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blueiskewl · 2 months

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The Marble Head of Apollo Unearthed in Greece

The excavation, carried out by a group of students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in the archaeological site of Philippi Kavala, brought to light important findings. Among other things, they discovered a rare head of Apollo dating back to the 2nd or early 3rd century AD.

The statue dates back to the 2nd or early 3rd century AD and it probably adorned an ancient fountain.

Natalia Poulos, Professor of Byzantine Archaeology, led the excavation, which included fifteen students from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (11 undergraduates, 2 master’s, and 2 PhD candidates), Assistant Docent Anastasios Tantsis, and Professor Emeritus of Byzantine Archaeology Aristotle Mendzo.

Archaeologists say, this year the excavation continued east of the southern main road (decumanus) at the point where it meets the northern axis of the city (the so-called “Egnatia”). The continuation of the marble-paved road was revealed, on the surface of which a coin (bronze phyllis) of the emperor Leo VI (886-912) was found, which helps to determine the duration of the road’s use. At the point where the two streets converge, a widening (square) seems to have been formed, dominated by a richly decorated building.

Archaeologists say evidence from last year’s excavations leads them to assume it was a fountain. The findings of this year’s research confirm this view and help them better understand its shape and function.

The research of 2022 brought to light part of the rich decoration of the fountain with the most impressive statue depicting Hercules as a boy with a young body.

The recent excavation (2023) revealed the head of another statue: it belongs to a figure of an ageneous man with a rich crown topped by a laurel leaf wreath. This beautiful head seems to belong to a statue of the god Apollo. Like the statue of Hercules, it dates from the 2nd or early 3rd century AD and probably adorned the fountain, which took its final form in the 8th to 9th centuries.

In classical Greek and Roman religion and mythology, Apollo is one of the Olympian gods. He is revered as a god of poetry, the Sun and light, healing and illness, music and dance, truth and prophecy, and archery, among other things.

Philip II, King of Macedon, founded the ancient city of Philippi in 356 BC on the site of the Thasian colony of Crenides near the Aegean Sea. The archaeological site was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2016 for its outstanding Roman architecture, urban layout as a smaller reflection of Rome itself, and significance in early Christianity.

By Oguz Buyukyildirim.

#The Marble Head of Apollo Unearthed in Greece #Philippi Kavala #marble #marble statue #ancient artifacts #archeology #archeolgst #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #ancient greece #greek history #greek art

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uncharismatic-fauna · 1 year

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Another Day, Another Pacific Sand Dollar

The eccentric sand dollar, aka the sea-cake, biscuit-urchin, western sand dollar, or Pacific sand dollar (Dendraster excentricus), are found in the intertidal zone and near-shore sandy bottoms from Alaska, US to Baja California, Mexico.They are the only sand dollars endemic to the Pacific Northwest, though they share the rest of their range with other species. Live individuals are seen either partially buried upright or lying flat on the ocean floor, depending on the strength of the current. To prevent themselves from being swept away, juveniles will also ingest sand to weigh themselves down. Although they are not social, they can form large colonies with as many as 6 sand dollars in a square m (1 sq yd).

Pacific sand dollars are named for their resemblance to silver dollars, especially the bleached exoskeletons that commonly wash up on beaches. Most adults average about 8 cm (3 in) across, though individuals as big as 10 cm (4 in) have been found. The body is a flat disc coated in small, purple tube-like feet and sensory organelles called cilia. The feet are used both for moving across the ocean floor and for pulling oxygen from the water. The mouth and anus-- a single opening-- are located on the sand dollar’s underside. Inside the mouth are five teeth and jaw plates known as doves; together they form a structure known as Aristotle’s lantern, which is unique to echinoderms like sand dollars and sea stars.

D. excentricus is a suspension feeder, using its feet and cilia to pull food from the water or direct it along special groves on the body’s underside. Their main prey are microscopic larvae, copepods, diatoms, algae, plankton, and detritus. The sea-cake is predated upon by a number of sea stars and fish, as well as crabs and sea gulls. To avoid being eaten, adults bury themselves in the sand and larvae will duplicate themselves via a process known as budding and fission, which creates smaller individuals that can distract potential predators.

Although western sand dollars have seperate sexes, they are broadcast spawners. In late spring or early summer, males and females congregate and release gametes into the water where they become fertilized. Larvae, also known as prisms, hatch just a day later. This larvae floats freely through the water, growing arms and metamorphosing into a echinopluteus larva. Once they reach 8 arms, the larva begins to develop an exoskeleton or echinus, and resembles a small adult. The final stage of growth is triggered by chemical cues released by other adults; after this, individuals become sexually mature and settle on the ocean with other sand dollars. In the wild, adults can live up to 13 years.

Conservation status: Although the IUCN has not evaluated the Pacific sand dollar, they are regularly threatened by ocean acidification, warming, and bottom trawling.

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Photos

Chan Siuman

Brian Starzomski

Alison J. Gong

#pacific sand dollar #Clypeasteroida #Dendrasteridae #sand dollars #echinoderms #invertebrates #marine fauna #marine invertebrates #benthic fauna #benthic invertebrates #intertidal zone #intertidal invertebrates #coasts #coastal invertebrates #Pacific Ocean #North America #western north america

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cryptotheism · 1 year

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Hey CT, this is a long shot but if you were working on an art project using alchemical symbology, what would you use for Aether/Quintessence? I'm stuck between the six pointed star (i'm jewish so I'm personally ok with star of david connotations) the nested circle-triangle-square-circle (hesitant due to possible association with a certain terf's magic books) using sulfur(soul) or a couple other options. Figured there's nobody better to ask than the local wizard

Okay well be aware that those are technically two different theoretical substances.

Aether is a fifth classical element associated with space. Aristotle kinda describes it as an even lighter form of air in which the planets float like water.

Quintessence is a sort of primordial, or principle substance with the properties of all the classical elements. It's sort of a parent of all physical substance in the universe, and is also thought to be the theoretical material of the heavens. The exact origins of the idea are unclear, but it generally showed up around the 14th century. People say it was from Ramon Lull, but its hard to be sure.

Issac Newton had a fun symbol for Quintessence. And I'll draw a picture of Maybe-Lull's Aether symbol.

#alchemy

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afeelgoodblog · 2 years

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The Best News of Last Week - November 7, 2022

🏳️‍🌈 - Meet the best-looking couple in the world

1. Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina reveal they secretly got married

Beauty pageant queens Miss Puerto Rico and Miss Argentina secretly tied the knot on Friday after revealing they had been in a relationship.

In a joint Instagram post, newlyweds Fabiola Valentín, from Puerto Rico, and Mariana Varela, from Argentina, said: “After deciding to keep our relationship private, we opened the doors to them on a special day 28/10/22.”

