Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom...
*White, black and grey are called* ***achromatic*** *colours. The word means “without colour”, as these colours in a sense are perceived as colourless. Read* *here* *about how achromatic colours relate to the visible spectrum of light.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695#the-nature-of-colour
White
In the Christian world, white is, and has been, a symbol of innocence and virginity (compare the white of brides), while in many Eastern cultures it is a sign of mourning and death; which it was for the pre-Christian Romans as well. White can also mean cleanliness or emptiness, in a more general meaning; youth, healing, peace, divination, blindness and surrender. White/silver is also one of the enamels of heraldry, where it symbolises "hope".
In India, a married woman who wears white is inviting to widowhood. It is a dangerous symbol of death and unhappiness, but also of calmness, peace, tranquillity, and resurrection. Widows wear white. Saraswati, a goddess, wears white.
In Mecaru [traditional offering ceremony of Bali], white symbolises the directions right and east, the god Iswara, and the holy number 4.
For the Chinese, apart from death, it also stands for age, and sometimes - as in the West - purity and virginity. In addition to that, white is one of the five basic colours of Chinese tradition; associated with metal, west, and autumn.
For the ancient Egyptians, white [Egyptian "hedj" or "shesep"] stood for purity and cleanliness, but also for sacredness. Sacred animals or objects were often depicted white, and the priests had white sandals. The name "Memphis" (a holy city), means "white walls". This colour was also the symbol of Upper Egypt, whose crown, "Nefer", was white.
The fact that common garments were also depicted white had a different reason. It was simply the colour of linen, the most common fabric.
The white of Egyptian art was made mainly from chalk and gypsum, although they also made and used lead white, a highly toxic colour.
Whitening, "albedo", is the second of the four phases of the alchemical Opus magnum, according to "Physika kai Mystika".
According to Böhme, white stands for "brilliance of God's majesty as a quintessence".
In other branches of alchemy white symbolises pure light, fire, sweet, God, the Moon and constellations Cancer, Aries, and Pisces; the White Rose is the lunar (Philosophical) tincture. White is also associated with Monday, and with Chinese Yang.
Black
*"Any color, so long as it's black."*
(Henry Ford)
Black is often the colour of sorrow, death and bad luck; also formality, authority, sexuality, mystery, and fear.
In the West, black is traditionally the colour worn by mourners. It might also imply restrained violence. In heraldry, black is one of the enamels, where it symbolises "prudence".
When the Chinese say they are really black, it means that they are having very bad luck. Black is also one of the five basic colours. It is associated with water, north, and winter.
In Hindu tradition black symbolises anger, lack of energy, negativity, evil and death. But it can also be used to keep evil away, for this purpose sometimes applied on a child's forehead or on the chin.
In Mecaru, black symbolises top and north, the god Vishnu, and is assigned the holy number 6. It is also the result of the centre, which is a mix of all colours and appears black, according to the Balinese. They call the centre "tengah", its holy number is 8, and its god is Shiva.
In ancient Egypt the view of this colour was entirely different. Black [Egyptian "kem"] symbolised birth and fertility. The Nile's regular inundations left black silt, crucial for agriculture, it was the source of life for Egypt; and it was associated with the god Osiris, the black one, who was killed by Seth and returned to life by his own wife and sister Isis; and with the underworld, which every night gave birth to the sun. Anubis, the god of embalming, was depicted as a black jackal, a well-known and widely recognised figure even amongst non-Egyptologists.
The name of Egypt was "kemet", the black land, due to the silt; and this colour had mainly positive implications. The sources of pigment were mainly soot from lamps (still called lamp black) and carbon; but they also burned or roasted ivory. Ivory black is still used by artists.
Blackening, "nigredo", is the first of the four phases of the alchemical Opus magnum, according to "Physika kai Mystika".
In different systems of alchemy, black stands for darkness, earth, bitter, plant; the planet Saturn and constellations Scorpio and Capricorn. And it can mean Saturday. In Feng Shui it is Yin.
By contrast, black strengthens our perception of every other colour. This is well known by artists. Black, however little, in a picture, makes other colours more clear, distinct, and vibrant.
Grey
Grey, the ultimate bore, might mean balance and dignity, timelessness and intelligence, but also old age and depression.
Ash grey symbolises Jupiter in esoteric tradition. Other traditions associate it with the Moon, with the constellation Virgo, and with Monday. In Chinese tradition it is Yin.
*Grau, teurer Freund, ist alle Theorie,*
*Und grün des Lebens goldner Baum.*
*(Dear friend, all theory is grey,*
*And green the golden tree of life.)*
(Goethe, Faust, Mephistopheles)
Previously published articles in the present series on colour:
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Colours VIII: Blue in Focus – Royalty, Divinity, Loyalty... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-viii-blue-in-focus-royalty-divinity-loyalty-0b71bbc6
All articles related to colour in my index, and that is more than the series above, can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find my index, that is to say ***all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic****.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-10-40d45889
Dragon's Blood https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dragons-blood-f3859f85
Colours VIII: Blue in Focus – Royalty, Divinity, Loyalty... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-viii-blue-in-focus-royalty-divinity-loyalty-0b71bbc6
Retrospection 12 *(Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.)* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-12-434a814a
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Suggested Reading 10
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
Time again for some suggested reading.
In an article in two parts, @ErdoV claims that Capitalism and Communism are Brothers. The conclusion is that: https://read.cash/@ErdoV
*"Communism is not a system that emerged to balance capitalism, but a system that was designed to control the reaction of communities that may oppose capitalism."*
Capitalism and Communism are Brothers #1 https://read.cash/@ErdoV/capitalism-and-communism-are-brothers-1-656ea058
Capitalism and Communism are brothers #2 https://read.cash/@ErdoV/capitalism-and-communism-are-brothers-2-0884c3ff
Decentralised email in the future? Yes, I think that is inevitable. @Fexonice1 writes about just that in Introducing Ledgermail.io a decentralized email solution. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1 https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/introducing-ledgermailio-a-decentralized-email-solution-ffb61ab7
Another read-worthy article by the same author is Don't get it wrong, success is not happiness. I agree with this. Successful people are rarely happy. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/dont-get-it-wrong-success-is-not-happiness-d829dc1c
@bitloca tells us about Removon in Revomon is an Exciting New Metaverse Combined With Blockchain Technology. https://read.cash/@bitloca https://read.cash/@bitloca/revomon-is-an-exciting-new-metaverse-combined-with-blockchain-technology-7f78babc
For those interested in tokenomics, the story of Konra might be of interest. @TheEmpress recently published: Behind the Scenes: The Unique Tokenomics of Konra https://read.cash/@TheEmpress https://read.cash/@TheEmpress/behind-the-scenes-the-unique-tokenomics-of-konra-bb0f7b5e
About a week ago, @onlymythoughts published Cause and effect and before that, an article about consciousness and human AI hybrids: What is consciousness? https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts/cause-and-effect-86983354 https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts/what-is-consciousness-4810f87d
In Freewrite: Fasting During An Infection Is A Good Idea!, @Gemstone writes about why refraining from eating might speed up healing during an infection. I fully agree with the author here. People losing their appetite during illness should avoid eating. So don't try to push your dear ones to eat when they are ill; if they have no appetite, just let them be. They most certainly do not need food then; it would just be a strain to the body. https://read.cash/@Gemstone/freewrite-fasting-during-an-infection-is-a-good-idea-d3f3176e
@Ling01 writes about Taking Care of your Nails. https://read.cash/@Ling01 https://read.cash/@Ling01/taking-care-of-your-nails-0e8416d9
My most recent article begins:
“I have previously written about dragons, and I recently wrote about the colour red. Let's connect these subjects, albeit in an indirect and nominal way, and discuss ***Dragon's Blood****.*” https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#dragons https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dragons-blood-f3859f85
This inspired @Ling01 to write Dragons : Do They Exist? https://read.cash/@Ling01 https://read.cash/@Ling01/dragons-do-they-exist-47ec68fc
Incidentally, and this was a pure coincidence, @NakamotoBch published The Strange History Of Blood, The Intimate Symbol Of Life And Death at the very same day as I published my Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/the-strange-history-of-blood-the-intimate-symbol-of-life-and-death-b3ecc20b https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
As for @NakamotoBch, I also want to recommend How Shame Plays A Crucial Role In Your Behaviour. https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/how-shame-plays-a-crucial-role-in-your-behaviour-eacf558a
@foryoubtc09 wrote My time is valuable! My time is cheap! What category are you in?, about the economy of time and money. The same author also published Disorder is actually an order!, which is entirely correct. https://read.cash/@foryoubtc09 https://read.cash/@foryoubtc09/my-time-is-valuable-my-time-is-cheap-what-category-are-you-in-36eea899 https://read.cash/@foryoubtc09/disorder-is-actually-an-order-d957cbbf
@Johnkin316 explains Why is it important to improve yourself? and @Brilliance writes about Greed To Extortion. https://read.cash/@Johnkin316 https://read.cash/@Johnkin316/why-is-it-important-to-improve-yourself-058c3968 https://read.cash/@Brilliance https://read.cash/@Brilliance/greed-to-extortion-6f6d779b
@pandoru1997 writes about The Pygmalion Effect, on expectation and self-fulfilling prophesies. https://read.cash/@pandoru1997 https://read.cash/@pandoru1997/the-pygmalion-effect-cb2e0bc3
@Inayat954, a relatively new member, has written a couple of articles about environmental issues. They are not very deep and the English is a little shaky, but the purpose is good: Water is the basic Human need. and We all need a healthy forests. https://read.cash/@Inayat954 https://read.cash/@Inayat954/water-is-the-basic-human-need-50b32766 https://read.cash/@Inayat954/we-all-need-a-healthy-forests-96979653
@Peter2020, another new member, writes about The Magic of Stillness. He definitely has a point. In my experience, stillness can be a source of power, creative power - or of healing. https://read.cash/@Peter2020 https://read.cash/@Peter2020/the-magic-of-stillness-03e0eced
Two articles about fear: Causes of Fear by @Luna1999 and Fear, its psychological impacts and preventive measures by @Jadoon https://read.cash/@Luna1999/causes-of-fear-3fbdcddb https://read.cash/@Jadoon/fear-its-psychological-impacts-and-preventive-measures-a0aaa08f
"The graveyard is the richest and endowed area on earth“, says @Freedom007, in Grave yard. One can say that this is about talents not being used. https://read.cash/@Freedom007 https://read.cash/@Freedom007/grave-yard-0417cde1
In Is there a woman who inspires men ?!, @Blogika advocates a (today) controversial opinion. But political correctness is not ever what we can expect from this young Russian lady. https://read.cash/@Blogika/is-there-a-woman-who-inspires-men-5e4894d8
@Walex4967, previously @olawale4967, wrote: Haters and Critics: How to Deal with People Judging You and Your Work. https://read.cash/@Walex4967 https://read.cash/@Walex4967/haters-and-critics-how-to-deal-with-people-judging-you-and-your-work-a702bbb5
Some folklore from @Greatwolfman: The Dullahan – and some literature from @meitanteikudo: Mysteries Solved. https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman/the-dullahan-994b6c73 https://read.cash/@meitanteikudo https://read.cash/@meitanteikudo/mysteries-solved-367965b6
I am not overly interested in superheroes, at least not in form of movies. I wrote about that in Why I Don't Like Batman Movies: About the Correlation Between Characters & Their Environment, an article from May this year. However, I agree with @Librarian, that Batman is the most interesting of the superheroes; one reason for that is that he is no genuine superhero, he has no superpowers. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-i-dont-like-batman-movies-about-the-correlation-between-characters-their-environment-936b4883 https://read.cash/@Librarian
@Librarian analyses this hero in a recent article, Batman. Read also his previous article Kryptonite of the Crypto Knight. As the name indicates, it is about Superman... but not entirely... he creates an analogy to Bitcoin. In fact, this is an article more about Bitcoin and crypto than about Superman. I must say that I enjoy this way of combining disparate subjects and creating a connection or comparison. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/batman-71b109d8 https://read.cash/@Librarian/kryptonite-of-the-crypto-knight-6cf2c73d
In another article, about a month old, @Librarian also combines “popular culture” with a serious subject in an interesting way: Fate weaving, entropy hating Tzeentch. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/fate-weaving-entropy-hating-tzeentch-22915a57
Finally some fiction from @hamedbkh: Family secret (part I)+ a short update. https://read.cash/@hamedbkh https://read.cash/@hamedbkh/family-secret-part-i-a-short-update-5ba4169d
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Dragon's Blood https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dragons-blood-f3859f85
Colours VIII: Blue in Focus – Royalty, Divinity, Loyalty... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-viii-blue-in-focus-royalty-divinity-loyalty-0b71bbc6
Retrospection 12 *(Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.)* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-12-434a814a
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a
Dragon's Blood
I have previously written about dragons, and I recently wrote about the colour red. Let's connect these subjects, albeit in an indirect and nominal way, and discuss ***Dragon's Blood****.* Some Medieval sources claim that it is indeed blood from elephants and dragons which have died in mortal combat. But it is a resin or resinous substance, which has nothing real to do with dragons. Apart from the red colour, it has nothing in common with blood either. However, it is a suggestive name and an interesting substance, which has been used throughout history and around the world as medicine, dye, incense, and for colouring varnishes and lacquers. It also has a variety of uses in ritual magic; for power and protection - and dragon's blood ink is sometimes used to write spells. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#dragons https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Dragon's Blood is a blood-red resin, obtained from a number of different tropical and subtropical plants, especially *Daemonorops draco, Croton lechleri, and Dracaena draco*. However, it can be found in a about a dozen plants of the genera *Dracaena, Daemonorops, Croton, Calamus rotang* and *Pterocarpus.* Its composition vary with different species. Dragon's Blood is not one single well-defined substance.
A resin or resinous sap is formed by a plant to protect against pathogens and promote healing. Thus, it is not surprising that resins have often medical qualities. Dragon's Blood has been used as a medicine since ancient times, and modern research has confirmed some of its effects. Resin from *Croton lechleri* has also proved to be **the strongest antioxidant presently known**. The only competitor would be purified and concentrated *astaxanthin*. But you cannot reach that anti-oxidative level by eating natural foodstuffs containing astaxanthin. (***Astaxanthin***, in salmon and other seafoods, is a naturally occurring xanthophyll with potent antioxidant properties. Successful results have been reported in the treatment of arthritis.)
https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
Let's take a look at the health effects of Dragon's Blood. After all, it is and has been used as a traditional medicine in a large part of the world, although the trees providing it are different in different geographical areas. Thus the health effects differ as well.
In South America, the resin (Sangre de Drago) from *Croton lechleri* is traditionally used for all sorts of skin problems – with good results. The resin is anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and reduces swelling. *Proanthocyanidins* and *taspine*, two of the constituents, protect and heal the skin. Cosmetic companies are increasingly interested in this substance and have started to include it in various skin elixirs.
Croton is also anti-diarrheal, and is the active ingredient in a medicine, prescribed for non-infectious diarrhea in HIV patients.
