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A Tribute to Shere Khan: 15 of the Most Memorable and Celebrated Media Thrusts Hailing the Wild Tiger

A Tribute to Shere Khan

Wildlife is truly fascinating and can be compared to an untouchable rainforest – until man abuses its resources and takes it down to use for his own benefit. Such is the plight of wild tigers in the hands of hunters, collectors and inhabitants of the forest clearly set to track, hunt or kill. The story of Shere Khan the Bengal tiger shares the memory of this big cat rescued from its depraved conditions in a hunter’s care. Here are some attempts to promote and portray in the media wild tigers that are to be cherished and loved for generations to come.

The real life Shere Khan

The real life Shere Khan

This tiger had been bred in captivity and was supposed to be sold. The tiger cub was unique bearing unusual white color against his stripes. This made him somewhat a prized possession although it was a mutated gene that had given him his colors. The buyer failed to close the deal and so Shere Khan lived in cramped and depraved conditions. Found deep in mud and filth in a dog run style cage, he was extremely malnourished, thin, totally weak and uncared for. The documentary tells of this big cat fortunately being rescued by an animal sanctuary to restore it to its health. Featured by The Tiger Next Door it has strengthened the ties of protecting and saving jungle animals from dying and extinction.

The Jungle Book and its main antagonist Shere Khan

The Jungle Book and its main antagonist Shere Khan

This Disney classic was originally taken from Rudyard Kipling’s novel of the same name. This famous and well-loved story is about a little boy named Mowglie who has to escape the jungle where he was born. The apparent threat and villain, a big Bengal tiger Shere Khan, is cool, suave and mean. He is the main predator and is set to drive out Mowglie from his jungle home. Shere Khan though feared two things- fire and man. Many symbolisms and meanings come from the Jungle Book and is in some ways it shows man not belonging to the jungle. It also conveys that the wild are not to be disturbed in their own natural habitat.

Save the Tigers Now, a global campaign

Save the Tigers Now, a global campaign

A worldwide drive on preserving the Bengal tiger has been led by the famous actor and celebrity Leonardo DiCaprio. There are now currently only 3,200 Bengal tigers existing in the wild. This global campaign is set to save this specie with political support and public awareness. Leonardo. This project is led by World Wildlife Fund or WWF aiming to protect the existing population and to double the Bengal tigers’ numbers by 2022.

The Life of Pi

The Life of Pi

This philosophical Ang Lee movie is about circus animals and a boy who are all trapped in a small boat in the middle of the sea. There comes in this film an astoundingly big and ferocious Bengal tiger by the name of Richard Parker. In this film adaptation though they used more CGI effects than the real tiger in the scene where the boy and the tiger corner each other around the small lifeboat. This defining moment keeps your breath on hold until the boy Pi defies and ultimately drives the tiger back under the boat’s tent.

The man-eater of Sundarbans

The man-eater of Sundarbans

This Indian film entitled Roar is about a royal Bengal white tigress in the Sundarbans. This Hindi epic tale has a big white tigress searching for her cub and a team of men trying to outmaneuver this wild animal. The storyline depicts man versus tiger conflict and was shot in real life dense mangrove forests. The story is based on the early 1900s record of thirteen man-eaters that attacked humans for prey. This behavior was believed to be due to the male tiger’s territorial dominance over each other and over man.

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo

This award winning play is concerning a Bengal tiger that escapes the zoo in the war and haunts the city of Baghdad. Its main hunt is essentially about the meaning of life surrounding the war. The mysterious big cat is played by the late Robin Williams and portrayed as a big wild cat dressed not in full costume but in creatively tattered clothes. It is proclaimed the most original screenplay on the war of Iraq in its era, and has won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Outstanding New America play.

Bagh Bahadur or The Tiger Dance

Bagh Bahadur or The Tiger Dance

A huge part of the Indian culture, the Bengal tiger is considered India’s national animal. This drama is directed and written by Buddhadev Dasgupta and is set on a small, poor village in Bengal. The story supports the old traditions pertaining specifically to the tiger dance and associates to the dying numbers of Bengal tigers as symbolized here through the main character’s artistry of dance which promotes the cognitive memory of the public on the mysteries of the Bengal tiger. The character takes pride adding drama and flair to the film, painting himself and dancing tiger-like. The main character tries to relive the Bengal tiger through the intricate fabric of this old yearly tradition but is then faced with competition in a form of a visiting circus leopard thus taking the villagers’ curiosity away from his dance.

Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda

On a lighter side, the spunky and fierce member of the Furious Five in this kick-ass CGI animated movie is represented by the MasterTigress. She emanates discipline and high morals from her early martial arts training kitten days emerging as a ferocious fighter, dubbed with much purr and power by Angelina Jolie.

We Bought A Zoo

We Bought A Zoo

This endearing film is about a newly widowed Matt Damon as Benjamin who decides to buy an old house to relocate to however it includes an old zoo within the property. Seeing his daughter in a happy disposition with the animals he decides to purchase the whole estate. A poignant scene in the movie is where Benjamin is forced to confront an old Bengal tiger named Spar on decisions about the upkeep of the zoo and the dilemma of its advancing age. inspection Benjamin struggles to repair the zoo threatening closure on a a strict government inspection. This touching comedy drama truly echoes into every animal lover’s heart. The quote “..you only need 20 seconds of courage to achieve great things.,” bequeaths a responsibility to pursue our dreams and in this to protect and care for animals.

Madagascar 3

Madagascar 3

This American 3D computer-animated comedy film is both colorful and vibrant with its characters seemingly wanting to jump out of our movie screens. It is the highest grossing film of the Madagascar sequels that boasts of the original main characters – the zoo animals and in addition some circus friends to bring into the plot. The tiger with a fierce growl, Vitaly, was the star performer who ended up being defeated and broken from one failure in his circus performance, and with the help of the Madagascar main troop emerges victorious once again.

Bengal Tiger (2015)

Bengal Tiger (2015)

This fast paced action drama conveys the idea of a tiger being ferocious and full of life. The timid main character Abhiroop (Abir Chatterjee), never fought against anything or raised his voice against any injustice or bullying in his workplace. This goes on long enough until a sudden turn of events holds him capable to let out the inner tiger in him.

Gladiator

Gladiator

This film is about sheer will and brute force as well as a good strategy in the battle for survival. The gladiator, Russel Crowe seemingly tries to fend off the tiger emerging from hidden trapdoors of the arena. His enemy gladiator is also bearing a similar name to unleash the ferocity in this wild animal as he faces his blood thirsty opponent Tigris of Gaul.

The Hangover

The Hangover

This comedy-adventure rollercoaster of a movie seems inevitably strange, funny and unpredictable as its characters. One of the greatly loved scenes is when Zach Galifianakis’ character discovers unceremoniously a tiger in his hotel room. Apparently it is the pet of Mike Tyson in the movie connoting the presence of a tiger as part of a household of one ostentatiously rich and eccentric persona.

Two Brothers

Two Brothers

This animal picture is about two tiger sibling cubs Koumal and Sangha, who are separated when man enters their territory. Taken into captivity, they are unexpectedly reunited but inadvertently forced to fight each other by the brutal explorer. Their chance to be released into the wild was deemed possible by the seemingly ruthless hunter who then had to face a moral dilemma in his hands.

Aladdin, a Disney classic

Aladdin, a Disney classic

This Disney classic makes up for any carpet touting, lamp-rubbing scamper like its main character Aladdin. To add to the protection of the Sultan’s daughter that has caught the eye of Aladdin is Rajah a loyal tiger who was bred to be the princess’ constant companion. Aside from this beloved tiger, the mouth of the cave as well that hid the lamp for millions of years is shaped like a tiger’s head clamping and extinguishing anything that enters.

In the grand scale of things, tigers in general are portrayed as dangerous and yet can be portrayed as loyal, disciplined and highly trained when bred in captivity. Like Shere Khan though these big, beautiful and mysterious jungle cats can also be sold illegally and kept in poor, unlivable conditions. Conservation efforts such as rewilding previously captive-bred tigers and placing the Bengal tiger’s plight in the public’s eye with media efforts aid to promote and put into consciousness these highly endangered species and save them from extinction.

