit to see the famous Maasai tribe, is Kenya. The following article gives you more details;

An African Safari to Kenya
By Michael Russell

Going on an African Safari is a spectacular adventure. Some of the finest African safaris offer a complete view of the country that you are visiting.

Many African safari tourists visit the East African country of Kenya. Kenya is a very popular tourist destination because it has an "out of Africa" scenic beauty. Kenya is very culturally diverse and has an abundant array of wildlife. The coastline is also very inviting as well as the tropical beaches. Wildlife is a prime attraction. Another big Kenyan attraction is its vast areas of different habitats found in large areas of beautiful dry grasslands.

During your African safari to Kenya, you will experience the spectacular heights of Mount Kenya and the rolling plains of the Serengeti where you can take a hot air balloon ride at dawn over the Masai Mara. Mount Kenya is located in the Samburu region of the country and it is actually Africa's second highest mountain.

Amboseli National Park is also located here and it's well known for its famous big game like elephants, baboons, lions, cheetahs, giraffes, even crocodiles. You can also experience the seasonal migration of millions of wildebeests. This in itself is a spectacular event.

During your African safari, visit the Ngorongoro Crater which offers a beautiful view of the lions, elephants, endangered black rhinos and zebras. Many Kenyan safari tourists visit Lake Nakuru National Park located in the Rift Valley region of the country. The lake's shores are highly populated by millions of beautiful pink flamingos. The famous ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson defined it as "the greatest bird spectacle on earth". More than 500 species of birds can be found in Lake Nakuru Park. Accommodation is available right here within the Park in beautiful tourist hotels and lodges. The personal attention and service that one receives from the staff here is exceptional. Most African Safari trips are private which means you get a vehicle and a tour guide throughout your entire trip. You also get to stay in some of Kenya's most beautiful and luxurious tourist hotels, lodges and resorts.

Pricing of the safari tour is usually according to the level and quality of the amenities and accommodation that you get. A typical Kenyan safari for example can cost you anywhere between $250 - $800 per person per day including airfares between the national parks and game reserves and also road trips. Some tours can also be tailor made according to your budget and interests.

An African safari to Kenya is very enjoyable and memorable. You also get to meet the locals who are usually the Masai people and they have the natural ability to make you feel very welcome and at home. You will hear them constantly say to you "Karibu" meaning welcome in Swahili.

An African safari is popular for a very good reason. It can be the vacation, adventure and experience of a lifetime. If you ever get a chance to go on an African safari, I highly recommend visiting Kenya and do not pass it up for anything. It is loaded with amenities, thing to do and see and you will be more than happy you visited.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to African Safaris

===============
Williams Center (www.williamsfacialsurgery.com) includes five specialization clinics. It is headed by Dr. Edwin Williams who is certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology and is also a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Dr. Williams uses a computerized imager at this Albany plastic surgery facility as a teaching tool to give his patients a realistic idea of the changes that can be accomplished with facial plastic surgery.

===============
More couples are forgoing fun, foodie favors for charitable donations. But you want to make sure the charity is legit. Research your chosen charity to find out how they spend donations -- and make sure you receive a receipt for tax purposes. Find out more about many charities to support at IDoFoundation.org or JustGive.org. This is but one of the many inspiring favor ideas available at the shopforweddings site to help you get creative with bridesmaid gifts.

===============
The www.moremouse.com is a very useful site for anybody looking for an Orlando Rental Home. But why Orlando, you may ask? Orlando continues to be one of the fastest growing communities in Florida as well as the United States. To no surprise, a large part of the Orlando area economy is involved in the tourist industry. Orlando welcomes more visitors each year than the population of California - over 43.3 million.

Maasai Circumcision Shocker

The Maasai have retained a lot of their culture. The following description of a circumcision ceremony ios facsinating and instructive for anybody who wants a better understanding of the Maasai.

The Cutting Edge - Observation of a Maasai Male Circumcision Ceremony

It is night. Not just any night, but "bush" night which means the only light is the flailing licks of fire flames and the steady, faint glow of the few kerosene lamps around the camp. We sip our chai (tea) and kahaua (coffee) to warm our insides against the wind that sweeps across the Simanjiro plains as our Maasai companions, Alterere and Leiyo, hurry us on our way…we are going to be late.

We hop into our two tone pick-up. Our ill-mannered Maasai friends try comically and desperately to negotiate mine and my sister’s two front seats to no avail, begrudgingly jumping into the back. We drive off into the night searching for the tell-tale glow of eyes in our headlights, winding and bounding along the unforgiving road. There is no one in our way, no one crossing our path, no one hitching rides as they so often do out here in the daytime hours. It is about 9 pm when we reach the boma (Maasai village) and we quickly discover we have missed it - the ceremony is over. Now what?