Further, *taspine,* one of the constituents of *Croton lechleri* has been studied for its use against various types of cancer. The results are ambiguous. The few studies that have been done, showed good results with melanoma and colon cancer cells, while the taspine seemed to protect leukemic cells from destruction. More research is needed before jumping into conclusions.
Dragon's Blood also has a reputation of being a prohormone and testosterone booster, and for increasing male libido. This might very well be true, there are ample anecdotal evidence indicating that so is the case, but it has not been scientifically studied at all.
Greeks, Romans, and Arabs used resin from *Dracaena cinnabari,* imported from Socotra since at least Ptolemaic times. They ascribed to it a number of medicinal effects. Most notably, it was used against respiratory and gastrointestinal ailments. A similar tree, *Dracaena draco*, which grows in Morocco and on the Canary Islands, also provides Dragon's Blood, and resin from these two species of *Dracaea* was – and still is - used as a source of varnish for violins. (Varnish based on dragon's blood tends to lose its colour quickly. It bleaches out and becomes greenish. It might happen in just a few years. One can see this change of colour on some old violins and other instruments of the same family.)
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dragon's blood is often used. Commercially available Dragon's Blood in contemporary China contains resin from four different species of trees. (According to the Pharmacopoeia of the People’s Republic of China.) It has been used to improve blood circulation, to treat chronic colitis, and against serious injuries and pain.
Chinese research with resin from *Dracaena cochinchinensis,* showed that it had the ability to kill *Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria causing peptic ulcers.*
How about taking Dragon's Blood as a dietary supplement, for anti-ageing and prevention?
Yes. There is good reason to do that, although one should not take too much. No studies have been made on its safety, especially not in large regular doses. So keep the dose relatively low. I cannot give any specific recommendations, because it depends on which form of Dragon's Blood you take.
As usual with insufficiently studied substances, unless you know exactly what you are doing, avoid taking it on your own if you are pregnant or breastfeeding – or if you have any serious illness. Also, if you are on medication, consult a professional about possible conflicts with medicines before starting a regular intake.
Externally applied Dragon's Blood might have a rejuvenating effect on the skin.
*Read also:*
*Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power...* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
*Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done!* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
*About* *Dragons* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#dragons
*Copyright © 2018, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(The images of this article are in the Public Domain.)*
Here you find my index, that is to say ***all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic****.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Colours VIII: Blue in Focus – Royalty, Divinity, Loyalty... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-viii-blue-in-focus-royalty-divinity-loyalty-0b71bbc6
Retrospection 12 *(Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.)* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-12-434a814a
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Colours VIII: Blue in Focus – Royalty, Divinity, Loyalty...
Blue is a symbol of faith and constancy, depression and sadness, harmony and conservatism, loyalty and tranquillity, fear and passivity. As one of the heraldic enamels, blue stands for "justice". In old Norse tradition it was the colour of mourning and sorrow - and to the Greeks of Antiquity, it was the colour of the gods. Even today, in Greek culture, blue eyes are believed to ward off the evil eye. And the French can exclaim "sacrebleu!", an expression of surprise. According to Christian tradition, the Virgin Mary wore a blue robe, and that is probably the meaning of the French oath. (It is quite unusual today. Mainly used in English when parodying a Frenchman.) (Image below: "Azure", heraldic blue.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267#ii-heraldry
In China blue stands for immortality, and in India it is the colour of the gods Krishna and Rama.
According to Böhme, blue stands for "entity". In other systems it can mean shadow, water, sour, animal; Venus before it transforms, but sometimes also Saturn, Jupiter, and the Moon; and the constellations Libra and Sagittarius, sometimes Capricorn and Aquarius; the Blue Rose is the flower of wisdom. For P.O. Runge, it means "God the father". In Alchemy blue is considered as a form of Saturnine black. In the Chinese Feng Shui it is Yin.
Blue is said to suppress appetite. There is very little edible material in nature being blue, so we simply react negatively to it. Evidence of this is purely anecdotal. It is, however, calming; it lowers the blood pressure and reduces pulse and respiration.
In old Egypt, blue [Egyptian "irtyu" or "sbedj"] was the colour of heaven and water, the sources of divine and mortal life; and of course, of the Nile. Amon was sometimes depicted with a blue face, which showed him as a creator god. The blue ibis symbolised Thoth, and so did the baboon which was sometimes given a blue face. Gods were often portrayed with blue hair, it was said that it consisted of lapis lazuli.
In Egypt they actually managed to produce the first synthetic colour pigment, still called "Egyptian blue". Other blue pigments used were azurite ["tefer"], genuine indigo, and the priceless Lapis Lazuli ["khesbedj"], genuine ultramarine.
In Genuine Ultramarine, Once One of the Most Costly Pigments in the World, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/genuine-ultramarine-once-one-of-the-most-costly-pigments-in-the-world-8ac3c605
***Ultramarine*** was once the most expensive mineralic pigment in the world. Genuine ultramarine was originally made from ground ***lapis lazuli (lazurite)***.
and
When the expensive pigment came to Europe, it was called ***ultramarine***, because it came from ***beyond the sea*** (from Latin *ultra*, beyond; and *marinus*, of the sea). It was imported by Venetian merchants and the painters of the Renaissance used it, although very selectively, due to it being so expensive. In Renaissance Italy, it was often reserved for the robes of Mary and Christ.
In 1828, professor Christian Gmelin developed a method to produce ultramarine synthetically. After that the pigment ceased to be expensive and has been used much more by painters and other artists. Synthetic ultramarine has not the same brilliancy as the genuine thing, however, but that is true about almost all synthetic pigments in comparison with their genuine counterparts.
Royal Blue is a name applied to several shades of azure blue, nowadays to a brighter colour than in the past. The shade was invented for a dress to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort of British King George III. Today it is associated with the colour of the sash of the most illustrious orders of many monarchies.
Tuaregs traditionally preferred indigo coloured turbans [tagelmust] and robes, which also coloured their skin a little. The men wore and wear an indigo coloured veil [alasho] to ward off evil. They were subsequently called the blue people. Today the blue turban is used mainly for special occasions. (Image below: Tuareg. Photo: Denis Doukhan/Pixabay. CC0/Public Domain.)
Indigo is a pigment made from different related plants, not only the indigo shrub: It was used in old Egypt, China and India. Also the Maya of Mesoamerica used indigo to create their specific Mayan Blue. I suspect that it was first used in India. The word "indigo" is derived from Latin "indicum", which came from Greek "indikon". It is obvious that at least the Greeks and Romans got their use of indigo from India, where also the genuine indigo shrub, Indigofera tinctoria, grew.
Tekhelet is a blue colour mentioned in the Tanach. It was of ritual importance to the Jews and probably they derived it from a shellfish related to the one producing purple pigment. The knowledge was lost, however, but much effort is made to rediscover it. It is likely that this blue pigment was the same as the blue which was used by royals throughout the ancient world.
Blue colour of birds, such as peacocks or kingfishers, and mammals, is Tyndall blue; it is a result of scattered light, not a pigment. Read more about that in Colours IV: Colours of Animals and read about scattering here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528#structure
Then blue is associated with sadness. But that is a separate story for another article in the future.
Previous articles related to "Blue":
Prussian Blue & Aizuri-e - Blue Pictures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prussian-blue-aizuri-e-blue-pictures-dc563ddd
Blue Light, Blindness, Sleep Disorder & Cancer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/blue-light-blindness-sleep-disorder-cancer-c2c94afb
Genuine Ultramarine, Once One of the Most Costly Pigments in the World https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/genuine-ultramarine-once-one-of-the-most-costly-pigments-in-the-world-8ac3c605
Previously published articles in the present series on colour:
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Read also about Purple. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#purple
All articles related to colour in my index, and that is more than the series above, can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(The images of this article are in the Public Domain.)*
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find my index, that is to say ***all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic****.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Retrospection 12 *(Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.)* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-12-434a814a
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
Retrospection 12
*Symbols, Flags, Heraldry, Creativity and Art.*
It has hardly escaped any long time reader of mine that I am fascinated by symbols, and I have a separate label for that in my index. Yet that includes just what's most explicitly is about symbology, since much more than we tend to think of is indeed a matter of symbols. One can go so far as to say that our intellect operates with symbols of reality (as we perceive it). https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#symbols
In Symbols & Their Opposite: Mathematics & Music, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-their-opposite-mathematics-music-94a7a931
“*Symbols are important. They do not only convey signals whose meaning is understood by those taught of them; some symbols go deeper than that, their understanding being universal, an inherent part of our psyche as a species, of our genetically based mental organisation.*
*All of us deal with symbols all the time, whether we are aware of it or not. Words are symbols for what they mean, letters are symbols for sounds, and figures are symbols for numbers. We have traffic signs when we drive, and we have icons when using computers. A gesture is a symbol, and so is most art.“*
Further, I wrote about pure mathematics being...
“*[...] an art dealing only with symbols. A purely intellectual art that is so pure that the symbols are disconnected from a real meaning for a totally abstract one. The formal system that evolves by the interaction of these abstract symbols exists in its own right, completely separate from physical reality.“*
(This might not be obvious for the average reader being without knowledge of higher mathematics, but it is so for every mathematician.)
That's an extreme point, however, we will not discuss that further here and now. Instead, let's look at some material about explicit symbols.
A number of articles are dedicated to Vexillology & Heraldry, in general flags and coat of arms – or rather to specific symbols occurring on flags and arms, and symbolic meanings of some involved colours or combination of colours. As I write in this article: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267
“*A flag is indeed a piece of coloured cloth, but colours and patterns are not put there randomly; they are carefully chosen to convey a certain symbolic meaning.”*
Although it was not published first, it is best to start with Vexillology & Heraldry, which is an introduction to the subject. Then follows (in no particular order): https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267
Fleur-de-lis & The Lily of Florence, about two similar symbols that are not related; two lilies, the French and the Florentine. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fleur-de-lis-the-lily-of-florence-5ef3a335
La Tricolore: What is the Origin of Its Colours and Design?, about the French tricolore, and about tricolor flags in general. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/la-tricolore-what-is-the-origin-of-its-colours-and-design-c9d42877
The Star-And-Crescent - A Symbol for Islam?, about a symbol whose genuine meaning is poorly understood. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-star-and-crescent-a-symbol-for-islam-699fad0d
Nisshōki, Taegeukgi & the Nordic Cross, about the flags of Japan, Korea, and the Nordic countries. One of the latter is the world's oldest flag design still being in use. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nisshoki-taegeukgi-the-nordic-cross-d2122aac
Further three articles, whose titles are self-explanatory.
The Eagle as an Heraldic Symbol of Empire https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-eagle-as-an-heraldic-symbol-of-empire-50183a24
Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b
Flags with Dragons
https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/flags-with-dragons-69fd9787
We have also:
The Crocodile, a Symbol of Egypt? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-crocodile-a-symbol-of-egypt-6330b5af
Snakes in Astrology & Heraldry, which includes a section on the peculiar “Biscione”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/snakes-in-astrology-heraldry-505ccf47
Some further snake/serpent symbols:
From the Sacred Cobras of Egypt to Quezalcoatl: Serpents & Snakes in Mythology https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/from-the-sacred-cobras-of-egypt-to-quezalcoatl-serpents-snakes-in-mythology-fc2039be
Miscellaneous:
The Eye As A Metaphysical Symbol, from the Eye of Horus to God's all-seeing eye. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-eye-as-a-metaphysical-symbol-cbe19c0a
Symbols of the Knights Templar & Templars in Fiction: Literature and Film https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-of-the-knights-templar-templars-in-fiction-literature-and-film-f8a544f5
Greedy Old Men, Dragons & Leaping Through the Dragon's Gate, about the symbolic Dragon's Gate. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/greedy-old-men-dragons-leaping-through-the-dragons-gate-58847df1
The Three Sacred Treasures, about the Imperial Regalia of Japan: the Mirror, the Jewel, and the Sword. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
Finally articles about colours as symbols:
When Something is so Red, it is Purple: Purple in Chinese & Japanese Symbology https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/when-something-is-so-red-it-is-purple-purple-in-chinese-japanese-symbology-70e051af
Pontifex Maximus & The Imperial Purple of Rome, about the imperial purple, a powerful symbol still in use. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pontifex-maximus-the-imperial-purple-of-rome-1bd0c336
And two of my most recent articles (further articles will come in this series):
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Let's leave the symbols and slip over to the subject of art. You find these articles in my index, under subtitle Art. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#art
In two articles - based on material from my e-book “The Promethean Fire” (2018) - I discuss creativity in general, with examples from various forms of art:
The Cult of the Green Fairy; La Fée Verte https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-cult-of-the-green-fairy-la-fee-verte-641c4182
Mindfood & Drugs, Creative Genius & Insanity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/mindfood-drugs-creative-genius-insanity-91391009
Two other articles, where I discuss what art is:
Art as Visual Music & The Importance of Form https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/art-as-visual-music-the-importance-of-form-a040976f
Practising Art: The Art of Seeing & Beyond Mere Seeing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/practising-art-the-art-of-seeing-beyond-mere-seeing-a062694a
Then a few articles about specific art:
Renaissance Artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Surprisingly Modern https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/renaissance-artist-giuseppe-arcimboldo-surprisingly-modern-61e7a789
The Two Michelangeli – Two of the Greatest Artists of European Art History https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-two-michelangeli-two-of-the-greatest-artists-of-european-art-history-72fc6347
The Kreutzer Sonata: How Art Inspires to Art, which Inspires to Art... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-kreutzer-sonata-how-art-inspires-to-art-which-inspires-to-art-3dced6f6
Pictures at an Exhibition https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pictures-at-an-exhibition-48b5889b
Sepia, Grisaille & Verdaille: Monochrome Art... and how about Japan? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/sepia-grisaille-verdaille-monochrome-art-and-how-about-japan-da2aed40
As for Japanese art, see Japanology. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#japanology
Have symbols and art anything in common?
Yes, indeed they do. In Art as Visual Music & The Importance of Form I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/art-as-visual-music-the-importance-of-form-a040976f
“I am bold enough to claim that symbology is still the most important part of art. Not necessarily quantitatively, but as the part reaching the deepest into our minds. If we develop it to its extreme, we land in a form of mathematics, or at least something analogous to mathematics.”
My series “Retrospection” is primarily created for new readers of mine, as a manual into my production at this platform so far - but it can be read by anyone who wants to explore my articles topic by topic, rather than doing so in chronological order. In addition to that, my retrospections contain new comments and from time to time short personal stories connected to the relevant topic or topics. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
(All images of this article are in the Public Domain. For more details,see Fleur-de-lis & The Lily of Florence (the three coats of arms), The Cult of the Green Fairy; La Fée Verte (Vincent van Gogh), Renaissance Artist Giuseppe Arcimboldo - Surprisingly Modern (the last image). https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fleur-de-lis-the-lily-of-florence-5ef3a335 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-cult-of-the-green-fairy-la-fee-verte-641c4182 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/renaissance-artist-giuseppe-arcimboldo-surprisingly-modern-61e7a789
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vii-red-in-focus-blood-death-love-power-c79d2b5a
Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb
Colours VII: Red in Focus – Blood, Death, Love, Power...