Would this be the best-looking couple in the world? 😂

2. Book banning attempt defeated after community stands up for LGBTQ people

After a heated public debate, the Greenville County Council in South Carolina voted to keep LGBTQ books accessible to children at the public library.

A resolution from city Councilor Joe Dill — who recently lost the Republican primary and will not be maintaining his seat — proposed requiring the 12-location library system in the area to remove books “promoting sexuality” from all children’s sections.

They refused to allow “Aristotle and Dante Discover The Secrets of The Universe” by Benjamin Alier Sáenz on the shelf due to “unnatural sexual behavior” when it has one gay kiss but Twilight has an entire human vampire hybrid. Glad the fight was finally won.

3. Man released from California prison after 38 years following DNA test

Maurice Hastings cleared of murder charge after testing of long-held evidence points to another person.

4. The shrinking ozone hole shows that the world can actually solve an environmental crisis

The ozone is on the path to recovery, if not fully restored. New data released on October 26 by NASA indicates that the annual ozone hole over the Antarctic reached an average area of 8.9 million square miles over the past year. That’s slightly smaller than last year, and continues a trend toward overall shrinking over the past several years.

“Over time, steady progress is being made, and the hole is getting smaller,” Paul Newman, chief scientist for earth sciences at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, said in a statement. “The elimination of ozone-depleting substances through the Montreal Protocol is shrinking the hole.”

5. Children refill a stranger’s empty Halloween candy bowl

6. Icelandair Announces Carbon-Free Flights by 2030

The airline will operate only emissions-free aircraft for its domestic routes. Some of these flights could start as early as 2026.

They will use only electric or hydrogen-powered planes. This decision puts Icelandair at the forefront of sustainable aviation, considering that other airlines are only aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.

7. Blindness Awareness Month: Don’t just be aware, be a friend

October was blindness awareness month, a month devoted to educate others about the realities of living without sight and to advocate for those who are blind or have low vision.

Because of this I wanted to give a shoutout to Be My Eye app. Be My Eyes connects people needing sighted support with volunteers and companies through live video around the world.

That’s it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:

Buy me a coffee ❤️

Have a great week ahead :)

#best news of last week

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hestiasroom · 1 year

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At first I wasn’t particularly inclined to watch Matt Walsh’s documentary What is a Woman? I know the answer to that one already. Everybody does.

A woman is someone who isn’t allowed a final say on what a woman is. Pretending not to know this — that defining “woman” is incredibly complex and bewildering — is an age-old tactic deployed by non-women, usually in order to excuse treating us badly.

Are women fully human? Do they have souls? What do women want? Far greater men than the host of The Matt Walsh Show — Aristotle, Thomas Aquinas, Sigmund Freud — have tried and failed to answer these questions (they could always have asked an actual woman, but first they’d have had to establish whether women can think, and then they’d have been back to square one).

As Matt himself says at the start of his film, “I like to make sense of things. Making sense of females is a whole other matter”, noting that “even astrophysicist Stephen Hawking” was “completely dumbfounded by women”.

Even astrophysicist Stephen Hawking! Honestly, ladies, if the author of A Brief History of Time hasn’t a clue what the hell we are, what hope do any of us have?

The thankless nature of the task may be why the twenty-first century version of The Woman Question has now been allocated to those somewhat lower down the male intellect hierarchy: Edinburgh fringe comedians, disgraced MPs, right-wing shock jocks, Owen Jones and Billy Bragg.

The proposal that a woman is anyone who defines themselves as a woman — and that no woman may say anyone isn’t a woman — has led to a particularly unimpressive stage of the debate, one which can only be described as the Summa Theologica meets incels r us.

On the bright side, it’s clear the men are bloody loving it. If you’re left-wing, it’s your chance to put those TERFs in their place after years of having to “do feminism” as part of the right-side-of-history package deal. If you’re right-wing, it’s your opportunity to own all those feminists who suggested female bodies weren’t inferior and that pink, fluffy ladybrains were a myth. As Walsh declares of his film, “the movie makes utter fools of educated elite liberals”. I’m guessing that’s the point.

I confess to having known very little about Matt Walsh up till now. “I’m a husband, I’m a father of four, I host a talk show, I give speeches, I write books,” he tells us by way of introduction. Hey, that sounds nice! Alas, a quick perusal of his twitter account shows that he’s the kind of renaissance man who tweets things like “feminism is an ugly and bitter ideology” and “rapists love abortion. It helps them cover up their crime”.

He’s also the kind of man who, should feminists show themselves to insufficiently appreciative of his recent woman-defining efforts, tells us we would “rather be a victim than win the fight” and that we “just want to sit on the sidelines and whine”. He’s been, like, getting death threats due to his challenge to contemporary gender mores! Would you risk that, eh, feminists? What’s anyone ever done to you, JK Rowling, you massive coward?

I first wrote about the problematic nature of a gender identity-based definition of women over eight years ago. Other women, such as Julie Bindel, were sounding the alarm far earlier, and with little support. I know we’re supposed to be eternally grateful to Matt for stepping into the breach. What a gent! As the Onion once put it, Man Finally Put In Charge of Struggling Feminist Movement (admittedly it’s a man who thinks feminism is an ugly and bitter ideology but hey, we can’t have everything).

In any case, I gave in and watched Matt’s film, just on the off-chance I’d missed something (more fool me; I read Gender Trouble on that basis, and look where that’s got me). There was little in What is a woman? that I didn’t already know from the work of feminists themselves, but that’s no reason to discount it. What’s wrong with alerting the normies to the excesses of trans activism too?

Walsh never acknowledges the role his own rigid beliefs play

Perhaps the most difficult thing about conveying the absurdities of extreme trans activism to anyone who hasn’t yet encountered it, is that you either sound as though you’re making it up (usually in order to “stoke moral panic”) or the person to whom you’re talking concludes you must have missed some essential point (it would indeed be horrific if teenage girls were having their breasts removed due to social contagion and “progressive” institutions were cheering it on, therefore it can’t be happening. There must be something else afoot).

One of the great things about Walsh’s film is that he shows, first, that harmful things are indeed taking place, and second, that there is no hidden meaning behind them. The therapists, surgeons, academics and politicians to whom he speaks don’t suddenly pull back the curtain and reveal, yes, this is the reason why it isn’t total bollocks to claim that no one really knows what sex anyone is. That moment never comes (and believe me, I’d have loved it if it had. Being a Known TERF is a pain in the arse).

Instead they say things like “a chicken has an assigned gender” and that the word truth is “condescending and rude”. Ha! Aren’t liberals ridiculous? At one point Matt interviews someone who identifies as a wolf (or some other animal. I got bored and went to the kitchen for a biscuit at that point). What’s striking is that you sense his interviewees know on some level that they’re bullshitting. That’s why a number of them end the interview early, citing Walsh’s alleged bad faith as the reason why.