We sit in the car, surrounded by Maasai, waiting on Hassan who will determine our next move, occasionally greeting a faceless arm that curiously navigates its way through the pitch black and into the window. I find myself wondering how they live in such darkness at night realizing that I have been spoiled by modern technology. Outside our car, there is a meeting of sorts, we hear the murmur; the torch clicks on and off - briefly exposing a face, eyes, and a set of teeth, but that is about all. Other than that it is the night that prevails. Hassan is out of the car, talking with the elders and doing his very necessary public relations to get us permission into the ceremony. Every now and then he pops his head in to give us an update, "…there were four boys already circumcised here…they are all unable to walk and in bed…the doctor is still here…we have been invited to another ceremony…". Then he returns to the abyss of dark.

It is important to note that among the Maasai respect and communication are not only extremely important, but two governing forces in their lives. The first half of any meeting is usually devoted to greetings and formalities. Nothing is too important to rush away for; here we are on "Africa time", and so we continue to wait. It is arranged after some discussion and clarification with the elders that we will follow the doctor (is he certified?! I’m not sure…) to a neighboring boma about an hour and a half away. Once again, headlights illuminate our way and we take off after the doctor and his team. While I mentioned that nothing is too important to rush away for I didn’t say that nothing is too important to rush to.

I (up until this point) have never seen any African display any sense of urgency whatsoever, but this doctor put new meaning to the phrase "…bat out of hell". Our vehicle occasionally slows down to tenderly maneuver over a bump or hole in the road and in a matter of seconds the faint red tail lights we are following are out of site. On numerous occasions we are left with only his settling dust to follow. Then, like a beacon in a storm, we spot the lights in the distance, the car zig-zagging its way across the bush. The hour long chase (as it became) is broken by a few cowering hyena trotting off across the road and (finally) when the "getaway" car breaks down on account to a broken front wheel axle (shocking). This led us to be the sole vehicle, immediately promoting us from being mere observers of the ceremony, to the actual harbingers of it! I, bleaker in my metaphor, likened us to the horsemen of the apocalypse for these young boys about to undergo what I imagine is insurmountable pain.

We arrive at the boma with butterflies in our stomachs, again into complete darkness, to the faint sound of rhythmic, ominous chanting. "It must be the boys about to be cut…" I speculate in a whisper. But as we near the sound we see a tableau against the moonlight of a group of about eight Morani (Maasai warriors) in a circle (a circle is usually how they not only construct their villages but their ceremonies as well). The singing and chanting never falters, with one vocalist yelling out solo and the others chiming in unison afterward. The sound is guttural and hypnotic - actually quite captivating and beautiful despite the fact the language of the Maasai is foreign to us. After some inquiry, we discover the Morani are not singing at all, but verbally insulting the two leoni (uncircumcised) who are completely nude in the center of all this. We learn from Hassan that this is done in attempts to rile up the boys enough to endure the pain that awaits them, the nakedness is to expose them to cold in an effort to numb them. The whole tribulation can be compared to fraternity hazing; however you can imagine the college "bonding" ritual pales in comparison to this esteemed and ancient rite of passage.

Another click of a flashlight confirms it: in the center of the circle are two scrawny, shivering bodies whose spindly arms cross over their privates. The light clicks off again. The chanting continues and another flick of light exposes chattering teeth (it is freezing) and the whites of their eyes. I am so nervous for these two boys I find myself getting overwhelmed by the weight of the moment ahead. The circumcision is done with a razor, without any anesthetic, and if a boy lets out a yelp, flinch, or hint of a tear - he has failed this test and is cast out of the village bringing tremendous shame to his family. I can not help thinking that these young boys (aged 9 and 13) are too young to carry such an enormous responsibility.
The time finally comes for them to be washed and my friend, Leiyo, takes me by the hand to the area outside the boma where the ceremony is to take place. It is done outside the village because only after they undergo circumcision can they be invited back into the boma, this time as men. The doctor has a torch now and the area is fairly well lit. Men of the boma begin to crowd around as two cow-skin mats are laid on the earth with each chattering boy led to one. The women are in their huts (forbidden to view this ceremony) – the mothers’ wails punctuate the screaming wind.

The feeling I have in the pit of my stomach can be compared to that feeling one gets while watching a film in which some valiant character is led stoically to the guillotine - one of sadness, anxiety, and a desire to get the whole ordeal over with as soon as possible.

The boys sit on the mats, legs spread apart before them, their upper bodies in the strong arms of an uncle. In this particular case, their faces are covered with their shukas (traditional Maasai cloth). I hold my breath. The doctor exposes a fresh razor that glistens in the light and makes no haste in cutting. The first boy is tough, not even twitching a toe or clenching a fist as the razor makes its cuts. My tense body does not relax until I discover he has passed. Apparently his mother caught wind of this as well; her song-like sobs of pride, joy, and relief echo into the night.