Red is the colour of blood, meaning love, passion, power, life and happiness (in many Eastern countries, brides are dressed in red), and in China it means good luck. Due to its association with blood, it can also mean revolution and aggressiveness. This is why Communism has come to use red as a symbol. To the old Celts it stood for death, and in Hebrew culture it means sacrifice. As one of the enamels of heraldry, red means "charity". (Image below: “Gules”, heraldic red.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267#ii-heraldry
In India red symbolises both purity and sensuality, and as a wedding colour it balances on a borderline in between. As heat, energy, and passion, red is also the colour of the goddesses Lakshmi and Durga. In combination with ochre, red denotes royalty - corresponding to the purple of the West. It also symbolises Shakti, charity, and protectiveness. Dead women are cremated shrouded in red, because the colour has the power to destroy and protect against evil.
In Mecaru (Balinese Hindu belief), red symbolises directions below and south, the god Brahma, and the holy number 9.
In old Egypt, red ["deshr"] had mainly negative meanings. It was danger and chaos, fire and fury - and it was the desert ["deshret"]; and the symbolic colour of Seth, the god of Chaos, who killed Osiris. Further, it was the entrance to the underworld, where the sun disappeared at sunset. To "have a red heart" was to be furious, and "redden" was to die. As being the colour of fire and blood, however, it could also be used for magic protection; and the "eye of Ra", the burning sun, was made of red stones. Red could also stand for victory.
The reddish colour used for the skin of male Egyptians on pictures had no known symbolic meaning, but seems to have been merely an artistic convention.
Iron oxide and red ochre ["ded"] were the most common sources of red in art. A red-purple colour was made from madder root. Roughly it corresponds to today's "alizarin crimson".
They also used carmine, or "kermes", made from dried bodies of an insect.
Amongst the many pigments of ancient Egypt, "minium" deserves to be mentioned. It is a form of lead oxide, red lead. Minium has led to the term "miniature". It was often small, since the colour was so expensive and the technique suitable for small size; but contrary to popular belief (and much special literature) a miniature does not have to be small [It has nothing to do with wordstem "mini", small or minute]. It denotes a painting made or at least delineated with "minium", no matter its size - mainly "illuminations". The term, however, has gradually come to denote minute paintings and is now universally abused.
Below, a page from a Medieval manuscript, “*The Códice del Escorial*“, 1272-1284, (original in *Biblioteca del Escorial*). The reddish colour is minium.
Reddening, "rubedo", is the fourth of the four phases of the alchemical Opus magnum, according to "Physika kai Mystika" (one of the oldest works on Alchemy, which strongly influenced subsequent Alchemy in the West).
According to Böhme, red stands for "father in the brilliance of fire". Other systems let it symbolise coloured light, atmosphere, bitter sweet, man; the planet Mars and the constellation Scorpio, or Gemini; the Red Rose is the solar (metallic) tincture. For Runge it stands for the son. It is associated with Tuesday and in Chinese Feng Shui with Yang. It is also one of the five Chinese basic colours, associated with fire, south and summer.
Red triggers appetite, probably because a lot of food in nature that is suitable to us is red. Just picture for yourself sun-ripened tomatoes, strawberries or red apples! One might say that blood is red too, but I doubt that blood triggers human appetite, at least not in a literal sense.
This colour also increases aggressivity ("blood thirst"?), raises blood pressure and increases the stress level. It is activating, also on brain functions.
Red as a "stop" sign in traffic began on the railroad. It was seen as a natural sign of danger and warning. The opposite, "go", was first white light, but it proved to be too easily confused with starlight or other light, so it was early changed to green.
Dragon's blood is bright red, made from resin from different plants. (From the beginning it was from Calamus draco.) It can be used as a dye or as medicine, as incense or as varnish, the latter specifically in the making of musical instruments. It has been used in Europe, India, and China. Medically it has a large number of effects, but what they are depends on the plant from which the resin is taken.
The hue is a form of Cinnabar, although genuine Cinnabar is a mineral, cinnabarite, mercuric sulphide - also called vermilion. This has sometimes been called "minium", although in reality that is lead tetroxide [red lead], a completely different pigment obtained by heating "white lead" [see above].
Cinnabar has been used all around the world since the earliest times. The Maya used it as royal burial insignia on sarcophagi, and even before them, the Olmecs used it. In Hinduism it had and still has ritual importance, a tradition going back at least 5000 years. The Chinese used it for laquerware.
To sign with "vermilion" was once the privilege of the Byzantine Emperor and certain other dignitaries of his realm.
Traditionally, the ink used for signature chops in China is cinnabar. In Taoism, this colour symbolises life and eternity. The Chinese also were the first to produce vermilion synthetically. (Image below: Chinese signature shop.)
Vermilion is a name of cinnabar ground into powder; it is derived from vermiculum, a colour made from the insect Kermes vermilio, the source of crimson. The use of names on colours are not always consistent, and even one and the same pigment might vary in shade due to where it was produced, differences in methods of extraction, etc. Cinnabar can vary between orange-red and brownish-red, and vermilion can be different forms of red.
Cinnabar is toxic, due to its content of mercury. As a mineral, it plays an important role in Alchemy, where both Sulphur and Mercury are of ultimate importance.
Read also about the red of blood & red colour magic in Japan. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8#blood-amp-bile https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/aka-e-japanese-colour-magic-f89cf7e4
Previously published articles in the present series on colour:
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
All articles related to colour in my index can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(The images of this article are in the Public Domain.)*
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find my index, that is to say ***all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic****.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-9-d0ff9e1a
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb
Suggested Reading 8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-8-7c4d3ed8
Suggested Reading 9
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
Let's begin with the question of which operative system to use, Windows or Linux. In the past, I used Linux. Various circumstances make me use Windows right now, but I consider Linux to be better, if you know what you do. I know, however, that it is not easy if you don't know how to handle it; changing from Windows to Linux might seem too difficult for the average user - so it's easier to keep Windows. In an ongoing series, relatively new member @valo tries to introduce us to Linux. Four parts have been published so far: https://read.cash/@valo
The Linux operating system, part 1 https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-part-1-7e971e56
The Linux operating system - terminal, command line, shell https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-terminal-command-line-shell-8fb5de9b
The Linux operating system - structure, graphics and distributions https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-structure-graphics-and-distributions-87433220
The Linux operating system, native installations, virtual machines, live systems https://read.cash/@valo/the-linux-operating-system-native-installations-virtual-machines-live-systems-a50ccee2
@Geri recently published SMR: The future of hard disk technology. https://read.cash/@Geri https://read.cash/@Geri/smr-the-future-of-hard-disk-technology-72615ab5
@Pantera writes about Metaverse and Facebook, or perhaps one should say why we need a Metaverse without Facebook, in A Trustless and Decentralized Metaverse is the Main Objective. This is an important discussion, and I fully agree with @Pantera here. https://read.cash/@Pantera https://read.cash/@Pantera/a-trustless-and-decentralized-metaverse-is-the-main-objective-f53eb278
Defi Winter?! When Stablecoins Become CBDCs writes @xuanling11. This is not a “deep” article, it states something that for many is obvious, but it deserves to be stated. For me, I have never really had any interest in so-called stablecoins. Perhaps they have their uses, but they are not real cryptocurrencies for me. https://read.cash/@xuanling11/defi-winter-when-stablecoins-become-cbdcs-93c85aea
A title that caught my attention: "noise.cash is scamming people". I am not active at noise.cash so far; it might change eventually, but until now I have never found the time for it. I have read about it though, and I have seen many enthusiastic posts about it, and it seemed unbelievable that it would be a scam. How can one scam people by paying them? https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01/noisecash-is-scamming-people-257e2e80
Well, by reading this article by @JustMyRambles01, I found that the author saw it similarly, and actually refuted what the title says. This post definitely ought to be read by newbies and people who for some reason feel disappointed with noise.cash. https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01
Another read-worthy article by the same author, @JustMyRambles01, is 05/11/21 - Working from home! And Upcycling!. This is someone who obviously appreciates the advantages of working from home, even if few of them are mentioned. I have previously written about this (see Covid-19 and a lagging step of the Digital Revolution); in many cases “going to a job” is a waste of as well money and time as environmental qualities. https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01 https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01/051121-working-from-home-and-upcycling-c239f54b https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/covid-19-and-a-lagging-step-of-the-digital-revolution-ee546d53
The other point of @JustMyRambles01's article is “Upcycling”, which has obvious merits. We live in an era of waste; people waste everything. Upcycling is a small step in the opposite direction.
Next, we have Lessons from collapse of civilizations by @aniruddhasen, in which the author discusses different causes for collapse of civilisations. In the end he speculates whether the present “world civilisation” has any chance to survive, and he ends: https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/lessons-from-collapse-of-civilizations-ca0ec778
“But we have the ability to learn from our past and mend our ways. Collapse of the world civilization is not inevitable if we are ready to change ourselves. But as it is said human nature never changes, only the ways and means change with time.“
In my opinion, the world civilisation is already breaking down, and it is too late to stop that process. The question is what new will grow from the ashes and how long time it will it take. It is quite possible that we, living in the breakdown, will hardly even notice it, since historical processes follow another time scale than human lives (unless there is some cataclysmic event involved). It is necessary to step out from the limited perspective of a human lifetime to really discern patterns and processes of history and future.
A little science by @NakamotoBch: The Kuiper Belt A Vast Frontier. https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/the-kuiper-belt-a-vast-frontier-6a15f4cd
In Do you want it now or later?, @Oikawa asks if delayed gratification is not better than the instant gratification with which people nowadays are so spoiled. https://read.cash/@Oikawa/do-you-want-it-now-or-later-ed1c34bf
@Debesh recently published Less is Always Better Than More. It sounds counter-intuitive, but the is right. This is about a step by step approach instead of a single time overfeeding of the mind with tips and advices. I have previously expressed similar ideas in The Power Of Graduality. https://read.cash/@Debesh https://read.cash/@Debesh/less-is-always-better-than-more-580149b0 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-power-of-graduality-7432c3a0
This leads us to the next article, A HowTo Related to Wealth by @ezrider. The author gives a good explanation of how to change one's habits in order to build wealth. I absolutely agree, building wealth is not about getting a high income, it is about how one thinks of and handles money. https://read.cash/@ezrider/a-howto-related-to-wealth-3d6b72eb
Talking About Hypocrisy by @dark_spirit666... I don't really know what to say about this article, but somehow I like it; the author certainly has a point or two. https://read.cash/@dark_spirit666/talking-about-hypocrisy-5a9b78c7
An old article by the same author is Interesting Book That Review the History of God. An interesting topic. https://read.cash/@dark_spirit666/interesting-book-that-review-the-history-of-god-d3f3288e
@Gemstone writes about the nutritional value of pumpkins, in Autumn Pumpkin Rhapsody - Unrecognized Superfood. https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/autumn-pumpkin-rhapsody-unrecognized-superfood-04ade9c0
How Much Is A Fan Worth? and The Best Movie Never Made by @Film.io outlines a new approach for the movie industry. It is about movie crowdfunding. https://read.cash/@Film.io/how-much-is-a-fan-worth-9b455f18 https://read.cash/@Film.io/the-best-movie-never-made-78138ada
At the first sight, Horror Movies by @ArteFM doesn't look to be different from numerous other articles. But read on, there is a twist in the end making up for the reading. https://read.cash/@ArteFM/horror-movies-19f9bbf7
@Sinless writes about NTFs in Would you like to open an art gallery? Cyber Brings Digital Art to Life! https://read.cash/@Sinless https://read.cash/@Sinless/would-you-like-to-open-an-art-gallery-cyber-brings-digital-art-to-life-14184a38
@Greatwolfman writes about Banshees in Celtic Mythlogical Creatures - Abhartach, the Banshee. https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman/celtic-mythlogical-creatures-abhartach-the-banshee-474fb677
Some history in Fawzia Fuad, Egyptian Princess Queen of Iran by @ceky321. I happened to be in Egypt when Princess Fawzia died in 2013; there was almost no attention given to the event. (I mentioned princess Fawzia in an article here a long time ago: Ottoman Egypt, Muhammad Ali & his Dynasty.) https://read.cash/@ceky321/fawzia-fuad-egyptian-princess-queen-of-iran-73c8e3bb https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/ottoman-egypt-muhammad-ali-his-dynasty-47d91b16
More history in If the Texas Alamo was Defended Today by @AceyDeucey. https://read.cash/@AceyDeucey/if-the-texas-alamo-was-defended-today-d494d21c
@cmoneyspinner teaches us about ta blue mushroom, E. hochstetteri, in Did You Know There is Such a Thing as a BLUE MUSHROOM?. https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner/did-you-know-there-is-such-a-thing-as-a-blue-mushroom-ba06408e
Scariest forest on the earth, Hoia Baciu, tells us about a strange forest in Transylvania. The author is @Amax33. https://read.cash/@Amax33/scariest-forest-on-the-earth-hoia-baciu-8a7c28c9
@ahmadmanga writes about learning Japanese from Anime and Manga. I have heard about quite a number of people who have done that, so I think it is possible. Read more in [eBook Highlights] Fluent Japanese from Anime and Manga. https://read.cash/@ahmadmanga https://read.cash/@ahmadmanga/ebook-highlights-fluent-japanese-from-anime-and-manga-01e3d616
Finally some fiction:
True or Faux is a story published as a series by @Ozzyy. So far 26 chapters have been published. It is long, but well worth reading. The introduction to the series says: https://read.cash/@Ozzyy
“*One morning, you woke up with the ability to see true and false when written down. If it glows a golden color then it is true, but if it glows a dark color, then it is false. Out of curiosity, you go to the library and walk into the History section, and to your horror, all you see is darkness.“*
The first episode is True or Faux. The rest you'll find in @Ozzyy's profile. https://read.cash/@Ozzyy/true-or-faux-6e3bc2e3
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-vi-green-in-focus-religion-life-death-sex-witchcraft-2f3ac906
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb
Suggested Reading 8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-8-7c4d3ed8
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iodine-molybdenum-zinc-copper-manganese-9f4e9305
Colours VI: Green in Focus – Religion, Life, Death, Sex, Witchcraft...
Green is the colour of hope and development, fertility and charity, but can also symbolise greed, jealousy, envy, melancholy, immaturity, and nausea. In some countries it stands for danger; and in heraldry, green is one of the enamels, a symbol of "fortitude". https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267#ii-heraldry
According to Böhme, green stands for "life". It is associated with the planets Mercury and Venus, with Wednesday and Friday, and with the constellation Taurus or Cancer. In China it is Yin. In Chinese colour philosophy, green is one of the five basic colours, associated with wood, east, and spring.
Green can be appetising, but it must not have a hue that reminds of mold. Generally, mold-green and rotting-purple tend to be nauseating.
The colour green is soothing and calming - it is not a coincidence that walls in many hospitals are green. It lowers the blood pressure and brings down the stress level. Possibly it reminds us of vegetation, our originally natural habitat. Yet "hospital green" is much paler than vegetation.