There are some genuinely moving sections to the film, such as the interviews with female athletes cheated out of prizes by the inclusion of males in the girls’ categories. The contribution from Scott Newgent, a trans man deeply concerned about the impact of medical transition on young females, was incredibly engaging. I could have watched a whole film on Newgent alone, as someone clearly driven by both personal trauma and compassion for others.

So why, overall, did the film leave a bad taste? Am I just an “ugly and bitter” feminist, peeved that a man has come along and claimed a number of feminist observations as his own? Am I a purist, unwilling to accept any support from anyone whose views don’t align precisely with mine?

I don’t think so. The problem for me is that Walsh never acknowledges the role his own rigid beliefs play in creating and perpetuating the current situation.

He finds countless people convinced that the only way to avoid imposing harmful social norms on individuals on the basis of their sexed bodies, is to pretend we can’t define said bodies or impute any social meaning to them at all. Yet he does nothing to suggest one shouldn’t impose said norms, or that his own pink/blue fantasies of girlhood and boyhood might be leading those who don’t conform to feel they are somehow “wrong”.

“Give my son a BB gun and that’s just about all the emotional support he needs,” he muses over a children’s party scene, all boys in blue jeans, all girls pink princesses. “My daughter on the other hand … I’ve heard people say that there are no differences between male and female. Those people are idiots.”

Hmm. I have three children, all biologically male, all of whom have played with dolls houses and worn dresses. Two of them have Frozen-style long blonde hair and I’ve never bought any of them a toy gun (nor have any of them asked for one).

Women are caught between two forms of misogyny

According to Walsh’s own gender ideology, I’m on the slippery slope towards the erasure of any stable definition of “male” and “female” at all. This is the mirror image of the absurdities of trans activism. Both Walsh and the people he interviews conflate sex difference denialism with the rejection of gender stereotypes. He thinks we should suffer the stereotypes; they think we should suffer the surgery. Feminists believe we shouldn’t suffer either.

There’s a particularly grim scene where Walsh attends a Women’s March, and delights in harassing female protestors who don’t want to give a precise definition of the word “woman”. Much as this reticence frustrates me, too, I know where it comes from. The polarised politics of the day has told these women they must choose between denying their sex and accepting an anti-choice, conservative vision of what it means to be an adult human female. It’s a vision Matt Walsh shares.

These women are caught between two forms of misogyny but to Walsh, it’s all “own the libs” fun and games. This man is not on our side, nor will he win over the women he lazily misrepresents as not knowing what’s good for them.

At the end of the film, Matt returns home from his gender odyssey to his waiting Penelope. She is, of course, in the kitchen, and happens to be struggling with a pickle jar.

“What is a woman?” he asks her.

“An adult human female — who needs help opening this!” she responds. Got it, ladies? He’ll defend our right to exist as a sex class, as long as we can all agree it’s the weaker one.

In the end, I’m just so fed up with the machismo. Last year I spoke to one of the founders of Woman’s Place UK, who told me sex-based rights will ultimately be defended best by those in it for “the victory, not the glory”. The people, mainly women, often lesbians and women of colour, who do the dull, behind the scenes work of compiling data and challenging unfair practices one by one. The people who aren’t seeking to reimpose other, equally oppressive beliefs about sex and gender.

It may be that What is a Woman? helps, by showing some still on the fence that the problem is real. Others, it may push in the other direction. Either way, women themselves won’t be thanked for their own hard work and significant risks.

After all, that’s just what being a woman is.

#What Is a Woman?#what is a woman #matt walsh #gender ideology #transactivism #trans #transgender #mansplaining #Victoria Smith #only men are qualified to decide what a woman is #misogyny

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mishimamiravenecia · 3 months

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El legendario Hotel Danieli ofrece vistas a la laguna de Venecia y se encuentra a 200 metros de la plaza de San Marco

(Español / English)

El Hotel Danieli, situado en Venecia, es un lugar cargado de historia y lujo. Su origen se remonta al siglo XIV, cuando fue construido por la noble familia Dandolo. Este emblemático hotel se compone de tres palacios interconectados, cada uno con su propia historia:

Palacio Danieli Excelsior: Data del siglo XX.

Palacio Casa Nuova: Construido en el siglo XIX, fue inicialmente la sede del tesoro.

Palazzo Dandolo: Este edificio de estilo gótico veneciano, que data de finales del siglo XIV, es el corazón del Hotel Danieli. Fue mandado construir por el dux Andrea Dandolo y domina la Riva degli Schiavoni.

El palacio Dandolo, decorado con oro, marfiles y objetos bizantinos, fue considerado "el más noble de la Serenissima" por su arquitectura gótica y su posición privilegiada en la laguna. A lo largo de los siglos, el hotel ha alojado a reyes, príncipes, cardenales, embajadores y personajes famosos. Entre ellos, Charles Dickens, Wagner, Balzac, Proust y Chaplin.

Sin embargo, algunas de las historias más intrigantes están relacionadas con las pasiones amorosas que tuvieron lugar entre sus muros. Por ejemplo, la larga historia de amor entre la famosa actriz Eleonora Duse y el poeta Gabriele d'Annunzio comenzó en el Hotel Danieli en 1895. En 1933, la habitación número 10 fue escenario de un apasionado y escandaloso romance entre George Sand (seudónimo de Amandine-Lucie-Aurore Dupin) y Alfred de Musset.

Además, el hotel fue testigo del encuentro entre Aristóteles Onassis y la famosa soprano Maria Callas en 1957. Su historia de amor, que duró diez años, comenzó aquí mismo, durante un baile organizado por Wally Toscanini.

El Hotel Danieli sigue encantando a los visitantes con su fachada rosa, sus torreones blancos y sus balcones abovedados, símbolos de la riqueza cultural veneciana. Un lugar cargado de historia, lujo y romanticismo en el corazón de Venecia .

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Overlooking the Venice Lagoon, the legendary Hotel Danieli is 200 metres from St Mark’s Square

The Hotel Danieli, located in Venice, is a place steeped in history and luxury. Its origin dates back to the XIV century, when it was built by the noble Dandolo family. This iconic hotel is composed of three interconnected palaces, each with its own unique history:

Danieli Excelsior Palace: Dating back to the XX century.

Palazzo Casa Nuova: Built in the XIXth century, it was initially the seat of the treasury.

Palazzo Dandolo: This Venetian Gothic-style building, dating back to the late 14th century, is the heart of the Hotel Danieli. It was commissioned by Doge Andrea Dandolo and overlooks the Riva degli Schiavoni.