The second, very young boy has my stomach in my throat with the very first cut as he lets out a shallow gasp of air that sounds breathed through clenched teeth. He lets out a few more of these and I am almost positive he is tearing. When it is all said and done the elders spit on the ground all around him, forcing me to believe he has failed, but I am wrong. Spitting is a form of respect, and the little boy (whom, we gather later, is given some leeway because of his very young age) has proved his vigor and bravery.

They are carried off to recover with their awaiting mothers and it is over. The actual circumcision lasted only about 15 minutes, but we discover the hazing bit we had walked in on had been going on since 6 pm (it was now past midnight), so in actuality it is an all day event.

The whole ordeal left me with a surreal feeling that was only overshadowed by the tremendous relief I felt for each boy. I felt immediately connected to the Maasai and particularly the boys’ for allowing us to witness the single most important event in a Maasai man’s life. It was unbelievably humbling and reminded me of how beneficial and socially solidifying rites of passages are. I cannot think of a single event in the average American’s life that harbors the social significance of this event I have just described. I cannot help but feel that perhaps we are missing out on this idea or construct that strengthens bonds and builds character in the way the Maasai circumcision does. It was not barbaric, gross, pagan or fanatic; it was, in fact, the opposite. The extremely rare event that I was fortunate enough to witness is not only soul building, pride rearing and so completely admirable…it is, in a way, even beautiful.

===========================
If you would like more information on how to experience something similar yourself, please contact Tropical Trails Safari Company located in Arusha, Tanzania.
Brittany Stephen is the Sales and Marketing Manager of Tropical Trails Safari Company. She originally hails from Chicago, IL but has made Arusha, Tanzania her home for the past two years.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brittany_Stephen

==========================
Personal bankruptcy is generally considered the ultimate debt management option and although it will get you off the hook as far as many of your creditors are concerned, it is important to realize its’ long term effects and impact on your life. Although in certain situations it is the only option, it will stay on your credit report for 10 years and make life difficult for you in many ways. That is why many opt for debt consolidation instead. Debt consolidation involves taking out a low-interest loan that will pay off all your debts, leaving you with just the one loan to pay off.
=========================
At los angeles plastic surgery patients are sure to receive world-class service at competitive prices in an environment that befits plastic surgery’s growing mass appeal. In recent times exposure on TV reality shows has opened up a whole new market for plastic surgery which is no longer viewed as a luxury but as a necessity and a great way to improve one’s quality of life. Now located among the world-famous boutiques and bistros in Los Angeles is the first and only plastic surgery center on Rodeo Drive.
=========================
When shopping for Healthy Gift Baskets at Gourmet Gift Baskets, trust that you are sending the best possible gift basket and the recipient will be delighted to receive it! They specialize in going the extra mile for every one of their customers and the difference really shows in the quality of the final presentation. Do give them a chance to earn your business and you’ll never regret it

Useful Information From Cheap Weddings Site: Can A Maasai Wedding Benefit?

Some online shopping sites are amazing in terms of convenience and range of merchandise. Like camera weddings which stocks wedding related stuff and more. Pity the wedding talked about in this Maasai story couldn't possible make use of such valuable services out there in the bush in Africa. Still this is the kind of service that should prove to be useful to virtually anybody.

The cheap wedding site gives very interesting information that will help anybody save a lot of money on their purchases.

The approximate cost of a 150-guests-wedding is in the range of $25,000 and an be a lot higher in big urban areas. It is estimated that the receptio usually takes the lion'es share of any wedding budget with 48% to 50% of the total budget going to this expense. The next big expense in percentage terms is video and photography which usually guzzles 10% to 12% of the total budget. All other expenses are left to share out the remaining 40% or so.
====================
There is no need to rely on dividend paying stocks to make dividend like income in your portfolio when most stocks offer publicly traded options. You make these transactions with your broker, similar to buying and selling stocks. A call option gives another investor the right to buy shares from you at a price you set anytime before a certain date. You collect a premium by selling the call and you get the premium, in cash, on the day you sell the option. Just like a dividend.
PowerOptions provides the essential data you need to invest with stock options.

====================
The effective “buddy on demand” companion that inflates instantly at the flick of a switch next to women drivers worried about driving alone helps deter road rogues and is being promoted by women’s car insurance company Sheilas’ Wheels. Information like this and everything else that is useful and has to do with auto insurance online is to be found at CarInsurance.com. This is a site that is easy to use and will help anybody save both time and cash on their insurance requirements.

Even If You Missed The Maasai in Africa, You Couldn't have Missed The Flowers

Many folks who have visited Africa are often reminded of the unforgetable experience by summer flowers. And even if they never got to meet the famous Maasai tribesmen, flowers is something that nobody can avoid in Africa.

There is no better season and time to enjoy flowers that would remind one of a memorable safari in Africa than now where the most glorious summer delights are in full bloom and available. They include colorful, hearty blooms like lilies, orchids, daisies, and dahlia families to name but a few.

Dotflowers.com are the most convenient way to buy and send flowers online and they can be useful partner in getting your flowers where you want anywhere in the country.