In Celtic culture there was the Green Man, a fertility god in whose name sexual orgies were celebrated during Beltane. That was a celebration, a fertility rite, where all sexual restriction was laid aside. In a previous article, I wrote:
“*Children born nine months later were considered as fathered by "Robin", and, at least in later Celtic times, they were given the surname "Robinson". Robin Hood, as named Robin, has some connection with this folklore, although it is not clear exactly how. Also note that he is traditionally dressed in green.”*
This quote is from The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer, where you can read more about this tradition. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
There is another Celtic stream where green is the symbol of darkness, death and evil.
In Medieval England, green was associated with prostitutes and sex - certainly a Celtic influence, and later also with witches and the supernatural. This symbolic colour is used also by modern witches in the Wicca movement. Moreover, green is claimed to be the colour of the stone which had fallen from the crown of Lucifer. This idea was more widely disseminated by Marion Green as late as 1991, but builds on older sources.
Green was also seen as preceding black: life preceded death. The sense that green was an omen of death was so strong that wearing green at, for example, weddings, was viewed as a taboo. This has been expressed as *"Black follows green"*; *"Wear green and soon you'll wear black"*; *"Buy a green dress and your next will be black for mourning"*; or *"Wear green today, wear black tomorrow".*
In Egypt green ["wahdj"] was, not surprisingly, a symbol of new life and growth. The association with nature's green vegetation is too striking to be ignored. Almost every culture has this connection in one way or another. It is also a colour associated with Osiris, who is not only black, but also *"The Great Green"*.
The eye of Horus ["wadjet"] had protective, even healing powers - and it was often made of green stone. They also used to say "to do green things", which meant to act with a positive attitude.
A common source of green was malachite ["wahdj", which actually means green], but they also used the synthetic verdigris ["hes-byah"], made by corrosion of copper, and chryscola.
Turquoise ["mefkhat"] was made from the stone with that name. The goddess Hathor was the Lady of Turquoise. In ancient Persia, turquoise was used to ward of the evil eye. This colour is calming.
In Chinese tradition, green has the lowest status of all colours. During the Han dynasty (206BC-220AD), it was, together with cyan, the colour of the clothes of common people.
During the Tang dynasty, officers and officials marked their rank by the colour of their uniforms. Green was the lowest, although it seems that there was no humiliation involved. Then criminal punishment came to include having to wear a green hat for a specific time. At that point it began to be really sensitive and clearly humiliating.
From 1345 on, prostitutes had to wear specific clothes in purple and black, while the male members of their families had to wear green hats. This regulation has been abolished in modern China, but no man voluntarily wears a green hat. Actually, a man is said to "wear a green hat" if his wife is unfaithful.
In Buddhism it is the colour of action, a symbol of Amoghasiddhi.
The green of Islam, which symbolises perfect faith, and more than any other colour is associated with this religion, has many explanations. One is that the prophet's cloak was green, or that his tribe had a green banner. Green is also mentioned in the Qur'an, as it is stated that believers in paradise are dressed in green:
*They have deserved gardens of Eden wherein rivers flow. They will be adorned therein with bracelets of gold, and will wear clothes of green silk and velvet, and will rest on comfortable furnishings. What a wonderful reward; what a wonderful abode!*
[Surah 18:31]
*On them will be clothes of green velvet, satin, and silver ornaments. Their Lord will provide them with pure drinks.*
[Surah 76:21]
Green occurs on many Muslim flags. See more about that in Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b
Then there is the pre-Islamic figure, "Al-Khidr", the Green Man. He is said to have eternal life, and has often been identified *"the nameless servant of God"*, as is mentioned in the Qur'an, in Surah 18: 60-82. Read more about Al-Khidr in The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
Related articles:
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
Vexillology & Heraldry https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267
Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(Lead image: Butterbur Leaf Veins, by Mabel Amber/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
Here you can find my articles about Folklore & Legends, and about Colour. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#folklore-amp-legends https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/reversing-cardiovascular-disease-it-can-be-done-4fa304a4
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb
Suggested Reading 8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-8-7c4d3ed8
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iodine-molybdenum-zinc-copper-manganese-9f4e9305
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
Reversing Cardiovascular Disease - It Can Be Done!
The medical establishment always believed that atherosclerosis and cardiovascular (related to heart and blood vessels) degeneration were irreversible. To some extent they still do. This is most definitely wrong. It is not only possible to stop the degenerative process, but also to reverse it, dissolve plaques and restore vascular health. It will not happen over night, but with a little persistence it is possible.
The first thing to do is to get the blood fats in order and to stop further degeneration. I have discussed that on several occasions, so we will not go into detail about it this time. Let's concentrate on the reversal instead, what heals the vascular system? What does actually reverse atherosclerosis?
***HDL cholesterol***, the good cholesterol, has proved to repair damaged tissue. That means everything that raises the level of HDL cholesterol is useful. ***Lecithin***, ***Omega-3 fatty acids***, ***light exercise*** (like walking), are a few examples. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-2-of-2-873ba37f#vi-cholesterol https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/walk-or-die-b58d30c4
High dose ***Nicotinic acid*** has an almost miraculous effect on the blood vessels. It lowers the bad cholesterol and raises the good, it lowers the blood pressure (if it is high) and dissolves vascular plaques. Finally, it restores damaged arteries. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33
To reach that effect relatively quickly, doses in excess of 1000mg per day are required. This is normally safe up to 2000mg, but there is a slight risk for liver damage, so don't take doses over 1000mg for any prolonged time without having the function of your liver monitored while you do.
***The Budwig Protocol***, with its mix of linseed (oil) and quark, is known mainly for its use in cancer treatment, but was originally designed for cardiovascular disease. It dissolves vascular plaques and restores the arteries. I will further discuss this cure in a forthcoming article.
Indeed, many, perhaps all, ***anthocyanins*** and ***proanthocyanidins*** to some degree support restoration of damaged arteries and capillaries. Those substances are colour pigments of many fruits, berries, vegetables and flowers, with red-violet-blue colours, such as: red beets, red cabbage, eggplant, blueberries/bilberries, radishes, red apples, cherries, hawthorn, cranberry, red wine, and grape seeds. Also the pigment giving roses their colour. Not to mention ***hibiscus***, whose flowers give a blood red tea, which is very good for the blood vessels. ***Pommegranate,*** also getting its colour from anthocyanins, most certainly supports arterial restoration as well. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074#pigments-bioflavonoids
Extract from pine bark or grape seeds are sold as supplements to provide phenolic compounds such as ***procyanidins*** and ***monomers***, so called ***OPCs*** (Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins). ***Pycnogenol®***, which is prepared by pine bark, has been used in a large number of studies. Results indicate that it supports reparation of arterial injury and contributes to well functioning and healthy blood vessels.
Vitamins E and C play a role as well, although it is less clear how. They are both antioxidants, but there is more to it than that.
***Vitamin E*** strengthens the blood vessels and improves their elasticity, while it is also generally healing. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
For its well-known ability to protect against stroke and heart attack, the dose must be high. 400 I.U. per day for a long time is the minimum. It takes several years of full supplementation until the desired effect is reached. There is good reason to believe that the dose must be much higher than that to facilitate a reversal of already present vessel injuries.
As for vitamin C, I wrote the following in “Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does”: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
“*There is a theory, promoted by Matthias Raath, that atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke are a form of chronic scurvy, caused by long-term vitamin deficiency. This is not an uncontroversial idea, but it has its merits. Scurvy or not, I think Dr. Raath is on the right track here.*
*According to this paradigm, ascorbic acid lowers the cholesterol by removing the need for it. Much of the cholesterol is formed to repair damaged vessels. If they are in good shape (as they will be if you take enough vitamin C), there is no need for it.”*
The validity of this theory notwithstanding, I think high dose ***Vitamin C*** has a function in every regimen aiming at reversing atherosclerosis.
*If you suffer from atherosclerosis and cardiovascular degeneration, don't give up; there is good reason to assume that you can become well again - and then I don't mean that you can just survive, but that you can restore cardiovascular health. It just requires self-discipline, patience and persistence; it will take a long time and advance gradually in very small steps. You need to change the habits giving you this degenerative disease in the first place. Eat healthy, exercise healthy, don't smoke, avoid alcohol (except perhaps a minute amount), avoid negative stress, and take suitable supplements.*
Related Articles:
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 1 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 2 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-2-of-2-873ba37f
Co-Enzyme Q10 & Carnitine https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565
Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Copyright © 2014, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(Lead image: Photo by congerdesign/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been digitally enhanced.)*
Here you find my articles related to nutrients & supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.) and here to health & medicine. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laws-principles-of-absurdity-perversity-f7fcb9fb
Suggested Reading 8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-8-7c4d3ed8
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iodine-molybdenum-zinc-copper-manganese-9f4e9305
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
Suggested Reading 7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-7-73db0a65
Laws & Principles of Absurdity & Perversity
I suppose you all know what a Law of Nature is, but have you ever heard about Laws of Absurdity/Perversity? Perhaps you have some time come across Murphy's law, and then you have a clue to what this is about. "If anything can go wrong, it will". That sort of absurd and perverse reality is the subject of these laws.
A considerable number of people have been dedicating their time and ingenuity to find and formulate the operating principles of the absurdity and perversity of life.
Various lists of these laws and principles have been and are circulated in the media, in books, and on the internet – the original sources are mostly impossible to establish with any degree of certainty. In that respect, they resemble proverbs or adages.
The lists sometimes contain huge amounts of sentences of various quality - some good, some bad. I would not call them all laws though. The beauty of a law lies in its simplicity and its general applicability. If it is too specific, it is losing its general or universal nature. No matter how good it is then, it no longer belongs among the laws.
Anyway, below you find some I like - law or not, who cares? Remember that ultimately laws and principles of absurdity and perversity are matters of humour – but, of course: at the bottom, ***all genuine humour is deadly serious...***
From Murphy's Law on Perversity:
*Nothing is as easy as it looks.*
*Everything takes longer than you expect.*
*If anything can go wrong, it will.*
*Left to themselves, all things go from bad to worse.*
*If you work on a thing long enough to improve it, it will break.*
O'Tool's commentary to Murphy's law:
*Murphy was an optimist.*
Drucker's Law:
*If one thing goes wrong, everything else will, and at the same time.*
Non-reciprocal Laws of Expectations:
*Negative expectations yield negative results.*
*Positive expectations yield negative results.*
The Unspeakable Laws:
*As soon as you mention something...*
*...if it's good, it goes away. ...if it's bad, it happens.*
Maier's Law:
*If the facts do not confirm to the theory, they must be disposed of.*
Hoare's Law of Large Problems:
*Inside every large problem is a small problem struggling to get out.*
Segal's Law:
*A man with one watch knows what time it is. A man with two watches is never sure.*
Peter Principle:
*In a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence.*
Parkinson's Law:
*Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.*
Sturgeon's Law:
*Nothing is always absolutely so.*
Whitehead's Law:
*The obvious answer is always overlooked.*
The Carpenter's Rule:
*Cut to fit; beat into place.*
Teller's Commentary:
*Whoever learns to control the weather will have destroyed the last safe topic of conversation.*
Stovall's Law of Negative Inaction:
*The only thing wrong with doing nothing is that you never know when you're finished.*
Souder's Law:
*Repetition does not establish validity.*
Steinmetz's Rumination:
*There are no foolish questions, and no man becomes a fool until he stops asking questions.*
Rule of Reason:
*If nobody uses it, there's a reason.*
Larkinson's Law:
*All laws are basically false.*
Murphy's law, and many other (although not all) Laws of Absurdity/Perversity are over-pessimistic. As such, they should not be taken too seriously. If you really believe in Murphy's law, your mindset will be too negative for success in life. See these rules as expressions of humour.
But who was Murphy, the man who gave his name to the most common and famous of the Laws of Perversity? Has he really existed?
Yes, he has.
The real Murphy was Captain Edward A. Murphy. He was an engineer, working with research in a project called “Air Force Project MX981“, in 1949. After finding an error in how a transducer was wired, he should have said about the responsible man that "If there is any way to do it wrong, he'll find it." This would be the reason why it came to be called Murphy's law.
This. however, only refers to the name, the law itself, expressed as we mostly hear it (“If anything can go wrong, it will”), was known before, often called Sod's Law. It seems to have been around in Yorkshire for hundreds of years, but I have no idea from where it first came.
