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Ethias -a Fantastic World of Mythical Creatures and Humans

6/20/2017

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A few months ago I came across a new author on Twitter -- Aduro Tri.

His book, Within Shadows, sounded fascinating. 

"Visit the world of Ethias, and see how mythical creatures and humans take you on a fantastic journey. Experience the events that occur Within Shadows, by Aduro Tri," says the book's Twitter profile.

So I decided to give it a go. I'm reading it at the moment on my Galaxy Samsung Android tablet, and will post a review as soon as I've finished it.  

Initial thoughts: Very different. Unusual writing style. Great characters from a  variety of species.

Within Shadows Twitter account: 
https://twitter.com/within_shadows

Find the book on Amazon: 
Amazon USA: 
Amazon UK:  

So, let's hand over to the author himself, Aduro Tri, to tell us a little more about Within Shadows. 

Being the General for a small kingdom in an ancient world of magic is tough. Even tougher considering that millions of lives count on you to keep them safe. Making matters worse, you’re working for your family too. What kind of person could handle that, you ask?

Meet Elvera Antos, an equine Animeleist (animal person), who one day wakes up in her own bed, battered and bruised from what appeared to be a fight she doesn’t even remember. Which is strange considering how much she enjoys fighting. Had she been drinking at the time? No; as she will quickly realize, something wasn’t quite right.
 
So let's take a quick look at some of the species in the world of Ethias: 

Animeleists—One of the more prominent races throughout the world, in its history, they're technically the origin of just about every race in the world through evolution. Still a tribal race in their deepest roots, they appear as an assortment of anthropomorphic animals with varying characteristics. Some may appear more human-like with just a few animal features on their bodies, while others appear more animal-like. Some of the many animals they can appear as include large felines, wolves, foxes and equines. Of course, those are just examples.
 
Phoenixes—The Avian extension of Animeleists that eventually evolved into their own race. Originally starting off as just simple avians, they eventually became full-on birds of fire with a form of immortality that requires them to burn their bodies in a ritual. They, like their mammal cousins, have varying appearances ranging from human-esque to more avian. They are a warrior race, too, with females being more prominent warriors among them.
 
Reptilians—(Reptilia for short) They are a race that's long since believed to be extinct in Ethias for millennia, the reptilian extension of Animeleists. At one point in history they mysteriously vanished and no one has seen them since. So, knowledge on them is presently limited. (As in I don't want to share it right now.)

Dragons—Originating from the Reptilia over centuries of evolution. Unlike their ancestors, they gained the power to utilize not only magic, but the biology to breathe both fire and ice as well as maintaining their overall body temperature.

Unlike most other species, though, they are shrunken down in size and usually walk upright on two legs. Though they are still known for being able to walk on all fours, especially if they are raised in a feral environment. There are a few different sub-species of dragon as well, each different. However, again, that's for another time.
 
Elves—One of the most well known races in all of mythology. Like with other forms of elves, they too are biologically 'immortal'. They simply cannot die from age. Though, they are not immune to death as a whole, as disease, weariness and injury can bring them down. Unlikely though, as they are also known especially for their skills in the healing arts. They are divided into several sub-species of elf in particular based upon their magic. Which, once more is, for another time.

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Humans—Though humans are a bit longer-lived in Ethias, they aren't much different to humans from other worlds. They are pretty self-explanatory as a whole. Though, compared to some of the other races in the world, they can actually choose whether they want to practice magic or not in Ethias. What sets them apart though is that their lives can reach above 400 years.
 
Dwarves—They, like other counterparts, are pretty into metalworks. They are an extension of the human race at the exact same time, despite their differences. Though compared to some of the other worlds, not all of them actually have beards. They don't live as long as humans either, usually 100-200 years. Maybe a bit more.
 
Gigantos—Also known as Giants. They are basically larger humans in some regards; the opposite of dwarves. Though their bodies are built better for it in comparison to other worlds with humans.
 
Of course, this isn't everything. But not everything has been revealed just yet in the World of Ethias. I like leaving a few surprises to the imagination and enjoyment of the readers.
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About The Author, and Within Shadows
Aduro Tri is my pen name, and I am an author with a simple love of the craft. Writing is among one of my greatest passions and always will be.

​The reasons I write simply relate to my interactions with my friends and the joy of creating worlds through my interpretations of how I view the world through a combination of mythology and science as a whole. So on some level, my works do have some grounds in reality, including how I portray my sentient races.
Though you may find some surprises tucked away in there in terms of world lore. Overall, my works as a whole were inspired by the works of J.R.R. Tolkien in particular. Even if I wish I could create the languages he did...
 
In terms of the story, well, to put it simply, it was motivated and inspired by a fanfiction I wrote a couple years prior that reignited my love of writing. I'm thankful to it for reigniting my passion for writing, but I had to move on and create my own stories too. So I decided to use it as inspiration and 'converted' the story from a fanfiction into a truly original work. From there, I was further inspired to turn it into a massive and expansive world, not that different from DC or Marvel. But, instead of in a modern era, I decided on a High Fantasy setting with touches of Scifi added into it.