Palazzo Dandolo, decorated with gold, marmi and Byzantine artefacts, was considered "the noblest of the Serenissima" for its Gothic architecture and privileged position on the lagoon. Over the centuries, the hotel has hosted kings, princes, cardinals, ambassadors and famous people. Famous guests include Charles Dickens, Wagner, Balzac, Proust and Chaplin.

However, some of the most intriguing stories are related to the amorous passions that took place within its walls. For instance, the long love affair between the famous actress Eleonora Duse and the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio began at the Hotel Danieli in 1895. In 1933, room number 10 was the scene of a passionate and scandalous affair between George Sand (pseudonym of Amandine-Lucie-Aurore Dupin) and Alfred de Musset.

Furthermore, the hotel witnessed the meeting between Aristotle Onassis and the famous soprano Maria Callas in 1957. Their love affair, which lasted a full ten years, began right here, during a ball organised by Wally Toscanini.

The Hotel Danieli continues to enchant visitors with its pink façade, white turrets and arched balconies, symbols of Venetian cultural richness. A place steeped in history, luxury and romance in the heart of Venice .

#venezia #hotel danieli #venice #riva degli schiavoni #Charles Dickens #Richard Wagner #Balzac #Proust #Charlie Chaplin #Chaplin

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mai-love-andthestars · 1 year

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Palmistry 101: What is your Element?

Cheiromancy, more commonly known as Palmistry, has been a form of divination that I loved doing and learning about when I was younger. It is also one of my favorite forms of divination because all the materials that you need is quite literally at your fingertips. While there are many topics to talk about, this post is going to focus on the types of hands and their elements.

Quick History

Palmistry has been an ancient method of divination that has history across Europe and Asia, there has been evidence that palmistry has been used in China and Egypt as far back as 4000 BC. It was used by the philosopher Aristotle who was fascinated by palmistry and passed on his knowledge of it to Alexander the Great. The practice of palmistry was banned by the Christian Church as it was rooted in pagan practices. But it continued to spread across China, India and other areas located in the middle east.

Medical researchers at the time believed that there was a correlation between the lines on one’s palm and their medical background. There has been a connection between Chinese palmistry and the correlation of the lines of the palms with health, that certain lines can aid in diagnosing illness. Today it is commonly used to read someone’s personality, their past and outcomes of the future.

Right and Left handed

There are different interpretations on which hand one should read. You can consider all of these options and go with what you feel is best when interpreting for a reading. Some consider the left hand the hand that shows potential, while the right hand is what one does with that potential. Some consider it the Left is what god gives you and the right is what you do with it, or that the left is your past and the right is your future. The dominant hand reflects a person’s conscious, their public face and future events. The other hand represents a person’s private self (what they don’t show to others on the outside), one’s instincts and intuition and events of one’s past.

But rather than focusing on what hand is the hand to read, it's good to keep in mind it's not always the right hand versus the left hand, it's good to learn the traits of both hands. Learn to read both hands and look at which hand is the dominant hand since it is your hands that channels energy. Based on traditional belief, the right hand is the dominant hand to read and the left is the passive hand. If a person is left-handed, then these roles may be switched.

If the person is Ambidextrous then don't worry, there will still be a dominant hand. Usually the hand with the stronger thumb is the dominant hand, regardless of how often they use both hands there will still be a hand that is more dominant than the other.

Just remember it is, overall, best to read both hands. It is important to know which hand is the dominant hand in order to have a better idea of the interpretation of your reading.

Types of Hands

Hand Elements were brought back into attention and developed by Fred Gettings in the 1960s’ in Western Palmistry. The whole shape of the hand brings a quick perspective of one's personality. The idea of categorizing a person’s hands based on the element they are dominated by allows for more complexity in the original system that was previously used. In Gettings' view of elements he gives the idea that a person is a being that is upon by the forces of nature and as a part of nature themselves. The hand types are separated into the four elements and are sometimes associated with the elements that each zodiacs elements.

It is important to note that while there are four categories that hands can be separated into, not all hands are going to look the same.

Fire Hands

The characteristics of those with Fire hands are long palms, wide or square palms, short fingers. The fingers are usually shorter than the palm and the mount of venus (the region of the palm located at the thumb) is usually firm and full. Those with fire type hands often have high energy and work best under pressure, they prefer to look at the bigger picture than look at the fine details. They are enthusiastic and energetic at their best but can be impatient and easily bored especially when they are not being constantly challenged. Like fire, those with fire hands sometimes need to be handled with caution, while energizing and constantly moving they can be emotional and a bit hard to handle and can be prone to being burnt out. But the emotions of a fire hand person let them experience life fully. A person with fire hands is always doing something physical, it's sometimes a way to let off steam when frustrated. They tend to be competitive, restless and intense to the point that sometimes they find other people frustrating. Fire handed people are not the type to be passive, they are always helped by doing and motivating.

Air Hands

Hands that are considered Air hands have square palms, that are equal to the length of their fingers with protruding knuckles. Their palms may look thinner, and the base of their palms will be flat. Those with air type hands are creative and need variety in their life. People with these types of hands are good communicators, and have a cheerful, carefree personality. These are people that are always moving and doing something, oftentimes they seek activities that challenge them intellectually. They are natural thinkers and teachers, they are argumentative, have open minds and are always asking why. They want to be challenged mentally and love public recognition. But they strive to be recognized and lead to the temptation to be deceptive and to plagiarize. Those with air hands tend to become fickle when they are unable to gain their goals. They tend to focus on their logic rather than their intuition, they are witty and express themselves well. They communicate well and often are on career paths that use those skills, they like technical work and love to specialize in something to improve on it. They don't like to be limited in their goals and can find it frustrating. They often organize things into formulas and love exchanging ideas with others.But their strong reliance on logic often leads them to ignore the emotions of others and themselves. Relationships are important to them, they are reliable and like to finish what they started. Air hands have a need for stimulating conversations and like to surround themselves with people that do that. They are somewhat eccentric, naturally over thing and over-analyse. If they don’t have a clear mind they will get stressed.

Earth hands

Those with earth hands have square palms, the length of their fingers are the same as their palms to their wrists. They have short thicker fingers and sometimes have less prominent lines. Individuals with earth hands are level headed and like to have their things in order. The earth represents stability and is timeless while at the same time it is constantly changing. They have strong instincts and endurance, are down to earth and usually very stable. They like routines and anything that brings stability in their life whether it's their job, their life or hobbies. They are strong and like to be in supportive roles and are providing to others. They prefer the outdoors and tend to be slow but patient. Earth handed people do not like being rushed while at the same time they don't like wasting time. They can be very honest and blunt in good and bad ways, but are reliable and tolerant. At times earth hands can be materialistic because they are motivated by things that bring stability and oftentimes that is money. Earth hands can be insensitive and overly cautious when they are having their worst days but are also the most reliable of the elements. Earth hands don’t like change, they sometimes have trouble adapting when things have changed. But they also have fair judgement, strive for success and seek fairness. They are practical and enjoy repetitive work, they enjoy rhythm and working with their hands. Those with earth hands tend to be reserved but can react irrationally at times. Unlike the other elements they don't usually become affected by their surroundings but rather be a presence that brings a stable environment.