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(Lead image by 愚木混株 Cdd20/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
Here you find my articles about Quotes, Proverbs & Sayings. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#quotes-proverbs-sayings
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 8 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-8-7c4d3ed8
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iodine-molybdenum-zinc-copper-manganese-9f4e9305
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
Suggested Reading 7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-7-73db0a65
Old Language & Distorted Text https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-language-distorted-text-64332ca2
Suggested Reading 8
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
In this edition of Suggested Reading, we begin with Meta, mega and mastery, all the good words in crypto start with M lately (weekly crypto updates), which is a compilation of some recent crypto news, written by @H3ruvim78. Not all-encompassing, but definitely worth the while to read. https://read.cash/@H3ruvim78/meta-mega-and-mastery-all-the-good-words-in-crypto-start-with-m-lately-weekly-crypto-updates-3f885892
Then a warning from @TruSuccessXpert: Sam Altman's Worldcoin Wants Your Eyes, Beware! The warning is about allowing anyone to scan your retina, but it really goes for all biometric information used for identification. This article is a must read for those of you who values privacy. In spite of too long paragraphs, which makes the text look massive for readers not used to heavy texts, it is well written and expresses the main idea clearly. According to the information provided, it is an article by “Predictable Future“, posted, with due permission, by @TruSuccessXpert. https://read.cash/@TruSuccessXpert https://read.cash/@TruSuccessXpert/sam-altmans-worldcoin-wants-your-eyes-beware-b6e5ebaf
An article by relatively new member @Debesh: Fiat Versus Cryptocurrencies. This is not a deep or advanced comparison, but it is clear and definitely useful for those not yet grasping what cryptocurrency is. https://read.cash/@Debesh https://read.cash/@Debesh/fiat-versus-cryptocurrencies-902f4029
Those who know me, know that I would never touch Facebook, not even with a pair of tongs. However, a lot of people do, and many of them are naive as to its consequences for their privacy. I recommend you read Facebook is tracking your activities! by @Success.1. https://read.cash/@Success.1/facebook-is-tracking-your-activities-4ce12e85
Speaking about Facebook, take a look at their new project, Meta. @Amoryarte explains Meta and Metaverse in Facebook's New Brand, 'Meta', Launches Them Into The Metaverse. https://read.cash/@Amoryarte https://read.cash/@Amoryarte/facebooks-new-brand-meta-launches-them-into-the-metaverse-fc70fb25
The history of currency is related in three articles by @ChrissCrypto. The material is over 8 months old, but well worth reading. In a concise way, it covers most aspects of the topic: https://read.cash/@ChrissCrypto
History of Currency - Introduction https://read.cash/@ChrissCrypto/history-of-currency-introduction-e0c9cbe0
History of Currency - Part 1/2 https://read.cash/@ChrissCrypto/history-of-currency-part-12-ac6e64f6
History of Currency - Part 2/2 https://read.cash/@ChrissCrypto/history-of-currency-part-22-b8c5bdb8
@aniruddhasen recently posted The low and middle class mindset programming , which is one of the best articles the recent week. He also posted another article, Evolutionary defects in human body, which ought to be read by everyone who believes evolution to evolve perfect organisms. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-low-and-middle-class-mindset-programming-e2a3b39a https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/evolutionary-defects-in-human-body-078bb6d8
Who are the Anti-vaxxers? wonders @n00b in a recent post. https://read.cash/@n00b/who-are-the-anti-vaxxers-389fe6ec
@Gemstone discusses an interesting philosophical question: Treating Ideas As Psychic Entities. It makes me think of Ludwig von Mises and what he wrote in his “Theory and History”: https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/treating-ideas-as-psychic-entities-5fbcdc5f
*"Thoughts and ideas are not phantoms, they are real things. Although intangible and immaterial, they are factors in bringing about changes in the realm of tangible and material things."*
@Olawale4967 has written a good series in 3 parts: https://read.cash/@Olawale4967
Essential Life Lessons Everyone Should Learn Early on in Life[Part 1] https://read.cash/@Olawale4967/essential-life-lessons-everyone-should-learn-early-on-in-lifepart-1-36dee385
Essential Life Lesson Everyone Should Learn Early on in Life[Part 2] https://read.cash/@Olawale4967/essential-life-lesson-everyone-should-learn-early-on-in-lifepart-2-d97d5e3e
Essential Life Lessons Everyone Should Learn Early on in Life[part 3] https://read.cash/@Olawale4967/essential-life-lessons-everyone-should-learn-early-on-in-lifepart-3-dfe4cf98
@Pearlkel published 2 interesting posts the last few days: https://read.cash/@Pearlkel
Place Of The Talking Drum, which reflects an expression of African culture: the talking drum. https://read.cash/@Pearlkel/place-of-the-talking-drum-84ac7293
Silence Is Golden, where the title is self-explanatory – and I certainly agree with what the author states there. https://read.cash/@Pearlkel/silence-is-golden-175a5414
@Blogika claims that Natural beauty is the foundation of a happy relationship. It is really refreshing to see someone who marks her distance to the artificial ideals which are so dominating in contemporary society. But it's not only a statement of opinion, she presents a consistent basis for her opinion(s). https://read.cash/@Blogika https://read.cash/@Blogika/natural-beauty-is-the-foundation-of-a-happy-relationship-9a582b68
In The Strength of Being an Outsider (by choice), I have previously written about how I am lacking herd mentality, so I also like what @remona says in Stepping outside the Crowd - Okay or not? | Sharing my life story as an example. She found strength in stepping out of the crowd, as she expresses it. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-strength-of-being-an-outsider-by-choice-0afbebe4 https://read.cash/@remona https://read.cash/@remona/stepping-outside-the-crowd-okay-or-not-sharing-my-life-story-as-an-example-6cc8576d
You’re So Old! Must Be Time for You to Die. (An Opinion Piece) by @cmoneyspinner might trigger some self-reflection. https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner/youre-so-old-must-be-time-for-you-to-die-an-opinion-piece-3c068e70
@daffaputra writes about the cobra effect in Dangerous Cobras. (No, it is not primarily about snakes!) https://read.cash/@daffaputra https://read.cash/@daffaputra/dangerous-cobras-7d900a62
In Mirror: A portal to the other world, @Argent writes about mirrors as a portal to another world. It is fascinating with the many aspects of mirrors in human culture, just think of Snow White or how vampires are said to be without reflection in a mirror. A long time ago I published Magic Mirror on the Wall, where I discussed many aspects of mirrors, however not directly in the way @Argent brings up this subject in her article. https://read.cash/@Argent/mirror-a-portal-to-the-other-world-9e9c3ff0 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/magic-mirror-on-the-wall-8d437cb3
“*What does a mirror look at?”*
(Frank Herbert, Chapterhouse: Dune)
The quotation is from the 6th book in Frank Herbert's epic about “Dune”, and it serves as a bridge from mirrors to the next subject.
@nomadghada reviews the movie Dune (2021) in Dune (2021) is the best adaption ever. I will not discuss any version of Dune more here, I have expressed my opinion about the book series before. https://read.cash/@nomadghada https://read.cash/@nomadghada/dune-2021-is-the-best-adaption-ever-b523950f https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/how-i-discovered-science-fiction-a-green-brain-dune-29a4c49
Another review, this time of a book, comes from @Librarian; he discusses King's Cujo by Stephen King: King's Cujo. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/kings-cujo-5cb996c3
In another post, the same author is Presenting Alfred Hitchcock Presents, a unique series with a unique personality – the Grand Old Master of horror and suspense movies. https://read.cash/@Librarian/presenting-alfred-hitchcock-presents-07fc6d5b
Dune is science fiction, so this a couple of months old article can be suitable: The History of Science Fiction by @NakamotoBch. The same author also wrote 5 Sci-Fi Books Made Into Movies Worth Seeing. https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/the-history-of-science-fiction-c80dad85 https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/5-sci-fi-books-made-into-movies-worth-seeing-3f81f482
@Infinity writes about ta book: The illustrated devil. I had never heard about this book before, and since I am interested in books, I found this being an interesting article. https://read.cash/@Infinity https://read.cash/@Infinity/the-illustrated-devil-8654983f
Rainbow Lover is a post, in which @ErdoV praises reading and how extensive reading develops certain abilities in the reader. I think @ErdoV is right, reading expands the mind in many ways. https://read.cash/@ErdoV/rainbow-lover-910b7991
Finally 2 articles about history:
The thousand-year history of the pen by @ilias. It's quite well summing up the history of the pen, even if some years have become wrong in the text. The post is 11 months old, and the author has not logged in for a month. https://read.cash/@ilias/the-thousand-year-history-of-the-pen-7c22a32c
The second history article, on the other hand, is the first post of an entirely new member: Romanian Historical Sites: Neamț Citadel by @seba77. https://read.cash/@seba77/romanian-historical-sites-neamt-citadel-dd1990b8
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iodine-molybdenum-zinc-copper-manganese-9f4e9305
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
Suggested Reading 7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-7-73db0a65
Old Language & Distorted Text https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-language-distorted-text-64332ca2
Animals' Sense of Smell https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animals-sense-of-smell-766c8339
Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese
*Today I discuss five nutritionally important minerals: Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Copper, & Manganese.*
I. Iodine
Iodine is best known for its importance for the thyroid gland; and it is a part of the thyroid hormone, thyroxine. It regulates growth and the speed of all physical and mental processes, including the metabolism - and it is essential for the production of vitamin A from carotenes.
Deficiency causes goitre. Then all mental and physical processes become slow and ineffective.
A suitable dose for supplementation is 150 mcg per day. 2-3 times that dose is not dangerous, but one should not go too high. The thyroid can become over-stimulated.
Some natural sources: kelp and seafood, garlic, melon, spinach.
In most parts of the world, commercially bought salt is iodised. This is done to combat deficiency, which threatens almost everywhere, except where the consumption of seafood is high.
II. Molybdenum
Molybdenum has shown to protect from tracheal cancer. (There is no reason to believe that to be the only form of cancer it affects, but more studies are needed about this.) It is essential for normal formation of uric acid – probably a deficiency can contribute to development of gout. Moreover, it is necessary for fluoride to bind to the enamel of the teeth.
An interesting detail about molybdenum is that it is one of those elements that are relatively rare on earth, in relation to human comparatively higher need. In some circles this has been seen as indicative of an extraterrestrial origin of humankind, which would have developed in an environment richer in this element than earth is. Highly speculative, of course.
150-300 mcg per day is a suitable dose. Higher doses than that can wash out Copper and cause a therapeutic Copper deficiency. In this way it can also be used to wash out excess Copper from the body.
Some natural sources: wheat germ, sunflower seeds, beans, eggs, onions.
III. Zinc, Copper, & Manganese
These and many other elements are essential for a large number of enzymes; one way or another they are involved in all systems of the body. A list of all the functions, or even most of them, would make long and tedious reading, so let me just mention a few points about them.
**Zinc** is a central antioxidant, and strongly indicated for prostate protection. A deficiency of Zinc seems to be a strong contributing factor for prostate enlargement. Further, Zinc is healing, even externally. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-prostate-health-illness-7271a808
Some sources: brewer's yeast, wheat germ, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, herring, oysters, eggs, oats.
**Copper** should be used with some caution. Unless it is accompanied by a proper amount of Zinc, it can build up in the brain. Excess Copper can enter the body through water delivered via Copper pipes (should be avoided, if possible).
In proper quantity, it is essential for the formation of pigments; and for vascular health, hormonal balance, and immunity.
Some sources: Nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, figs, peas, beans, raisins, fish, water pipes.
**Manganese** is involved in the glucose regulation (together with Chromium), and is important for formation of uric acid, hormonal balance, the nervous system, and cancer prevention. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e#ii-chromium
In addition to that, Manganese protects against tooth decay, and Molybdenum contributes too. I have previously mentioned that; in “Dentistry - A Modern Luxury? Why Do We Need It?”, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dentistry-a-modern-luxury-why-do-we-need-it-357f88b3
*“The enamel is a special tissue, since it is mainly nourished from the outside. The saliva contains enzymes and substances for repairing and hardening it. Getting a well-balanced saliva requires proper nutrition in the first place. A deficiency of e.g. manganese will manifest itself as an increased frequency of caries, because the saliva contains a compound based on manganese, which protects the enamel. Another element, molybdenum, is required for the enamel to assimilate fluoride, just to mention a few.”*
Some natural sources of Manganese: brewer's yeast, wheat germ, kelp, nuts, bananas, cherries, parsley, artichokes, celery.
For healthy individuals, safe daily doses for supplementation are:
*Zinc: 15-60 mg; over 150 mg Zinc becomes toxic.*
*Copper: 2 mg - not more unless you take at least 30 mg Zinc too.*
*Manganese: 5-10 mg, Toxic level not established.*
Other articles related to vitamins/nutrients:
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 1 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 2 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-2-of-2-873ba37f
Why Dietary Supplements are Needed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c
Supplements, Getting Them Right: Some Points to Consider https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/supplements-getting-them-right-some-points-to-consider-b4d57960
Iron & Cancer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iron-cancer-3ab080b8
Co-Enzyme Q10 & Carnitine https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565
Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Nutrients that Protect Your Eyes from Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lutein-zeaxanthin-nutrients-that-protect-your-eyes-from-ageing-9a87f2a3
Not Only Beta-Carotene: Carotenoids (Carotenes & Xanthophylls) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
Salicylic Acid: Is Aspirin a Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/salicylic-acid-is-aspirin-a-vitamin-61990a03
Vitamin A - Function & Need https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-a-function-need-c8e8169e
Vitamin D – Underrated Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-d-underrated-vitamin-5ca83053
Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
*Copyright © 2006-2017, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(Lead image: Photo by Damian Konietzny/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
Here you find my articles related to nutrients & supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.) and here to health & medicine. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/selenium-chromium-important-for-your-health-de84988e
Suggested Reading 7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-7-73db0a65
Old Language & Distorted Text https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-language-distorted-text-64332ca2
Animals' Sense of Smell https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animals-sense-of-smell-766c8339
Retrospection 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-11-7e9b3a18
Selenium & Chromium: Important for Your Health
*Today I will discuss two minerals, which are both important for our health: Selenium and Chromium, involved in the prevention of as well cancer as diabetes. Supplementation might be wise.*
I. Selenium
Selenium is an important nutrient with several known and well documented functions and qualities.
It is a powerful antioxidant, with a very strong preventive effect against several forms of cancer, especially (but not necessarily limited to) cancer in urinary organs, stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines, liver, and skin.
On a cellular level, it is an important supplement to cancer treatment. A cancer cell is characterised by a lack of respiration and a metabolism based on fermentation. For a healthy cell it is the other way around.
Selenium blocks undesirable fermentation and stimulates healthy respiration. It becomes harder for cancer cells to survive and the preconditions for healthy cells to thrive improves.
Further, Selenium stimulates detoxification. It plays an important role in the protection from environmental pollution and chemicals; and it removes certain toxic heavy metals from the body; most notably mercury and cadmium.
Its effect on the immune system is astonishing. It has shown to increase the number of immune-related blood corpuscles, thus strengthening the defence against debris and alien micro organisms.
For maximal synergy, Selenium should be taken together with vitamin E, and preferably with vitamins A and C too. Lack of gastric acid can disturb intestinal absorption of Selenium. If you think you have that tendency, take ascorbic acid (vitamin C) along with your Selenium. This will temporary increase gastric acidity and reduce the risk of failed absorption.
High dose Selenium is toxic. Once I was involved in a murder investigation where long-term high dose Selenium had been used to kill someone. (No, I was not one of the suspects!) It was very difficult to detect this since Selenium is no alien substance in the body. It could very well have passed as death by natural cause.
Yet the great fear of taking too much of this powerful nutrient is exaggerated. Many sources state daily 200 mcg (note: microgrammes) as maximum - I would say that it is minimum. You need to take over 2000 mcg daily for a long time before reaching a dangerous level.
For a healthy individual, a suitable dose for supplementation is 200-1000 mcg per day. If you feel uncomfortable with the risk of toxicity or if you are unused to high dose supplementation of nutrients, do not exceed 1000 mcg per day.
Some good natural sources of Selenium are: brewer's yeast; kelp and various forms of seafood; garlic and onions; buckwheat; whole grains; eggs; and mushrooms.
It is important to note that the level of Selenium in the soil determines how much there is in the food grown there. This makes everything grown in especially Selenium-poor soils worthless in this respect.
Here I want to take the opportunity to warn you against a common error, which is not harmless when dealing with a potentially toxic substance. In literature, it is not uncommon that mcg are mistakenly written as mg. (1mg is 1000mcg.)
If the author means to tell you to take 200mcg Selenium per day, but states 200mg, that would mean 200000mcg - a clearly toxic dose! Such an error can be dangerous, and it makes me think of the words of Mark Twain: "Be careful while reading health books, you might die of a misprint." I would say, think of what you are reading. If you find that you would need to take 100 or maybe 1000 tablets per day to reach the dose you want, then it is time to consider if something in your information might be wrong. This comment ought to be superfluous, but you cannot imagine what people can get into their heads !!
Selenium is not only an important nutrient, it has always served technical purposes as well. One of its most interesting properties is that it is sensitive to light. Its electrical conductivity changes with changing light intensity. This is the basis for the photo electric Selenium cell, which has previously been used in many devices. One application of this was early electric musical instruments, such as Spielmann's Super Piano (1927).
II. Chromium
Chromium is essential for the metabolism of glucose (sugar). It is a part of GTF (Glucose Tolerance Factor), a substance stored in the liver. Further, Chromium is present in and on all cells.
Insulin is inactive until Chromium binds to it. For a healthy individual, the levels of Chromium and insulin in the blood increase when the glucose level does. For a diabetic, the level of Chromium does not.
How far a deficiency of Chromium is a contributory factor to diabetes is unclear. It certainly disturbs the glucose metabolism, which includes that of alcohol. (After all, alcohol is nothing but further refined sugar.)
Chromium is important for the reparation of damaged RNA/DNA, for healthy eyes, and seems to have a role in preventing atherosclerosis. (More research is needed here.)
As a supplement, 200 mcg (0.2mg) per day is a suitable dose. Toxicity has not been established, but I would suggest that you never take more than 1000 mcg.