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Proof I'm Hot Stuff -- Loughborough Uni Sweat Mapping Study

6/16/2017

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So there I was, wrapped up in black plastic which was holding several sweat pads in place at strategic locations around my body, and walking on a treadmill for 25 minutes in a controlled environment at 32 degrees Celcius and 50 per cent relative humidity.  

​I was taking part in a study at Loughborough University on sweat distribution and how it changes as we age. Project leader, PhD student Nicole Coull, explained that we sweat less when we get older because the output from each sweat gland reduces. As sweating is the body’s natural way of regulating our core temperature, this puts us more at risk of heat-induced illnesses and fatality during exposure to warm environmental conditions, and during exercise.

Before Nicole’s project, evidence confirmed this age-related decline in sweat in certain body regions, but it wasn’t known how the sweat rate varies over the entire body, or how it changes from rest to exercise. And she felt that due to the ageing population, along with global warming and heatwaves, this area of research needed expanding.

Her project focuses on gaining a better understanding of age-related differences in sweat rates over several regions of the body. To successfully accomplish that, it investigates sweat rates during rest and exercise in men aged between 18 and 80. Which meant my first session involved 30 sweat pads attached to my torso and arms; with 20 on my legs for the second period the following week.

So…first session; torso and arms. Five hours before each test I had swallowed a special pill which enabled a computer to monitor my core temperature at all times during the trials.

Pads to collect my sweat were attached to pieces of black plastic and fastened around my body.

Then, with a heart monitor on my wrist I set off on my 25 minute hike on the treadmill. 
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Immediately after that, a separate five minutes on the treadmill with another layer over my torso, and gloves. 
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For the second day – also 25 minutes on the treadmill – an ordinary T-shirt was called for, with the sweat-collecting pads tightly fastened inside skin-tight leggings.

Oh, and my feet also encased in socks and plastic bags.

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At various times during both sessions I was photographed with a heat-sensitive camera.
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The computer monitoring the pill I had swallowed showed that my core temperature rose from 37.09 degrees to 37.37 degrees during the torso trial, and from 37.19 to 37.47 while the sweat from my legs was being tested. And my heart rate went from 81 beats per minute to 109 in the first session, and from 87 to 105 in the second.    

Overall, I lost 0.222 kg of sweat from my torso, and 0.273 kg from my legs. Oh…and I was pleasantly surprised to learn that my metabolic age is 46, indicating a good overall level of health and wellness.   

As well as providing scientific data on age-related changes in thermal responses,  Nicole’s research may change the way clothes are designed for different age groups, incorporating more ventilation in certain areas. And it could also be used to improve climate control in buildings and cars, and for thermal modelling and public health guidance.

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Getting Acquainted With Pilates

6/2/2017

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I’ve heard so much about Pilates I thought I’d find out more about it and give it a go. Well, it’d be rude not to, wouldn’t it?

Many thanks to Barwell Pilates instructor Rosella Solinas for telling me all about it and giving me a practical session.

It differs from most other forms of exercise in that it’s a full mind-body workout, emphasising proper breathing, correct spinal and pelvic alignment and concentrating on smooth flowing movement.

In most physical disciplines you simply work your body without being fully mentally aware of what you’re doing. But with Pilates your mind constantly focuses on controlling the movement. Overall, it’s very much about the mechanics of the body, using certain principles to help connect it to your mind.

This means you can bring the same mental awareness into your everyday life and other forms of exercise and sport.
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For example, whether you’re doing Zumba or playing golf, it helps you move your body in the right way to achieve your aims and avoid injury.

It may be gentle, but it’s also challenging. Rosella says it works the body from the inside, strengthening your core – the deep abdominal muscles, along with the muscles close to the spine – elongating and strengthening, improving muscle elasticity and joint mobility, making it invaluable for recovering from injury, improving sports performance, and good posture.

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And with basic routines and set movements which are easily adaptable and personalised, Rosella explained it is equally good for men and women of all ages. Her introductory session for me certainly seemed ideal for my 61-year-old body.

No muscle group is over-trained or under-trained. The entire musculature is evenly balanced and conditioned, and exercises train several muscle groups in smooth, continuous movements. Your body can be retrained to move in safer, more efficient motion patterns.

And talking of patterns, each movement prepares the body for the next one, so there is a natural progression from one exercise to the next.

Also, breathing is extremely important to oxygenate the blood and brain. "The breathing techniques are different from yoga, for example, as it helps to perform the exercises, making them more effective in what you want to achieve," says Rosella.

Pilates was devised by a German, Joseph Pilates, to help him combat his own ailments. He had been a sickly child with weak lungs, and suffered from rickets. He was in England when World War l broke out and he was held prisoner on the Isle Of Man, where he successfully used the technique to rehabilitate injured soldiers. After the war he emigrated to the United States, opening the first Pilates studio in New York in the 1920s. And the rest, as they say, is history. 

* Rosella is based in Barwell, Leicestershire, and can be contacted on 07757 150347.

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    Author

    Stewart Bint is a novelist, magazine columnist and PR writer. 

    He lives with his wife, Sue, in Leicestershire in the UK, and has two children, Christopher and Charlotte, and a budgie called Bertie.

    Usually goes barefoot.

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