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10 Interesting Facts About the Manul Cat. #7 and #8 Will Make You Cry Out for Them

10 Interesting Facts About the Manul Cat

The Pallas’s cat or commonly called the manul cat is a small wild cat that can be found in the mountainous regions of Central Asia. Though it has resemblance with domestic cats, it can be easily identified as a wild cat due to its unique appearance. It looks a lot fiercer and tougher. There are a lot of other interesting features that you need to know about these cats.

They have interesting physical features

They have interesting physical features

The manul cat is usually around 46-65 cm in length and 21-31 cm in height. It is pretty much of the same size as your average domestic cat. However, it has a stockier posture and denser fur. They look stout and plush. They also have darker fur, short claws and huge canine teeth. Their faces are somewhat shortened or flattened relative to other cats.

These cats were first discovered centuries ago

These cats were first discovered centuries ago

It was in 1776 when German naturalist Simon Pallas described the cat. He then classified it as Felis manul. However, the cat became more popular with the term Pallas’s cat as it was named after him. Though they were abundant in number when first discovered, they are experiencing a decline in recent years.

They live in unbelievably high regions

They live in unbelievably high regions

These cats are native to the steep regions of Central Asia. They have the ability to survive in an elevation of up to 5,000 meters just like in the Tibetan Plateau. They are also found in countries like Mongolia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan. Sadly though, their preference in habitat has resulted in a weakened immune system. They lack exposure to viral infections.

Manul cats are solitary

Manul cats are solitary

These cats don’t like interacting a lot. They prefer to be left alone. Both males and females leave a scent to mark their territory. They prefer spending their days inside caves and marmot burrows. They start going out in the late afternoon until evening as they are nocturnal too just like domestic cats.

They are not fast hunters

They are not fast hunters

For a wild animal, you would expect manul cats to be fierce and fast when it comes to their prey. Sadly, this is not the case for them. They are very slow runners. They can’t kill a prey by moving quickly. Instead, they start by ambushing or stalking. They are also good in hiding for cover so they can actively kill their preys, including pikas, voles and partridges.

The cats’ breeding season is relatively short

The cats’ breeding season is relatively short

One of the reasons contributing to the decline of these animals is that they have a very short mating season. It only lasts between 26 to 42 hours. It is a lot shorter than many other cats. This is also due to the nature of their environment. Another sad story about these cats is that there is a high rate of infant mortality due to the harsh weather conditions. Up to 44.9% of the litters die before reaching adulthood. Those who were bred in captivity were said to have lived up to 11 years though.

Hunting caused a major decline in manul cats’ population

Hunting caused a major decline in manul cats’ population

Aside from the nature of their environment, another reason why these cats are now classified as near threatened is that they have been hunted for their furs. In China, Russia, and Mongolia, they are easy targets. Around 1,000 hunters are in Mongolia right now with an average of two cats per year. Aside from the hunters, they are also easy targets by other larger animals like foxes and wolves.

Manul cats are also used for medicinal purposes

Manul cats are also used for medicinal purposes

If hunting for their fur is not enough of a reason for their decline, then add to that the idea that they are also good for medical reasons. In Mongolia and Russia for instance, the fat and organs of the cats are believed to have medical powers. This has also resulted in the increase in the number of manul cats being exported since 2009.

Conservation efforts are now on the way

Conservation efforts are now on the way

Given the tragic situations facing these cats, they are now considered as near threatened and are subject for protection. It has been recorded as such by the IUCN since 2002. Hunting has already been banned in almost all countries where these cats can be found except in Mongolia. There are still no legislations to protect them in Mongolia until now despite calls from the international community. In Afghanistan, there is a national ban on hunting and trading within the country.

These cats are not just cute, but also very expressive

These cats are not just cute, but also very expressive

Manul cats are branded as the most expressive cats in the world. If you enjoy looking at the clueless faces of cats in YouTube videos, you will love it even more when you see these manul cats. They are very expressive as evident on their facial features. When they are angry, sad, happy or scared, it can be easily identified with their looks. Given the fact that they are cuter than your regular cats, you might want to keep them as pets. Sadly, you can’t. They live only under certain environmental conditions. Also, they are very solitary so you would not enjoy them as much. Most of all, they have a high mortality rate so your pet manul cat will probably not last long anyway.