Water hands

Water hands have short palms and long flexible fingers. Those with water hands are emotional and sensitive, extremely empathetic and creative. They sometimes can appear over sensitive, intolerant or over all cold, but they also feel the need to be protective. They are adaptable to their surroundings, water hands are extremely perceptive and can be impressionable. They have a great imagination and can picture out just about anything. They can often be influenced by others in both good and bad ways. Water handed people are the most sensitive and intuitive of the elements and when they like someone they will always want to spend time with them as people and relationships are extremely important to them. But water hands also need time to themselves and reflect on their inner self, this is something they often neglect. Their feelings are going to be a deciding factor in most of their decisions, their emotions and how they feel is important. Because they care about people the most they are not materialistic. They love working with people and often they are great care givers, therapists, counsellors, ect. They are one of the most creative types and always need a creative outlet of some kind. It helps them understand their emotions and can be rewarding, not matter how good an artist they are. They are not competitive like the fire hand, it does not suit them, competitive jobs and workplaces are challenging to them. They are often easily influenced compared to the other elements, they like to go with the flow and are easy going.

Sources:

IMG

#mailoveandthestars #palmistry #divination #witchcraft #beginner witch #witchblr

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gsirvitor · 6 months

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"Liberalism is a political and moral philosophy based on four foundational rights, that of the individual, liberty, consent of the governed and equality before the law."

That's libertarianism. That's what modern day libertarianism is. But that's also the old definition of liberalism. Aka classical liberalism. So I understand why you're mislabeling yourself.

Liberalism in the modern day just means the left side of the political compass.

From what I can see you're a conservative libertarian, not a liberal.

You stand squarely on the right with a support for personal freedoms.

You're not a liberal and you don't support liberalism, you support libertarianism.

Incorrect.

Liberalism is the foundation, from which the philosophies of Libertarianism and Conservatism have evolved, what you're referring to when you speak of "modern" Liberalism isn't Liberalism, it is Social or Neo Liberalism, socialist political philosophies that wear Liberalism like a skinsuit.

I do not mislabel myself, I am a Liberal, those you call Liberal, are not adherents of Liberalism.

Incorrect, I am of the center left, the Overton window has just shifted so far left, I appear to be of the right to those ignorant of social political shifts.

I do support, adhere to, and promote Liberalism, I'm sorry you're ignorant as to what Liberalism is.

But let's go over the differences, because despite the fact I have gone over them dozens of times in the past, it never quite sinks in with those who proclaim to know what Liberalism is.

Liberalism is very simple, and quite easy to understand, it is a political and moral philosophy based on the natural rights.

Liberals are committed to individualism, liberty, and equal rights and holds these rights to be intrinsic to the individual, following natural rights philosophy. They believe these goals require a free economy with minimal to no government interference.

Some elements of this gave birth to Conservatism and Libertarianism, as I've said.

Let’s just go over Liberty.

Liberty is a natural right, and is understood as the state of being free within society from control or oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s way of life, behavior, or political views.

The concept can be categorized in a threefold manner;

Moral liberties, those being freedom of moral choice, such as freedom of conscience.

Civil liberties, those being freedom of individuals as constituting members of a civil society, such as freedom of speech.

Political liberties, those being freedom of individuals in relation to the state, such as freedom of political association.

Liberty can be simplified as the status of the free man as opposed to that of the slave.

Aristotle defined the general essence of liberty as being one’s own person for one’s own sake rather than belonging to another.

What discriminates the slave from the free man, then, is not that he is restricted in his actions and not subject to coercion but that everything he does is done to serve the interest of someone else.

This is antithetical to Libertarianism by the by, as they believe any form of coercion or restrictions on actions to be violations of one's own Liberty, Liberals do not.

Now, onto Natural Rights.

Natural rights are those that are not dependent on the laws or customs of any particular culture or government, and so are universal, fundamental and inalienable, meaning they cannot be repealed by human laws, though one can forfeit their enjoyment through one’s actions, such as by violating someone else’s rights.

Natural law is the law of natural rights.

Natural Law is a system of law based on a close observation of human nature, and based on values intrinsic to human nature that can be deduced and applied independently of positive law, or the privileges conferred by a state or society.

According to the theory of law called jusnaturalism, all people have inherent rights, conferred not by act of legislation but by God, nature, or reason.

Natural law theory can also refer to theories of ethics,��theories of politics, theories of civil law, and theories of religious morality.

In jurisprudence, natural law can be understood as the following;

That just laws are immanent in nature, that is, they can be discovered or found but not created by such things as a bill of rights.

That they can emerge by the natural process of resolving conflicts, as embodied by the evolutionary process of the common law; or that the meaning of law is such that its content cannot be determined except by reference to moral principles.

These meanings can either oppose or complement each other, although they share the common trait that they rely on inherence as opposed to design in finding just laws.

Natural Rights are as follows;

The Right to Preserve Life

All humans have the right to stay alive, and no government can ever take that right away, that doesn’t mean they can’t kill you, or try to.

This right extends to the right to defend yourself against people who cause you harm. Most philosophers agree that the right to life is the most fundamental natural right.

The Right to Liberty

Scroll up.

The Right to Own Property

Every person has the right to own property, either by themselves or with other people. No government can take this right from you, this again, does not mean they cannot create laws to rob you, this means the right to own property is always yours.

Some philosophers, including John Locke, believed that one’s ability to own property extended to their ownership of their own labor.

The Right to Make a Living

Humans have the right to make a living. Thomas Jefferson summarized this right as “the pursuit of happiness.”

This right reflects one’s right to economic liberty; the government cannot stop a person from making a living, and without the government and its laws people would still be able to freely trade with one another and make ends meat.

The Right to Have a Family

All people have the right to have a family.

Aquinas wrote extensively of this view, which maintains that one has a natural right to marry as a reflection of their natural liberty.

They may also have children without the consent of the government or state.

Natural rights refer to the rights given to all humans, simply for the sake of being human. They are universal moral principles among all cultures and societies and can’t be reversed by government law.

For this reason, natural rights are often called inalienable rights, meaning they cannot be taken away.

Natural rights are the basis of a social contract in society. They would exist even if the government didn’t.

As Thomas Aquinas said, the main principle of natural law was that “good is to be done and pursued and evil avoided.”