Some good natural sources are: brewer's yeast, black pepper, wheat germ, apricots, raisins, almonds, cheese.
Other articles related to vitamins/nutrients:
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 1 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 2 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-2-of-2-873ba37f
Why Dietary Supplements are Needed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c
Supplements, Getting Them Right: Some Points to Consider https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/supplements-getting-them-right-some-points-to-consider-b4d57960
Iron & Cancer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iron-cancer-3ab080b8
Co-Enzyme Q10 & Carnitine https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565
Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Nutrients that Protect Your Eyes from Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lutein-zeaxanthin-nutrients-that-protect-your-eyes-from-ageing-9a87f2a3
Not Only Beta-Carotene: Carotenoids (Carotenes & Xanthophylls) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
Salicylic Acid: Is Aspirin a Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/salicylic-acid-is-aspirin-a-vitamin-61990a03
Vitamin A - Function & Need https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-a-function-need-c8e8169e
Vitamin D – Underrated Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-d-underrated-vitamin-5ca83053
Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
*Copyright © 2006-2017, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(Lead image: Photo by Arek Socha/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
*Here you find my articles related to* *nutrients & supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.)* *and here to* *health & medicine**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-7-73db0a65
Old Language & Distorted Text https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-language-distorted-text-64332ca2
Animals' Sense of Smell https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animals-sense-of-smell-766c8339
Retrospection 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-11-7e9b3a18
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Suggested Reading 7
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
Let's begin with International Coalition Fails to Address Ransomware by @M.Rosenquist, an author whose articles are always relevant for the crypto community. The only thing that disturbs me, is that they are sometimes just introducing a video. But that is my own taste, not a statement of objective quality; personally I like to read, not being referred to a video, and this author's texts usually convey the message anyway. There are others, being much worse in that respect (no names mentioned). https://read.cash/@M.Rosenquist/international-coalition-fails-to-address-ransomware-3d8e6d6a
@Jnavedan wrote Keep the internet open with reflections on the future of internet. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/keep-the-internet-open-a4a42f43
Hard working member @Fexonice1, who has been here a long time and always publish well written material, wrote two recently released articles I would like to mention: Bitcoin can, and will be shut down by government and Four major excuses you must deal with if you want to be successful in life. This is a member who has evolved much as a writer during his time here. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1 https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/bitcoin-can-and-will-be-shut-down-by-government-14d719f2 https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/four-major-excuses-you-must-deal-with-if-you-want-to-be-successful-in-life-8a24f62b
We have 3 read-worthy articles by @aniruddhasen: The spirit of crypto, about the revolution, of which we are all a part, and its effects; The darker side, where he discusses the always present dark side of the human nature, a side of cruelty, oppression, violence, torture and killings; and Mind control through mass psychosis., about something that is going on around us all the time. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-spirit-of-crypto-529f0ed1 https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-darker-side-f80e2561 https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/mind-control-through-mass-psychosis-91891da5
@sleepyjey discusses divisiveness and its destructive power in The Power Of Divisiveness. Reading this makes me think of the old Roman principle, "divide et impera", divide and rule. People in power has good reason to stimulate such divisiveness in order to practise their power more easily. Small divided groups disliking (perhaps hating) each other are easier to control and dominate than a large group of people working together. Dividing people is realpolitik, and we will not get rid of that unless we get rid of politics as we know it today. https://read.cash/@sleepyjey https://read.cash/@sleepyjey/the-power-of-divisiveness-092abe41
@ClDvor, an old member who recently returned, made a strong comeback with a series of 3 motivational articles: https://read.cash/@ClDvor
The Words You Need to Hear. https://read.cash/@ClDvor/the-words-you-need-to-hear-d6ff0b16
Words You Need to Hear 2 https://read.cash/@ClDvor/words-you-need-to-hear-2-410c1485
The Words You Need to Hear 3. ( Final Words) https://read.cash/@ClDvor/the-words-you-need-to-hear-3-final-words-4ff3df70
On a related theme, @Bjorn recently published Criticize Yourself Often. It is about how criticism helps us to become better. https://read.cash/@Bjorn https://read.cash/@Bjorn/criticize-yourself-often-dccaeb97
@VoluntaryJapan explains what voluntaryism is in What Is Voluntaryism?. https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan/what-is-voluntaryism-4c287f01
A new member, @Ash458, wrote The Toxic World of Online Fake Gurus!, about an ever actual subject. The article is not extensive and doesn't profoundly analyse anything, but it is this author's first article here, and its message is one everyone should share. https://read.cash/@Ash458 https://read.cash/@Ash458/the-toxic-world-of-online-fake-gurus-07da39af
Another new member, who also has published only one article here yet, is @remona, and the article is We cannot do 'Everything' but we can do 'Something'. @remona argues that if you can only do a little for a good purpose, it is still meaningful to do it. https://read.cash/@remona https://read.cash/@remona/we-cannot-do-everything-but-we-can-do-something-6ec692c6
@turuncu writes about Freedom of saying I don't know! This is somewhat related to my own Is Ignorance Better Than Knowledge?, although from another perspective. https://read.cash/@turuncu https://read.cash/@turuncu/freedom-of-saying-i-dont-know-954b5ccf https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/is-ignorance-better-than-knowledge-21aac619
In Life creating content, @MicroReylatos writes about the low “professional” prestige there is in being a content creator. Most people think it is easy, not ta real work such as lawyer of physician. https://read.cash/@MicroReylatos/life-creating-content-dbc7f697
In Stream Of Consciousness: What Is The Mind Like Of A Creative Writer, @Peter-Molnar analyses the mind of a creative writer. This is a really good article, which I highly recommend. https://read.cash/@Peter-Molnar/stream-of-consciousness-what-is-the-mind-like-of-a-creative-writer-4b6ddf3f
@sj0820 claims that Silence isn't empty : Silence is a peaceful center of life. I fully agree. https://read.cash/@sj0820 https://read.cash/@sj0820/silence-isnt-empty-silence-is-a-peaceful-center-of-life-62e674fc
@Stainless_BCH writes about 7 things to carry like a crate of egg . Not deep, but thought-worthy. https://read.cash/@Stainless_BCH https://read.cash/@Stainless_BCH/7-things-to-carry-like-a-crate-of-egg-f9015931
Another lighter article which is worth the while to read is 21 Things I Learned by @cherrynwine. https://read.cash/@cherrynwine/21-things-i-learned-1a5744ab
Some poetic reflections by @Yelenab: Time... https://read.cash/@Yelenab https://read.cash/@Yelenab/time-96ee69a7
How about some history? @ceky321 writes about Isabella of Castile and Ferdinand of Aragon and the creation of Spain in A wedding that united two powerful kingdoms. https://read.cash/@ceky321 https://read.cash/@ceky321/a-wedding-that-united-two-powerful-kingdoms-d1aa9b3a
In The Théâtre des Vampires, @Librarian analyses Anne Rice's “*Vampire Chronicles*“, a book series which is one of the best known works of modern vampire literature, perhaps the most important one since Bram Stoker's *“Dracula”*. https://read.cash/@Librarian/the-theatre-des-vampires-58998511 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-ultimate-vampire-aed59cec
And here another article related to vampires: Dracula Moonlight Sonata by the same author. https://read.cash/@Librarian/dracula-moonlight-sonata-35e4f373
Speaking of vampires, here we have a review of a vampire movie: Black As Night by @Jaxson. https://read.cash/@Jaxson/black-as-night-cb0f0a3a
The same author also published Are We Heading for Unprecedented Territory with Vaccine related AIDS?, which is a very important article. I, myself skeptical about covid-19 vaccine, which has been pushed in rocket speed through incomplete tests & research, just get my expectations confirmed by results as these. https://read.cash/@Jaxson/are-we-heading-for-unprecedented-territory-with-vaccine-related-aids-7bd95ea1
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Old Language & Distorted Text https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-language-distorted-text-64332ca2
Animals' Sense of Smell https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animals-sense-of-smell-766c8339
Retrospection 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-11-7e9b3a18
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Old Language & Distorted Text
*In this article, I will discuss two things related to language: old language and distorted language.*
Old Text
This is from the anonymous English Tudor comedy ***Jacke Jugeler*** (Oldest known editions are from the 1560s.)
*"Tyll he came at a corner by a shoop's stall*
*Wher boies were at dice, faryng at all.*
*When Careawaye with that good cumpany met,*
*He fell to faring withouten let,*
*Forgettyng his message, and so well dyd he fare*
*That whan I came bye, he gan swere and stare*
*And ful bitterly began to curse*
*As oone that had lost almost all in his porse,*
*For I knowe his olde gise and condicyon*
*Never to leave tyll all his mony bee goon,*
*For he hath no mony but what he doth stell*
*And that woll he plaie awaie every dell."*
The language confuses and fascinates many modern readers. A few words are hard to understand due to an archaic spelling.
For instance "faryng", which is a game played with dice on those times - playing at fare. "Withouten let" means without restraint; and "dell" is bit, piece, or deal.
I must admit that I like this archaic style; that is, when it suits the subject, not otherwise. I shudder when I see old texts carelessly and insensitively modernised, by which much of their specific character is lost. If it is 500 years old, let it be visible!
Chaucer (ca.1343-1400), for instance, what would be left of his personality if he were brought to modern language? Is not the style part of his charm?
*He was a veray parfit gentil knight.*
(Canterbury Tales. Prologue.)
*Ful wel she sange the service devine,*
*Entuned in hire nose ful swetely;*
*And Frenche she spake ful fayre and fetisly,*
*After the scole of Stratford atte bowe,*
*For Frenche of Paris was to hire unknowe.*
(Canterbury Tales. Prologue.)
*For May wol have no slogardie a-night.*
*The seson priketh every gentil herte,*
*And maketh him out of his slepe to sterte.*
(Canterbury Tales. The Knightes Tale)
Or, how about this verse by Gower?
*The kynges foole*
*Sate by the fire upon a stoole,*
*As he that by his bauble plaide.*
Local language can have the same character-carrying function. Or it can be both old and local, as in this Jacobite Song:
*Sae licht's he jumped up the stair*
*And tirled at the pin;*
*And wha sae ready as hersel*
*to let the laddie in.*
Distorted Text; What is This?
“***evitcepsrep eht gnignahc yb ytilaer fo stcepsa wen revocsid”***
It is not some obscure language. Incomprehensible as it might look, it is really quite easy - and it is plain English. Those of you who don't see that are the ones who really need learning to do what it speaks about: to change the perspective.
“***evitcepsrep eht gnignahc yb ytilaer fo stcepsa wen revocsid”***
Just read it reversed; then it says: *“discover new aspects of reality by changing the perspective”*.
It is fascinating that a simple change as this makes the text so difficult to understand for many readers. The human mind is not flexible when it comes to changed patterns - or “thinking outside the box”, as it is popularly called.
As a matter of fact, reading is usually a matter of recognition, not exact reading of every letter. You recognise whole words, or even phrases, and you do it even if they are not spelled right. Indeed, most people would not even notice occasional misspellings, unless the word is too distorted for proper comprehension - that is, as long as the major pattern is unchanged.
When we are seeing whole sets of letters (words) instead of single letters, or a set of anything instead of its single constituents, it is called “chunking”.
Let's look at an example of this. Read this text:
“*Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a word are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a tatol mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.”*
Despite terribly mishandled typing, it's easy to understand.
Fact is, we mainly recognise the consonants, because consonants are the significant parts of a word. I have discussed that before, so we will not delve on that here, just give an example. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/on-the-genealogy-of-script-i-ii-92b3e103
Look at the sentence *“discover new aspects of reality by changing the perspective”,* and write only the consonants: “dscvr nw spcts f rlty b chngng th prspctv”. Still recognisable!
But what if we write only the vowels? “ioe e ae o eaiy y ai e eeie”. Pure gibberish!
Related articles:
Rhyme & Reason: Verse, Structure, & Memory https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/rhyme-reason-verse-structure-memory-f6ba9e9c
Anagrams, Palindromes, Cryptarithms and Alphametics https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/anagrams-palindromes-cryptarithms-and-alphametics-65dd6622
On the Genealogy of Script I & II https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/on-the-genealogy-of-script-i-ii-92b3e103
On the Genealogy of Script III - VIII https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/on-the-genealogy-of-script-iii-viii-8372cf36
*Copyright © 2020, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*Here you find my articles related to* *Words & Language**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#words-amp-language
*Also join my community "**The Power of Words (4be2)**"* https://read.cash/c/the-power-of-words-4be2
*You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic,* *here**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Animals' Sense of Smell https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animals-sense-of-smell-766c8339
Retrospection 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-11-7e9b3a18
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Suggested Reading 6
https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-6-7c05b8bf
Animals' Sense of Smell
***For which animal is the sense of smell so dominating a sense of perception that about two-thirds of its brain is dedicated to it?***
The answer is the ***Great White Shark,*** (Carcharadon carcharias). It can smell a drop of blood in water 2 km away.
However, it would be wrong to say for sure that the great white shark has the absolutely best sense of smelling of all animals. It might be so, but it is impossible to compare because the sense of smell depends on olfactory receptors of different sorts. One sort detects only one sort of odour, while other sorts detect others. That means that the sense of smelling can be targeted to certain odours. The shark's ability to smell blood might very well be what it needs; perhaps it doesn't feel other smells as good at all. What we can assume is that there is no other animal for which the sense of smelling is so dominating, at the cost of many other abilities, and probably at the cost of other senses.
Generally, of course the sense of smell is better for those with many receptors, which are those with the most developed olfactory epithelium, which is found back in the nasal cavity. The number of genes involved in detecting scents is also different for different species. It is justified to assume that the sense of smelling is better when the number of scent-detecting genes is higher. So what can we say about animals?
Bears may very well have the best sense of smell of all animals. They can detect a dead animal 40 km away. Everyone moving in a nature inhabited by bears must be aware of that. Bears cannot see well, but if the wind moves in the right direction (from you towards the bear) it surely knows you are there long before you are aware of its presence. Chances are that it avoids you and you will never know how close to it you were.
Dogs are well-known for having a good sense of smell, and amongst dogs the bloodhound has the strongest sense of smell of all. It's far beyond any human ability, but still not impressing if we compare to a bear.
So, wonder all cat lovers, how about cats, do they smell better or at least as well as dogs?
No, they are not able to smell as well as dogs, they have fewer scent receptors, but their ability are clearly superior to the human sense of smell. Some research, however, indicates that cats are better than dogs at discerning different smells. Different species have different needs, and their senses of perception are adapted to that.
Elephants also have a great sense of smell. The African elephant has the highest number of genes dedicated to detecting smells. Many of its odour-detecting receptors are found in the trunk.
On the whole, the sense of smell is well developed among mammals, although there are exceptions. Humans, for instance, are mammals with a very weak sense of smell. However, there is reason to believe our pre-primate ancestors had a more acute sense of smelling than we have, but that its capacity fell while vision evolved to a dominant sense of perception. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#eyes-light-vision-blindness
Apart from sharks, other non-mammal animals with a strong sense of smell are snakes and moths.