These wild manul cats are among the most interesting gifts of nature. We just hope that they can survive the threats they are facing and live for the future generation to see.

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Vladimir Komarov: One of the Space Mission Deaths that Prove that Qualification and Experience Don’t Guarantee Success

vladimir-komarov-one-of-the-space-mission-deaths-that-prove-that-qualification-and-experience-dont-guarantee-success

More than 150 people, including the highly qualified and experienced Vladimir Komarov, have perished while fulfilling their duties as space explorers. There have been a number of space missions by different countries that failed and led to fatalities. The following deaths are some of the most notable space mission failures that demonstrate how success can’t be guaranteed even with all the strict trainings and protocols employed to send people to space.

Vladimir Komarov – Soyuz, 1967

Vladimir Komarov – Soyuz, 1967

Komarov was the first cosmonaut to reach outer space more than once. Unfortunately, he also became the first Russian to meet his end on a space mission. He died after the Soyuz 1 space capsule crashed upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere on April 24, 1967, as its parachute did not properly open. The Soyuz 1 was set for a one-day mission but it encountered a variety of mechanical problems even before the parachute failure. The vessel had difficulties stabilizing and the solar panels failed to unfold.

Gus Girssom, Edward White II, and Roger Chaffee – Apollo 1

Gus Girssom, Edward White II, and Roger Chaffee – Apollo 1

The three did not die while in space or after coming from space. Their unfortunate death happened while they were doing a launch sequence rehearsal for the AS-204 Apollo mission of NASA. The three died from suffocation as an electrical fault caused a spark that ignited the pure oxygen environmental control system where the three were staying. The accident was a wake-up call for NASA to undertake major design and engineering changes along with modifications in test planning operations and aeronautics equipment manufacturing processes.

Georgi Dobrovolski, Viktor Patsayev, and Vladislav Volkov – Soyuz 11

Georgi Dobrovolski, Viktor Patsayev, and Vladislav Volkov – Soyuz 11

The Soyuz 11 successfully launched to space in June 6, 1971 and docked at the Salyut 1 space station for three weeks. However, as it undocked to return to Earth, a valve in the vessel accidentally opened. This led to a pressure leak that consequently depressurized the capsule where the three cosmonauts were staying. The depressurization went unnoticed as the cosmonauts died. It was only discovered after the capsule was inspected by a recovery team.

Greg Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Michael J. Smith, and Dick Scobee – Space Shuttle Challenger Mission STS-51-L

Greg Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Michael J. Smith, and Dick Scobee – Space Shuttle Challenger Mission STS-51-L

This is the space mission tragedy that resulted in the 32-month hiatus for the United States shuttle program. As the STS-51-L was launching, a little over a minute after its liftoff at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the rockets propelling the vessel exploded. All seven astronauts died in the incident. It was found that the cause of the accident was the failure of an o-ring seal on one of the solid rocket boosters.

Rick D. Husband, William McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel B. Clark, and Ilan Ramon – Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-107

Rick D. Husband, William McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel B. Clark, and Ilan Ramon – Space Shuttle Columbia Mission STS-107

Upon re-entering Earth’s atmosphere after the culmination of its 14-day mission, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated and eventually broke apart killing all of the seven people within in. Investigations point to a damage incurred during liftoff as the cause of the accident. As the shuttle launched, a piece of insulating foam broke off from the external tank. This chunk hit the orbiter’s left wing causing a structural failure on the shuttle’s leading wing. NASA had to delay all of its shuttle flight operations for 29 months after this accident.

Michael Adams – X-15

Michael Adams – X-15

American aeronautical engineer, aviator, and astronaut Michael Adams died on November 15, 1967 while doing a test flight for the X-15 at an altitude of 50.4 miles (at the 50-mile altitude regarded as the starting point of space). X-15 was a joint project of the US Air Force and NASA aimed at exploring near space.