All natural rights can exist without a government and its laws, though legal rights cannot, if someone is on a deserted island with a group of others, each person has the above natural rights, none of the legal rights exist, each person has the right to earn their keep, keep property, live freely, protect themselves, their property and others, and start a family, none of these things are reliant on governmental consent, only the consent of individuals.

If these individuals try to suppress the natural rights of another, then they can be opposed by the other thanks to the natural right to defense of oneself given via the right to preserve life and the right to liberty.

Now, what I have described is Liberalism, the foundation of both Conservatism and Libertarianism, who’s foundation can be found in Christian teachings and philosophy.

Those you would call Liberal, do not adhere to any of the above, the more you afford the political Left the political smokescreen of Liberalism, the more ground you will lose, for you are not fighting them or their principles, you are instead fighting me, and Liberals like me, when we are not opposed.

Now, onto Classical Liberalism, a moral political philosophy that also spawned from Liberalism, the name Classical Liberalism is a rather unfortunate misnomer, for it did not predate Liberalism, it is a product of it.

Classical Liberalism is an 18th century British invention, that was made in response to royal charters, monopolies, and protectionist policies under mercantilism so as to encourage entrepreneurship and increase productive efficiency.

It believed that government gave rights, that the only way to stop the royalty from acting like crony 18th century factory owners was to implement even more stringent laws, they wanted to create laws that would allow people to not be oppressed by laws, which looking at Britain today, didn't end well for them, did it?

In their vain attempt to advance the Liberal ideal that individuals should be free to pursue their interests without government interference, they created more government oversight, Classical "Liberals" indeed.

I am not a Classical Liberal and do not adhere to Classical Liberalism, and I'd thank you to not read Wikipedia when trying to figure out Liberalism, it's prone to mislabel things.

Classical Liberalism also isn't old, it's a modern philosophy that is as old as Socialism, Libertarianism and Anarchism, Liberalism is far older, as its foundations can be found not only in Antiquity, but in Christianity.

You can think of each like this.

Liberalism is the Foundation.

Modern Conservatism is the Liberal attempt to reacquaint itself with Traditional Conservatism.

Libertarianism is in essence radical Liberalism, Liberalism brought to its logical conclusions.

Classical Liberalism is a Liberal failing, it was trying to adhere to the Monarchist systems of utilizing governance, while attempting to appeal to Liberal ideals.

Social Liberalism is Socialism by another name, it preaches Liberal ideals and philosophy, but adheres to the Socialist structures and precepts, it was a rejection of Liberalism due to the failings of the Classical Liberals of the 19th century.

Neo Liberalism is the corporatist evolution of Social Liberalism, it is a machine that believes society is numbers, and all can be fixed by adjusting said numbers, it is radical Social Liberalism, in this way it is what Libertarianism is to Liberalism.

I do hope this helped you, I am getting rather tired of spelling it out again and again.

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gemsofgreece · 1 year

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My mum's friend went to Lemnos recently and she brought us back these! They're so good! A bit rich, but very comforting. They remind me of koufeta (I hope that's right? I mean the sugared almonds they give in bonboniere at weddings). Mum looked on their website and they have so many tasty looking sweets😍 It got me wondering if you have any recommendations for other sweet shops around Greece? I don't think it's the first thing people think of when they go to visit, and it's such a shame.

I never had one of these! It's absolutely worth it to mention that what you had is called Venizelikó and it was named as such because it was the treat they gave to Venizelos when he visited during the Independence of the islands!

As for pastry shops, we have a sweet tooth and there are pastry shops everywhere and each place has its own several ones and sometimes you may find quality in an obscure one nobody knows about and a famous one might underwhelm you so I don't know how to approach this question. It's also that few are chains here in Greece, even if you really liked a pastry shop, it was 80 % a local shop only the locals are aware of. Like, some of my favourite chocolate pastries are from my grandparents' village, a non-touristic town of 1500+ people!

I will tell you the most well known pastry shops of the city where I lived for a while though, Thessaloniki.

Terkenlis is famous for its tsourekia and especially the ones with the chestnut praline filling. The shop is also famous for its baking goods smell which spreads throughout the Aristotle's square. It is so potent that there is this urban legend that they throw baking fragrance oil (or whatever it's called) in the sewers under the shop XD

Agapitos is also very famous, especially for making various types of chocolate bars and pastries.

Miltos is another well known one.

Elenidis is a pastry shop that specializes in Trigona Panoramatos, the local sweets of Thessaloniki.

Blé Taste Gallery is cool with its variety.

Choureal has the best choux and profiteroles in Greece, they say.

There is also Konstantinidis but this one is not a Thessaloniki original, it's from Larisa. The Thessaloniki shop is cool, they have a piano in there lol

Anyway, this turned to a Thessaloniki guide. But followers can add good pastry shops they know or from where they live!

#greece #pastries #sweets #pastry shops #greek cuisine #lemnos #thessaloniki #northeastern aegean #macedonia #mainland #greek islands #bluespiritfire #ask #greek facts

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inkintheinternet · 6 days

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Ai Philosophers Thinkers of the New World

By Arjuwan Lakkdawala

Ink in the Internet

After writing had been established in the world - its origin going back to Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq) closely followed by Ancient Egypt and China, the records show Greek philosophers with overwhelming efforts trying to articulate into words mysteries of the natural world, reason and logic, concepts of what makes a good life, and of course questions about ethics and existence. In my research I found 9 Greek philosophers, to mention a few of them Pythagoras (notoriously famous for the Pythagoras Theorem).

Side Note: "Although the theorem has long been associated with Greek mathematician-philosopher Pythagoras (c. 570–500/490 BCE), it is actually far older. Four Babylonian tablets from circa 1900–1600 BCE indicate some knowledge of the theorem, with a very accurate calculation of the square root of 2."

Protagoras, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It is said that western thought is highly influenced by them. As history unfolded we know that many philosophers expressed their ideas, and presently we have an infinite maze of ideologies.

In a free world everyone believes what they want to believe, but if it is harmful to society, causes self harm, is illogical, then it should be illegal and wrong.

Up to now we were doing all the thinking, but presently there is an emerging new class of very different thinkers, and that is Artificial Intelligence, computer scientists are taking big data which is basically infinite and feeding it to Ai, and concepts from neuroscience is being used to develope more powerful computing like neuromorphic chips.

A study published in Neuron in 2022 explains "Bioneural Circuitry." In simple words, neurons use electricity to send signals so it is possible to merge them with electrical signals from artificial intelligence on electrodes. This could be similar to the technology used by Neuralink implants.