As for birds, there has been an endless debate whether or not they have any sense of smell, or, given some obvious examples, whether ***all*** birds have it.
Vultures and kiwis are examples of birds that obviously have a strong sense of smell, but as for birds in general, more studies are required to settle the question.
How about insects? Well, they have a sense of smell although it works differently. They detect chemicals in the air mainly via their antennae. On the whole, smell is very important in most insects' life; they navigate with it, find food with it, find a mate with it, and they communicate by chemical signals detected as odours.
Spiders also have a sense of smell and they pick up the odours with sensors on their legs.
- - -
**Images. In order of appearance:**
***Great white shark.*** Photo: skeeze/Pixabay. CC0/Public Domain.
***Bear.*** Photo: Daniel Eledut/Unsplash. CC0/Public Domain.
***Elephant.*** Photo: Will Shirley/Unsplash. CC0/Public Domain. The image has been cropped and digitally enhanced.
***Vulture.*** Photo: Free-photos/Pixabay. CC0/Public Domain. The image has been digitally enhanced.
- - -
*Copyright © 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*Here you find my articles related to* *Natural Science**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#natural-science
*Also join my community "**Natural Science (1c4e)**"* https://read.cash/c/natural-science-1c4e
*You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic,* *here**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Retrospection 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-11-7e9b3a18
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Suggested Reading 6 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-6-7c05b8bf
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
Retrospection 11
*About knowledge, thinking, mind, self-image, self-knowledge & self-improvement – and some personal statistics.*
I often get comments and questions about my many articles here, the very number of them. Okay, this is article number 312.
I don't think I am he only one with 300+ articles here, and it wouldn't surprise me if there are a few who have published even 400+ posts during their membership so far. However, people who reacts for the sheer number of my articles, have often looked at my “Index”, and seeing them like that makes them look very many. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
In the end, I am not seeing it as a contest about the number of articles posted; quality is more important than quantity.
Incidentally, while we are into statistics: The 3rd October 2021, I received a notification telling me that I had reached over 100000 views.
Now, let's look through the articles of this retrospection.
Self-Knowledge & The Power Within is, as stated in its end, *“...a recognition of that everything begins with the self; that, whatever you want to achieve or gain, the first steps are taken by yourself in your own mind.”* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/self-knowledge-the-power-within-e05bf3dc
Do you think new is better than old, just because it is newer; or that old is better than new, just because it is older? Are you proud of being modern? Then you may have your focus on the wrong thing; the only thing that really matters is quality. I explain that further in Old-Fashioned or Modern? Don't Care about Zeitgeist, Care about Quality. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/old-fashioned-or-modern-dont-care-about-zeitgeist-care-about-quality-a3d429bc
The Strength of Being an Outsider (by choice) is about identity. Do you shape yourself or do you allow yourself to be shaped by group pressure? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-strength-of-being-an-outsider-by-choice-0afbebe4
Can fear be a positive force? Yes indeed. I explain how in Fear & Self-Control. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/fear-self-control-76f11ac7
Are you so afraid of something that you deny the danger of it, even to yourself? Most people are. Read more in Compulsory Denial of Real Danger. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/compulsory-denial-of-real-danger-254bb07b
More about fear in Envy & Fear: Why do People Desire Power? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/envy-fear-why-do-people-desire-power-fc8dc68c
In Leo & Scorpio, i discuss two things: *human aesthetics as a function of the impression of wealth*, and how two forms of personalities *relate to power*. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/leo-scorpio-bdc6c51e
Defeating one's own weakness is The Greatest Victory. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-greatest-victory-e440f74a
Don't let yourself be stuck in erroneous patterns of thinking:
Beware of Being Normal, it can Be Worse than You Think! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/beware-of-being-normal-it-can-be-worse-than-you-think-f9a92e82
Causality, Reversed Causality & Coincidence: Thinking, Politics & Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/causality-reversed-causality-coincidence-thinking-politics-ageing-d2223b4d
Classification, Multidisciplinary Thinking & Labelling https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/classification-multidisciplinary-thinking-labelling-91a7d3d3
Knowledge is important, but how do we acquire knowledge? I write about two ways in Acquiring Knowledge: Experience and Reading. Then I explain how I learn languages in Learning Languages - How I do. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/acquiring-knowledge-experience-and-reading-a4f8d51d https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/learning-languages-how-i-do-a576f6c9
In Is Ignorance Better Than Knowledge?, I discuss which knowledge is dangerous and which is not, and why we should not be too confident that what we think is knowledge really is so. Perhaps, in the end, we do not know anything. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/is-ignorance-better-than-knowledge-21aac619
In The Power Of Graduality I describe how everything is achieved in small consecutive steps. It begins: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-power-of-graduality-7432c3a0
“There is a fundamental principle or method which most people are aware of in limited contexts, but still surprisingly unaware of in its generality. Its application in health matters is at the core of how to preserve and improve health and retard ageing, or to destroy it and die prematurely - yet I'm surprised again and again when I discover that people fail to realise this before it is explicitly explained to them. Yet everyone has applied this method on something in their lives if only as a pedagogic tool. I am talking about **the power of graduality**.“
Must something be permanent to have a value? Must everything be recorded and documented? Perhaps it is the other way around, that the really valuable is the momentaneous? I discuss that in The Momentaneous & The Permanent. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-momentaneous-the-permanent-738b7e34
In The Importance of Contrast, I question whether anything exists without contrast. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-importance-of-contrast-37e75f60
Then a few articles in the periphery of today's subjects:
Read about the inner effects of walking in Benefits of Walking - Beyond Those of Walking as a Physical Exercise. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/benefits-of-walking-beyond-those-of-walking-as-a-physical-exercise-5babc9b5
You consist of two things: what you eat and what you think. Food and thoughts are what shapes you. Read about that in The Essence of Health: Food & Thinking. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-essence-of-health-food-thinking-133abc14
Increase Your Brain Capacity with Games of Skill. The title is self-explanatory. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/increase-your-brain-capacity-with-games-of-skill-3792c5d4
In Are You Always Connected?, I discuss why always being connected to the internet is not an altogether good idea. It comes with various bad consequences. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/are-you-always-connected-120d9d53
My series “Retrospection” is primarily created for new readers of mine, as a manual into my production at this platform so far - but it can be read by anyone who wants to explore my articles topic by topic, rather than doing so in chronological order. In addition to that, my retrospections contain new comments and from time to time short personal stories connected to the relevant topic or topics. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Previously published “Retrospections” are:
Retrospection 1 (About Japanese Art & Cultural History.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-1-a78bc572
Retrospection 2 (About Egyptology & about Coffee.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-2-a54911f7
Retrospection 3 (About Quotes, Sayings and Proverbs; and about creating new words.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-3-d8bc8727
Retrospection 4 (About dinosaurs, reptiles, dragons and to some extent birds.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-4-0c1add0e
Retrospection 5 (About Privacy, Freedom and Politics.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-5-aaa611cc
Retrospection 6 (Suggested reading. About ***other*** read.cash authors and their articles.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-6-f632199c
Retrospection 7 (Purple, Eyes, Vision, Light and Blindness.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-7-ec5d208c
Retrospection 8 (Cats, Dogs, Covid-19, The Knights Templar.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-8-dbaf62ec
Retrospection 9 (Teeth, Human & Animal; Dentistry & Dental Health, Gems, and Colour.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Retrospection 10 (Brain, History, Memory, Bandwidth of Consciousness, Subjective-Objective, Words, Verse, The number of the Beast, The Music of the Spheres, Number Magic, History of Music.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Suggested Reading 6 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-6-7c05b8bf
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
The Three Sacred Treasures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does
*This is part 2 of my article about C-vitamin. Part 1 is:* *Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted?* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
IV. The Vitamin
Most animals can synthesise vitamin C, but there are several exceptions, for instance certain rodents, certain bats, and some Primates (humans and apes). These species have to get their vitamin C through the food. The inability to synthesise the vitamin is due to a genetical defect, which prevents the last step in the synthetisation process.
Animals that can synthesise their vitamin C produce an amount which is far larger than humans normally get.
The best form of oral vitamin C is pure crystalline ascorbic acid. It is the form which is best absorbed and utilized. Its acidity can motivate the use of ascorbate instead, which is neutral. It can come in the form of e.g. sodium ascorbate, calcium ascorbate, etc. The mineral element serves as an antacid. These forms help your stomach tolerate more of the vitamin, since the gastric area can be irritated by the acid otherwise - but they are less efficient, and you must be careful not to get too much of the mineral. Overdosing sodium or calcium can be outright dangerous. Normally it is better to try to use the natural ascorbic acid, but take it after food, to reduce the risk for gastric irritation.
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, but it oxidises itself as well, and needs the protection of other antioxidants. Bioflavonoids serve this purpose well in nature. If you take high doses, it is wise to take at least moderate doses of all (or most) other antioxidants too, e.g. vitamin E, Beta carotene, Selenium, etc.
If you dissolve ascorbic acid in water, drink it within 30 minutes. After that time it oxidises and becomes harmful.
How often should you take the vitamin? Ascorbic acid is water soluble and leaves the body relatively fast. For practical purposes, a daily intake is usually recommended, or even more often than that. Yet the body is not depleted just that fast. A diet with absolutely no vitamin C at all leads to zero ascorbic acid in approximately:
35–40 days - serum.
80–90 days - whole blood.
100–120 days - white blood cells.
V. Scurvy
Scurvy is a a symptom of vitamin C deficiency. It means that collagen and healthy connective tissue cannot be formed. This is as if the "glue" which ties cells to one another suddenly ceases to work properly. The symptoms of acute scurvy are bleeding gum, bad healing of wounds, discolouring of the skin, etc. Scurvy was common during long naval expeditions in the past. (Collagen is the principal protein of many tissues, e.g. skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, blood vessels, and teeth.)
The RDA of vitamin C is based on a level where acute symptoms of scurvy do not occur. But is it possible that there is chronic scurvy as well?
There is a theory, promoted by Matthias Raath, that atherosclerosis, heart attack, and stroke are a form of chronic scurvy, caused by long-term vitamin deficiency. This is not an uncontroversial idea, but it has its merits. Scurvy or not, I think Dr. Raath is on the right track here.
According to this paradigm, ascorbic acid lowers the cholesterol by removing the need for it. Much of the cholesterol is formed to repair damaged vessels. If they are in good shape (as they will be if you take enough vitamin C), there is no need for it.
Add to this that ascorbic acid lowers the cholesterol also in another way: by lowering the surface tension of the plasma.
VI. Detoxification
I have previously written that vitamin C serves as fuel for detoxification of the liver. If it gets a sufficient amount of this fuel, its capacity of detoxification is almost unlimited. But when the vitamin is depleted, detoxification stops, no matter how much toxic substance you still have in your body.
Ascorbic acid protects against heavy metals too, no doubt a matter of detoxification.
VII. Immunity
Vitamin C increases the level of leucocytes in the blood, thus strengthening the immune system - except in cases of leukaemia, where it lowers the level (which is then desired). This shows that it is not blindly raising or lowering the level, but is optimising it, according to the situation. Moreover, it stimulates the formation of interferon in the immune system; which is an important part of the defence against viral attacks.
Allergic persons often (maybe always) have a too low level of ascorbic acid in their blood. Their capacity of detoxification is reduced, and the level of eosinophils (a certain form of leucocytes) in the blood increases. This is called eosinophilia, a condition which is developed during a number of diseases, but most commonly by parasitic infections and allergies. The eosinophils are produced to fight the disease, but are harmful in cases of allergy. The allergic person has an increased need for vitamin C, and an increased intake of ascorbic acid can help bring down the level of eosinophils - and beneficially affect the allergy.
VIII. Sterility & Pregnancy
Many cases of male sterility has been successfully treated with relatively small doses of vitamin C, often as little as 500-1000mg per day.
There are widespread rumours that vitamin C can terminate pregnancy. This is insufficiently researched, but the vitamin affects the hormonal balance, and it is possible that high dose ascorbic acid during early pregnancy can have an effect in that direction on some women. In any case, if you want your child, it can be wise to avoid taking very high doses during pregnancy. Note that vitamin C should not be totally avoided, the child needs it to develop normally.
IX. Problems & Warnings
In vitro experiments have shown that, under certain conditions, vitamin C can be a pro-oxidant. Serious studies on this matter suggest that ascorbic acid can be a pro-oxidant in low concentrations, while in high concentrations it is an anti-oxidant. There are also signs indicating that ascorbic acid in combination with large doses of iron can increase oxidation.
It is a well-known fact that ascorbic acid stimulates resorption of several minerals, like calcium and iron. Getting too much of these minerals is highly harmful, even dangerous, so high dose intake of vitamin C should not be combined with an intake of calcium or iron above a reasonable daily need.
Iron is an essential mineral for cancer cells to live and multiply. If they are starved of iron, they die. This is the reason why iron supplement is madness, unless an obvious iron deficiency is at hand. If you want better transportation of oxygen than you presently have, there are other alternatives, to which I will return some other time.
Ascorbic acid can reduce the effect of traditional cancer cures, like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. They are working by oxidation, thus killing the cancer cells, a process that can be blocked by the anti-oxidative effect of ascorbic acid. In itself, however, ascorbic acid is useful against cancer, because it regulates the respiration process in mitochondria, which is essential for a healthy cell.
There is an ongoing dispute whether high dose vitamin C can actually cause cancer. The results are confusing, to say the least, and very few credible studies have been made. The fact remains, however, that there are many convincing examples of the benefits of high dose ascorbic acid in real-life cases, while the theoretical foundation for the warning is shaky. My first suspicion when I hear about a negative result, is that it MIGHT be a result of a too isolated use of ascorbic acid. As I have stated before, it needs other anti-oxidants for its own protection, and in nature it works in combination with other substances (as does any nutrient). Megadoses of just one substance are not beneficial to the organism, be it ascorbic acid, water or oxygen.
X. Natural Sources & Cooking
Even if food contains too little ascorbic acid for the purposes discussed in this text, we should look at that too.
A certain amount of ascorbic acid is present in all fresh fruit and vegetables, and good natural sources of vitamin C are, for instance, acerola, kiwi, rose hip, strawberries, various citrus fruit, paprika, black and red currants, sour berries, tomatoes, parsley, and potatoes.
Vitamin C is reduced by heating; it is best to eat fresh/raw fruit and vegetables.
Storage of foodstuffs destroys the C-vitamins. If you have cut a fruit so the interior is exposed to oxygen and/or light, destruction occurs very rapidly.
If you boil, for instance, potatoes, first let the water boil, then put the potatoes in. This will shorten the time the vitamins are exposed to heat, but more importantly - there are enzymes destroying vitamin C, and they are activated at moderate temperature, but "die" at boiling temperature. By putting the potatoes (or other foodstuff) into boiling water, you eliminate the exposure of the vitamins to these enzymes. If you put them in the water while it is cold and gradually heat it all up, the potatoes will pass through moderate temperatures, which will partly destroy the vitamins.
Even better, boil the water some minutes before you add the foodstuff. Then a lot of oxygen will be gone from the water, and oxygen is an enemy to vitamin C.