Elliot See and Charles Bassett – Gemini 9

Elliot See and Charles Bassett – Gemini 9

In the midst of bad weather, Amercian astronauts Elliot See and Charles Bassett failed to properly land their T-38 at Lambert Field in Missouri. Instead, they crashed into the McDonnell Aircraft factory. See and Bassett were training for Project Gemini.

Michael Alsbury – SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise

Michael Alsbury – SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise

American test pilot Michael Tyner Alsbury died at a spaceship crash while doing a test flight. The spaceship, SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise, broke down while undertaking a powered atmospheric test flight in in California’s skies. The accident was caused by the feathering system’s premature deployment.

Yuri Gagarin and Vladimir Seryogin – MiG-15UTI Trainer

Yuri Gagarin and Vladimir Seryogin – MiG-15UTI Trainer

While Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, achieved fame and renown for his pioneering venture into space, it was unfortunate that he had to die during a training jet crash. He and flight instructor, Vladimir Seryogin, died as the MiG-15UTI jet trainer they used crashed due to miscommunication and poor visibility. This was not a space mission but an important test and training for spaceflight.

160 People – Soviet Launch Tragedy

160 People – Soviet Launch Tragedy

Scores of people perished at a Soviet rocket launch accident in 1960. The exact number is difficult to trace but it is reported that around 160 people died during this tragic incident. While these deaths did not occur in space, the deaths include prominent space officials of Russia.

None of the activities in these tragic accidents were carelessly undertaken or manned by inexperienced people. Prudence was certainly exercised but the accidents still happened. Fortunately, advancements in technology have made space missions safer and more efficient.

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10 Reasons Why the Taman Shud Case is the Greatest Mystery Never to be Solved

10-reasons-why-the-taman-shud-case-is-the-greatest-mystery-never-to-be-solved

On the sunny morning of December 1st, 1948 at round 6:30 AM, the body of an unidentified man was found lying on the sands of Somerton Beach just south of Adelaide, South Australia. No one knew who the man was, how he got to the beach, how he ended up dead, and most importantly, why he was dead- even until now. Considered as “one of Australia’s most profound mysteries”, from the moment of its inception up to the present time, the Taman Shud case has been the subject of intense speculation over the past six decades and has made itself known as one of the strangest unsolved mysteries of the world. Here are ten reasons why:

Nobody recognized him

Nobody recognized him

The man discovered that day was in a very good physical condition and he was dressed very well, sort of like an office man, but that’s just about the closest thing the authorities could get to finding out his identity. According to the pathologist assigned to the case, the man looked like a British guy in his forties. The body was shaven clean and there was no identification, and these led the police to believe he had committed suicide.

His dead body was in a strange position

His dead body was in a strange position

The dead man was found lying on the sand across the Crippled Children’s Home. When the body was found, its position was lying back with his head rested against the stonewall, legs extended and his feet crossed – as if he was resting or sleeping, and as if there was no form of struggle or any self-defense. It was believed he had died while sleeping. One of the witnesses from the night before told the police that she observed someone looking down at the sleeping man from the top of the steps leading up to the beach, and some witnesses recalled that the body was in the same position when the police discovered it.

Even his possessions didn’t reveal his identity

Even his possessions didn’t reveal his identity

Each tag and label on his clothes had been strangely removed. Found inside his pockets were an unused train ticket from Adelaide to Henley Beach, a bus ticket from the city, and other things that couldn’t be of any help like a box of cigarettes, gum, and a narrow, aluminium comb.

More clues kept coming as the days went by

More clues kept coming as the days went by

A little over a month passed by, and the investigators stumbled on another clue. A brown luggage was recovered from Adelaide Railway Station’s stockroom, where it had been deposited the day before the dead body was found. It was believed to contain the same man’s properties, since the suitcase’s label was also stripped off and inside were label-less clothes- just like the ones worn by the unidentified dead man. Also found inside the bag were stencilling tools and an electrician’s screwdriver. Unfortunately, nothing in the suitcase gave out the man’s identity and it was yet another less than useful find.