A very futuristic idea that occurred to me is what if a hypothetical Ai (Star-Sci) is used as a teacher from kindergarten to university graduation, with constant upgrade of information as the years go by. This teacher would teach and even give tests. An Ai model that teaches everything. Students would instead of naming universities or a string of teachers, be known only as pupils of a certain Ai. This is of course a very sci-fi idea, but in realistic terms as I see anarchy increasing in the world, and the cases of teachers behaving inappropriately with students, I think Ai teachers will be looked upon favourably pretty soon.

After thought: academics can contribute for free or paid to the Star-Sci life long teaching system. This could be a new style university, where students only interect with Ai, preventing any non-educational use of the institute or corruption from fellow students or teachers.

We in this current age are going through the greatest social experiment. That is the Internet which is a merging of human mind with artificial intelligence. It is changing the world in ways we cannot predict as this hasn't happened before. We have no previous case studies.

Ai is reportedly often used in writing essays, I personally use search engines for my research. I avoid using Ai to do any of my writing, I don't want my mind to rely on artificial intelligence, because I believe it will corrode my much superior human intelligence.

I think artificial intelligence is good to use in the management of big data, but not in any paper with concepts within the ability of human calculation and comprehension.

Scientists are trying to come up with a unified theory of consciousness. According to research and most human experiences we have an outer sense in which we comprehend empirical evidance and what we immediately experience, and then we have an inner consciousness in which we think, form memories and plan ahead. The outer world is not really complicated, it's the inner world - thoughts that can warp into unknown manesfeststions, some of these neurological paths can lead to genuise and others to insanity.

This unknown manesfestations of consciousness is exactly what defines the difference between human thinking and Ai programming. Artificial intelligence cannot have thoughts at all. It can only compute programmed instructions based on the data it has. But with big data this programming could in the near future start to resemble consciousness. As we do not and mentally cannot compute big data, so the output of Ai from big data could seem to us like independent thoughts.

It is crucial to understand this about Ai as technology integrates it further in our lives and we interact with it increasingly.

At the same time we must avoid using it where we can use our human intelligence. This is of prime importance if we are to preserve the excellence of our cognitive abilities.

Neuroscience studies reveal that neural networks that are not used get lost. We don't really need scientific experiments to confirm this, as we can immediately tell when our memory improves, or we get better at any intellectual skill, well known that it only happens with practice, therefore if we rely on Ai it will result gradually in mental decline.

As we think our brains form complex neural networks that improve our intelligence regarding a study or concept.

Thoughts are different than feelings, we have often heard that the brain is logical and sensible while the heart isn't. Studies have confirmed that the heart has a neural network known as the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICNS). While this does not say that it is why we have feelings that could contradict our intelligence, it is an interesting hypothetical concept to explain how feelings and logical thoughts can be in conflict with each other.

Being irrational and illogical or hateful, and having several other destructive traits, that cause self harm, or harm to society, is unfortunately observed more often these days.

Mental health is a very complicated and difficult terrain to traverse, we are nothing without our consciousness. Our whole quality of life depends on the level of our intelligence and the health of our minds - this is maintained and achieved by a good upbringing, secure environment, healthy diet, and a rounded education with physical exercise.

There are foods that improve the health of our brains, and foods that increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia and have other negatives effects. Google for articles about brain health foods.

Arjuwan Lakkdawala is an author and independent science researcher.

X/Twitter/Instagram: Spellrainia

Email: [email protected]

Sources:

MBF Bioscience - Researchers map and explore the heart's "little brain"

Psychology Today - Neuroplasticity - reviewed by Psychology Today staff

Medium - Neuromorphic Computing

ABclonal Knowledge Base - Melding Neuroscience with Computer Technology - Kin Leung

Pythagorean Theorem - written and fact checked by the editors of Britannica Encyclopedia

Singularity Hub - Scientists are Working Towards a Unified Theory of Consciousness - Shelly Fan

The Collector - 9 Greek Philosophers who Shaped the World - Eddie Hodsdon, BA professional Writing, member Canterbury Archealogical Trust

#arjuwan lakkdawala #biology #nature #science #ink in the internet #bioengineering #physics #intelligence #artificial intelligence #neuromorphic chips #greek philosophers #ai philosophers #phythagoras theorem

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neworkimprov · 9 months

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Corporate Team Building Improv Comedy Workshops, Times Square NYC

Whether at our Times Square NYC theater, one block from the Colbert Show (close to all Times Square and Columbus Circle trains) at your office or other venue of choice (we deliver programming DC to Boston and beyond) we will deliver much needed laughter and powerful training for your team! EMAIL for more information, dates and rates. Simply playing Improv comedy games develops a variety skills…

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transmutationisms · 2 years

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ok i'll bite. can i ask about kendall water motif? i have a couple of ideas but it's been a while since i finished the show jfkjdsf

yes ok yes

so i think the obvious first instinct with water imagery is always to say it's about purification, cleansing, etc. and there's definitely some of that involved with kendall's water motif—detoxing in a pool in iceland, washing the evidence off himself after the car crash, the pool floatie incident where he's simultaneously wrestling with his conscience and despairing because logan wouldn't let him wash his hands of the company/the family.

but i think water has some more complicated and interesting meanings in this show. way back in 'austerlitz,' we get the following from shiv: "[dad] doesn't even trust water. it's too wishy-washy." of course we do find out this isn't the real reason logan avoids swimming. but nevertheless, there's a clear association being made there: water signifies weakness, inconstancy, emotional instability. (think also about "go to the desert; dry yourself out; you have not been yourself." dryness takes on a few distinct meanings, including strength/rationality/self-control.)

this is reminiscent of ancient greek and medieval european conceptions of wetness. you can see this in aristotle, for example, and in hippocratic and galenic medicine; (euro) natural philosophy owes a huge debt to many of these sources. incidentally, this association between water and inconstancy is why women's bodies were generally considered to be wetter than men's (wetness being both literal and metaphorical).

with this in mind, i think you can see how kendall's water motif isn't just about guilt or salvation or purification. it tells you a lot about his vulnerabilities, and especially the weaknesses his father perceives in him: how emotional he is; his 'softness'; the way his drug use signifies a lack of self-control.

for example: his car crash happens while he's seeking drugs: in logan's eyes, a moral weakness leading to being literally submerged. the pool floatie incident: he's spiralling, the water takes him. rehab in iceland: in logan's eyes, again, this is a sign of kendall's softness and weakness and failures. and the main shot we get of him in this place is in a pool.

you can also see the way water sometimes feels like a trap for kendall. for instance, that shot in 'this is not for tears' where he's in the pool on the yacht, and it's framed so you can see the whole ocean stretching out behind him but he's stuck in this tiny little square of water. at this point he's completely entangled with waystar and cruises, especially because of the testimony he gave in 'dc'. he acted the mean, tough pitbull in front of congress, but that's not actually the role he wants to be playing. so he's shown confined on the family yacht, in water but not in the big open sea.