Just when the mystery was about to lose its hype, another lead had been discovered- and this time it definitely meant something

Just when the mystery was about to lose its hype, another lead had been discovered- and this time it definitely meant something

Six months after the case was born, the investigators discovered a secret pocket sewn within the man’s trousers when they had the body re-examined. Inside the pocket was a torn piece of paper with the words “Taman Shud” written on it. Experts from the public library were summoned to interpret the text and they concluded that the phrase meant “ended” or “finished”, and can be found on the final page of The Rubaiyat, a compilation of poems, written by Omar Khayyam. This discovery created a nationwide buzz as the investigators engaged the public to help search for the book where the sheet of paper was torn from.

The search was beginning to give them answers

The search was beginning to give them answers

Attempts at searching for the important book was a success, as a certain man, who preferred to be called “Mr. Francis”, stepped forward and told the investigators that he had found a copy of Edward FitzGerald’s translation of The Rubaiyat. This copy was found in the back seat of his car (which apparently was not locked), that had been stationed near the site where the body was found. “Mr. Francis” claim to not know any correlation of the book he found to the famous unsolved case until he saw the article in the previous day’s newsprint.

On the back of the book were some pencil marks and several footnotes which seemed like a secret code

On the back of the book were some pencil marks and several footnotes which seemed like a secret code

To make matters even more eerie, the scribbled and undecipherable code written at the back was speculated to have been done by the unidentified dead man himself. Khayyam’s poems usually revolve around the theme that one should not waste any moment and one shouldn’t have anything to regret when the time comes that life will be over. This fact has led the police to speculate that the man had committed suicide by intoxicating himself, but there was no other clue or indication that can support this theory.

A discovery that led to another one

A discovery that led to another one

Not only did the book lead to speculations on how the man died, but it also paved way for another clue. Written in the back of the book was an unpublished telephone number of an ex-nurse named Jestyn, who, while serving in Second World War, handed a copy of The Rubaiyat to a certain Alfred Boxell, an army lieutenant. The investigators thought that Boxall was who the dead finally man was, until Boxall was found in Sydney with his copy of the book, and an untorn last page. Both Boxall and the nurse have denied any relation to the unidentified man.

Even when it seemed like another dead end, more clues kept coming even after the burial of the unidentified man

Even when it seemed like another dead end, more clues kept coming even after the burial of the unidentified man

After almost a year of solving the case, the body was buried in Adelaide’s West Terrace Cemetery. Eventually, flowers started growing around the grave, which implied that the man had a frequent visitor. The police have questioned several suspects that may be linked to the man, but all have denied any relationship. After some time, a new lead sprang up. A receptionist from the Strathmore Hotel revealed that a peculiar man had checked in for a few days around the time of the death, and left on the 30th of November, 1948. An employee who inspected the man’s luggage informed the receptionist that he had found a needle-like object in it.

Some say that he used to be a Soviet spy

Some say that he used to be a Soviet spy

An assumption on the man’s identity has surfaced over the years, such that the man was a Russian spy who got poisoned by his adversaries, since his death occurred at a time of the Cold War.

The mystery of the Taman Shud Case remains unsolved and each clue found hasn’t been pieced together to form the puzzle.  No one still knows who the man was, what the phrase “Taman Shud” meant, or what the cryptic scribbles on the back meant to say. Until the day that the man be finally given a name, he will just be known to the whole world as the Somerton Man.

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Welcome to Dirty Sandbox

Dirty Sandbox – is some place where you dust off all the dirt, baggages, and negativity. I wish this place exists for adults like us. A place where we can safely dust off everything that we want to eliminate in our lives. The world would’ve been a better place with its existence. In my small virtual world, I created this site as my own virtual dirty sandbox. A safe place where I can get real, dust off all the negativities within and happening around me, and be able to leave and live without regrets or fear.

It might seem a bit negative place to be in but don’t worry, I will do my best to dust it off positively. To share it so that my negative experiences will turn as a positive learning to someone who chose to read and follow. Eventually, I plan to welcome others who would want to dust off their own negative experiences here as well. Anonymity intended.

In the next coming weeks I will embark on this new journey so please do come back and check it out. Feel free to also comment on each post that I will write. I welcome your thoughts (bullying / haters not allowed though).