or i always think about 'lion in the meadow', where aaronson takes kendall and logan out walking on his island: kendall is literally penned in by the water, as aaronson tries to force him to re-align himself with logan/waystar. water and logan are being contrasted, with kendall stuck in the middle. or even, tbh, the dry bathtub shot in 'secession' where his body awkwardly doesn't fit in the tub—i know there's not actually water in it, but it's like he's trying to bathe without bathing. weak and strong and spinning out, etc.

as a side note, i've always thought it was interesting that it's raining when stewy first offers to buy kendall out of the company, as well as when kendall leaves the money at andrew dodds's house. i know there are other reasons for this (to show kendall and stewy using the giant golf umbrellas, and to set an atmosphere, respectively) but i do also think it plays into the way that water, for kendall, represents a few different things: an escape route; weakness; his own instability; and yeah also purification.

anyway yeah there's some water motif thoughts gkfhgkjf

#sitting on the floor drinking water as i type this btw #it's a closed loop system #a sandpit for emergent behaviour

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paganimagevault · 2 years

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Ancient Udmurts by Val'ko Töd'y

"BUDINI, an ancient nation in the N.E. of the Scythia (q.v.) of Herodotus (iv, 21, 108, 109), probably on the middle course of the Volga about Samara. They are described as light-eyed and red-haired, and lived by hunting in their thick forests. They were probably Finns of the branch now represented by the Votiaks and Permiaks, forced northwards by later immigrants. In their country was a wooden city inhabited by a distinct race, the Geloni, who seem to have spoken an Indo-European tongue. Later writers add nothing to our knowledge, and are chiefly interested in the tarandus, an animal which dwelt in the woods of the Budini and seems to have been the reindeer (Aristotle ap. Aelian, Hist. Anim. xv. 33).

-1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 4

...

The Budini are a great and populous nation; the eyes of them all are very bright, and they are ruddy. They have a city built of wood, called Gelonus. The wall of it is three and three quarters miles in length on each side of the city; this wall is high and all of wood; and their houses are wooden, and their temples; for there are temples of Greek Gods among them, furnished in Greek style with images and altars and shrines of wood; and they honor Dionysus every two years with festivals and revelry. For the Geloni are by their origin Greeks, who left their trading ports to settle among the Budini; and they speak a language half Greek and half Scythian. But the Budini do not speak the same language as the Geloni, nor is their manner of life the same. The Budini are indigenous; they are nomads, and the only people in these parts that eat fir-cones; the Geloni are farmers, eating grain and cultivating gardens; they are altogether unlike the Budini in form and in coloring. Yet the Greeks call the Budini too Geloni; but this is wrong. Their whole country is thickly wooded with every kind of tree; in the depth of the forest there is a great, wide lake and a marsh surrounded by reeds; otter is trapped in it, and beaver, besides certain square-faced creatures whose skins are used to trim mantles, and their testicles are used by the people to heal sicknesses of the womb."

-Herodotus, The Histories 4.108

#udmurtia #finno ugric #history #ancient history #finnish #art #herodotus #literature #pagan #paganism #paintings

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wonderjourneys · 11 months

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youtube

To Help You Plan Your Trip to Tuscany

Tuscany is a stunning region, somewhere in between Milan (north) and Rome (south). Tuscany is the heartland of Italy and ancient Rome: this was the home of the Etruscans from whom the Romans learned so much about architecture.

Welcome to Tuscany: enjoy.

San Gimignano

The walls around this city have been build in the 13th century. San Gimignano is known for its skyline of medieval towers. Oblong stone shapes overlooking the hilltop town and the lands around it. San Gimignano is located in the province of Siena, a little to the west of Siena itself. This historic center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And with good reason. Not only is it a wonder to walk through, but as it is not yet too touristy, it is quite the hidden gem.

Val d’Orcia

This is the place to visit, to see the cypress trees. The trees are in the whole of Tuscany, but Val d’Orcia is the hotspot.

Pienza

Marvel in this beautiful renaissance town. This too is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. This city was there in the 9th century, by another name: Corsignano. Perhaps Pienza is most known for its panoramic views of the Tuscan landscape. A must visit for every tourist is the panorama boulevard around the city.

Lucca

The city with the wall that has never been breached. Located in between Florence and Pisa. Lucca has an intact Renaissance-era city wall. It is called “Mura di Lucca”. It is not literally a wall, but a wide earthen structure. Approximately 4 kilometers in diameter, the Walls of Lucca functions today as a city park around the historic town. Within the walls is the entire world: palaces and squares, towers and churches, narrow streets, water, a prison and the famous Piazza dell’Anfiteator.

Fog over the Tuscan hills

This is what you see, if you are a bird at 6 o’clock in the morning and start to fly. Tuscan hills in the fog. Pure magic.

Siena

The red stone city. Just like other cities, this city was first settled by the Etruscans (900-400 BC). The floor mosaic in the Siena Cathedral of Hermes Trismegistus is a must see. The three time great Hermes Trismagistus may be connected to Greek God Hermes and the Egyptian God Thoth. The Hermetica is a teaching of philosophy and practical magic: the alchemical procedure to make the Philosopher’s Stone. Most noticeable of Siena are the Cathedral and the Piazza del Campo. The Siena Cathedral has that typical white / dark green layers. We see the same in the Duomo of Florence, and Byzantine architecture (like in the German city of Aachen, for instance). The streets of Siena are red and best discovered by just letting fate decide your path. You will be in for a treat at every corner you take.

Monteriggioni

A small walled village. Near Siena and San Gimignano. If you have the time: this is a wonderful place to visit. The medieval town was a front line in the wars against Florence. It is small. It is charming. It transports you to days long past. Truly wonderful.

Volterra

Yes. The home of the vampire royalty The Volturi: from the Twilight saga. But Volterra is a real place. And what a beautiful place. Founded in the 8th century BC, this town can take you through the ages. The ruins of a Roman theatre are in this city. The streets and buildings are stone like in so many Tuscan cities. But every Tuscan city has a character of its own. And so does Volterra. Tall stone structures. Not red as in Siena, but Gray and ochre. With the magic of the light in Italy, it can paint paintings you would love to see.

Florence

Florence. Botticelli. The birthplace of the Renaissance. After centuries of the Church telling people that only God can create, they realised the amazing works of Plato, Aristotle, the Greeks and the Romans. And there was the moment the Humanistic Renaissance was born. Brunelleschi studies the Roman structures and engineered never before seen techniques in creating the Duomo of Florence. Florence is very busy. Try to get to the main attractions early. And then: discover the marvels of this gem of a city by just wandering around. My heart belongs to Florence.

- - MUSIC - - 'Resolutions' by Scott Buckley - released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au Be sure to check out his site: amazing work!

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