***WARNING! If you are a diabetic, you should never take high dose vitamin C, unless you are under the supervision of a competent professional. Your need for insulin might become drastically reduced, and your medication must be adjusted accordingly.***
Copyright © 2007, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(The lead image shows vitamin C capsules. Photo by ivabalk/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
*Here you find my articles related to* *nutrients & supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.)* *and here to* *health & medicine**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-1-can-science-be-trusted-5ab38bbb
Suggested Reading 6 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-6-7c05b8bf
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
The Three Sacred Treasures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/an-ugly-philosopher-a-nagging-wife-and-an-illustrious-student-19992d42
Vitamin C (part 1): Can Science be Trusted?
*In a two-part article, we will look at vitamin C and its properties. We will start by questioning some scientific studies made on this vitamin and see what's wrong with them.*
I. Can Science be Trusted?
With many contradictory scientific results through the years, not least within the medical world, one may wonder whether science can be trusted. I am tempted to answer that with a resounding “no”. Science is often wrong. Suffice it to look at its history; one has to be blind not to notice all the errors. This would not be a real problem, if everyone were aware of the uncertainty and the factors that can make a scientific result erroneous; but it becomes dangerous if everything expressed as "scientific" is blindly believed. Results are often misinterpreted, and studies are often badly designed - yet the worst is that misinterpretation as well as bad design can be, and often are, deliberate. Prestige, money, and power, not a genuine desire for knowledge, are the major driving forces within the contemporary scientific community. Many researchers do not hesitate to manipulate their results, suppress facts which do not support their theories, or even lie to advance their own professional position or wealth.
Another factor is that the media want sensations. They eagerly blow up and exaggerate scientific results, no matter whether they are credible or not. For the general public it is hard, maybe impossible, to know what to believe.
New headlines on health turn up almost on a daily basis. Healthcare is big business. To evaluate credibility of the result of a new study, it is necessary to be able to evaluate at least its design and the interpretation of the result. The general public cannot reasonably be expected to possess sufficient knowledge to do so, so there is a lot of room for manipulation.
Yet it would be wrong to say that science is unreliable. Humans are. All those who abuse science, either deliberately or by ignorance, are to blame. Science is a powerful tool, in spite of its limitations - and it does have limitations. It can mislead us sometimes, but if we are aware of the uncertainties and limitations involved, there is no danger.
II. Some Studies about Vitamin C
In July 2005, New Scientist published an article named "Vitamin C left out in the cold". (http://tinyurl.com/2sazrk) The article covered a project of Australian National University, where they had looked at 55 studies during 65 years. The result: "...regular doses of at least 200 milligrams of vitamin C do not reduce the risk of a cold in the general population."
Later the text states: "Only one study, in which people were given a massive 8-gram dose on the first day of symptoms, found any effect, albeit very slight (PLoS Medicine, vol 2, p e168)."
This is not surprising, because all these studies are badly designed and cannot possibly show any significant effect. They are absolutely meaningless. Yet this result made headlines in the international media.
In August 2005, Nature published the result of a Japanese study named: "Effect of vitamin C on common cold: randomized controlled trial". (http://tinyurl.com/23wyy2)
They gave "Daily vitamin C supplementation of 50 mg (low-dose group) or 500 mg (high-dose group)."
It states: "No apparent reduction was seen for the severity and duration of the common cold." But they found a slight reduction in the frequency of colds
Just in Europe, there are at least six studies with similar results.
It should be stated though, that several studies show a significant result for individuals with extremely low vitamin C intake; and for individuals who are under acute stress.
Some of the Studies
Anderson TW, Reid DBW, Beaton GH (1972). Vitamin C and the common cold: a double-blind trial. Can Med Assoc J 107, 503–508.
Karlowski TR, Chalmers TC, Frenkel LD, Kapikian AZ, Lewis TL, Lynch JM (1975). Ascorbic acid for the common cold: a prophylactic and therapeutic trial. JAMA 231, 1038–1042.
Elwood PC, Lee HP, Leger AS, Baird IM, Howard AN (1976). A randomized controlled trial of vitamin C in the prevention and amelioration of the common cold. Br J Prev Soc Med 30, 193–196.
Ludvigsson J, Hansson LO, Tibbling G (1977). Vitamin C as a preventive medicine against common colds in children. Scand J Inf Dis 9, 91–98.
Pitt HA, Costrini AM (1979). Vitamin C prophylaxis in marine recruits. JAMA 241, 908–911.
Briggs M (1984). Vitamin C and infectious disease: a review of the literature and the results of a randomized, double-blind, prospective study over 8 years. In: Briggs MH (ed.), Recent Vitamin Research. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. pp. 39–82.
III. What was Wrong?
These and other studies either show an astonishing ignorance about how vitamin C works, or they are deliberately set up to be misleading (sponsored by the medical drug industry).
The doses given are too low, and the "massive" dose of 8g that was mentioned is not necessarily all that "massive". In any case, you can not set a fixed dose and give it to everyone. The dose needed depends on a large number of individual factors. The body has to become in a sense "saturated", in order for vitamin C to have any noticeable effect on an acute infection or inflammation.
The way to determine your optimal oral dose is to increase the dose until you get a diarrhoea. From there you lower it slightly, and there you have it! This can be 5g, or 20g, or whatever, depending on your condition. Note that your optimal dose will grow when your body houses an infection.
Yet I think the common cold is too much of a trifle for all this attention. Although it is common, it's hardly a serious disease. A cold now and then might even be good, as it trains the immune system and keeps it in good shape. But there are many serious infections and inflammations where vitamin C can be really useful. Difficult influenza, of course, but also pneumonia, measles, or meningitis, just to mention a few. They sometimes require a very high dosage, which should be injected. Orally administered it would be too hard on the stomach. The level of "saturation" can also be determined by a urine test. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/if-youre-never-illyoure-ill-indeed-10a5fc20
Another way to take vitamin C is by nasal spray, which increases the vitamin concentration in the sinuses 1000 times, compared to oral intake.
However you take it, the normal "Recommended Daily Allowance" will do nothing more than keep away ACUTE symptoms of avitaminos (deficiency), and studies whose design is not based on how the vitamin really works, are totally meaningless.
(Continue reading about vitamin C in part 2 of this article: Vitamin C (part 2): How to Use & What it Does https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-c-part-2-how-to-use-what-it-does-5ecf6e7f
Other articles related to vitamins/nutrients:
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 1 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d
Understanding Dietary Fats Part 2 (of 2) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-2-of-2-873ba37f
Why Dietary Supplements are Needed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c
Supplements, Getting Them Right: Some Points to Consider https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/supplements-getting-them-right-some-points-to-consider-b4d57960
Iron & Cancer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/iron-cancer-3ab080b8
Co-Enzyme Q10 & Carnitine https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565
Lutein & Zeaxanthin: Nutrients that Protect Your Eyes from Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lutein-zeaxanthin-nutrients-that-protect-your-eyes-from-ageing-9a87f2a3
Not Only Beta-Carotene: Carotenoids (Carotenes & Xanthophylls) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
Salicylic Acid: Is Aspirin a Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/salicylic-acid-is-aspirin-a-vitamin-61990a03
Vitamin A - Function & Need https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-a-function-need-c8e8169e
Vitamin D – Underrated Vitamin? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-d-underrated-vitamin-5ca83053
Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Copyright © 2007, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
(The lead image shows Mandarins, a source of vitamin C. Photo by Couleur/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)
*Here you find my articles related to* *nutrients & supplements (vitamins, minerals, etc.)* *and here to* *health & medicine**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 6 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-6-7c05b8bf
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
The Three Sacred Treasures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/an-ugly-philosopher-a-nagging-wife-and-an-illustrious-student-19992d42
Retrospection 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Suggested Reading 6
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
Someone asked me how often I publish “Suggested Reading”. The answer is that I have no fixed schedule for that. It depends on how much time I have to spend on reading at Read.cash (which varies) and how much material I find to include. When I have much enough, I publish a “Suggested Reading”. The time between the issues can be anything from a few days and up.
From the beginning this was not intended to become a series. The response, however, was so good so I decided to continue. I won't promise for how long though, it will be as long as it feels meaningful.
@claudio83 published USA launch National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, which shows us on example of how Bigbrotherism is spreading in he world of cryptocurrencies. https://read.cash/@claudio83 https://read.cash/@claudio83/usa-launch-national-cryptocurrency-enforcement-team-b2c3064e
A quite new member, @Endurance, has so far published only one article, BTC’s trojan horse – the lightning network, which (in my opinion correctly) describes what the much blown up Lightning Network achieved: https://read.cash/@Endurance https://read.cash/@Endurance/btcs-trojan-horse-the-lightning-network-5d376b0a
“It copied the currently working banking system with all it’s flaws and make it use BTC. It is subject to centralized partners who will use KYC and large hubs can easily blacklist any of your transactions.”
A few days ago @MintDice published the read-worthy What is Game Theory, and How Does it Apply to Bitcoin? https://read.cash/@MintDice https://read.cash/@MintDice/what-is-game-theory-and-how-does-it-apply-to-bitcoin-b3e384db
In Is a Capitalist Society at a disadvantage during the ongoing silent War?, @Jaxson discusses if and why Capitalism might lose against Totalitarianism. https://read.cash/@Jaxson/is-a-capitalist-society-at-a-disadvantage-during-the-ongoing-silent-war-7259b02b
@Bjorn speculates about artificial intelligence: AI: Hope Or Threat? https://read.cash/@Bjorn https://read.cash/@Bjorn/ai-hope-or-threat-545ba589
@sanctuary.the-one-law continues consistently to describe his ideology in A State of The-One-Law. https://read.cash/@sanctuary.the-one-law https://read.cash/@sanctuary.the-one-law/a-state-of-the-one-law-328f75f2
In Control Yourself To Not Be A Consumptive, @Luna1999 brings up a very common problem, whose importance is sometimes neglected. https://read.cash/@Luna1999/control-yourself-to-not-be-a-consumptive-de35ec79
The same author discusses the four temperaments in Melancholy, Phlegmatic, Sanguine, and Choleric. The concept is not something peripheral, it has had an enormous impact on human thinking during a long time. As I wrote in a previous article: *“This* [the four temperaments] *was the basis for the medical paradigm that dominated the Antiquity and ahead, until about 200 years ago.”* https://read.cash/@Luna1999/melancholy-phlegmatic-sanguine-and-choleric-50eeb760 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-1-three-four-e4689164#four-matter-the-physical-world
Then I want to mention three recent philosophical articles by @aniruddhasen, who, in his best moments, belongs to the very best authors here. I don't only refer to the sheer writing, but also to the thinking behind. It is not just words, he has something to say with the words. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/words-are-power-but-only-if-you-have-something-to-say-dd4dca45
Choice and destiny https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/choice-and-destiny-1f0d34da
It's all about nothing. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/its-all-about-nothing-18e57bee
The red tomato https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-red-tomato-5cf5f484
@Olawale4967 wrote The Shadow Side of Greatness, about how in some area of life very successful people often are total failures in other areas. There is a price to pay for greatness and success, a price that perhaps is too high. This is an article all young career aspiring people ought to read before making choices for life. https://read.cash/@Olawale4967 https://read.cash/@Olawale4967/the-shadow-side-of-greatness-db366e6c
In Outing the Oppression Olympians, @MarielB22 brings up another important question – the regressing world. She definitely has a point. The subject could be taken much longer and deeper though, but everything must start somewhere, and this is a start as good as any. This article is not politically correct, so I suppose there are readers who will not like the opinions presented there. I would have described it differently, but in essence I agree with the author.
https://read.cash/@MarielB22/outing-the-oppression-olympians-e1961d89
I also suggest you read The happy memories. by the always well writing @gertu13. It is a little piece of everyday wisdom. https://read.cash/@gertu13/the-happy-memories-cb3d27e9
“Never use other people's relationships as a gauge for yours.“ writes @Olasquare in It Is Different For Everyone. I would say that ***everything*** is different for everyone, not only relationships. So, what @Olasquare says is more general than he makes it in this article. https://read.cash/@Olasquare https://read.cash/@Olasquare/it-is-different-for-everyone-e21c6f2a
Then we have a new Russian member, @Blogika, who produces interesting articles. Her articles are published in as well Russian as English. They are well worth reading. Take a look at her profile. https://read.cash/@Blogika
Let's mention some articles of an entirely different sort. Not serious literature, not ideology or philosophy; just some fun knowledge:
@pandoru1997 writes about Swarovski crystals, in Secrets of Swarovski crystals. The article is quite old by now, but its content is timeless. https://read.cash/@pandoru1997 https://read.cash/@pandoru1997/secrets-of-swarovski-crystals-dd81b6eb
Do you know your birthstone? by @cmoneyspinner https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner/do-you-know-your-birthstone-8c23b47a
The six most expensive flowers in the world by @viggy40, a member I have not encountered before, although she has obviously been here for a year or so. https://read.cash/@viggy40/the-six-most-expensive-flowers-in-the-world-eab14083
Then we can include Day 13 of 31 days of Halloween!! The Slenderman !! as well. The author is @Theblackdoll. This is the story of an urban legend. https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/day-13-of-31-days-of-halloween-the-slenderman-0c4d78e7
Some pieces of fiction by @nomadghada: https://read.cash/@nomadghada
The Venusian Sky (Sci Fi Fiction) https://read.cash/@nomadghada/the-venusian-sky-sci-fi-fiction-fc602362
Alien Moon (Sci-fi fiction) https://read.cash/@nomadghada/alien-moon-sci-fi-fiction-f0dd9682
And finally a story by @Pearlkel: The Priestess. Obviously the author is Nigerian, but I am not sure whether the story is some sort of Nigerian legend or pure fiction created by the author from scratch. If you, @Pearlkel, read this, perhaps you can inform us in a comment? https://read.cash/@Pearlkel https://read.cash/@Pearlkel/the-priestess-b3b12ed2
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Colours V: Colours Of Plants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074
The Three Sacred Treasures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/an-ugly-philosopher-a-nagging-wife-and-an-illustrious-student-19992d42
Retrospection 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Suggested Reading 5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-5-02bd30bd
Colours V: Colours Of Plants
Of course there are numerous plant pigments. I will not even try to be exhaustive on the subject, but will concentrate on three categories. One is chlorophyll, unavoidable when discussing plants and colours. The two others are of interest not only for plant-life itself, but also for human nutrition: bioflavonoids and carotenoids. It should be added, however, that all colours are not pigments. The white of flowers, for instance, is mostly caused by scattering, where the particles are large enough to reflect all light https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
A flower or a fruit always contains many pigments. Its appearance is sometimes dependent on which pigment that is the dominant one, and sometimes it is a result of mixing colours. So do not be surprised to read that apples contain blue-violet-red pigments, or that all green leaves contain carotenoids (yellow-orange-red pigments).
Hundreds of carotenoids and bioflavonoids are known to science, many of them specific for a certain species. Except for some special cases, it is of no real interest to discuss distinct pigments separately, they can more appropriately be treated as subgroups. (Carotenoids were discussed in a previous article, Not Only Beta-Carotene: Carotenoids (Carotenes & Xanthophylls), and will only briefly be mentioned here.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
As for bioflavonoids, a common standard of terms and of a classification into subgroups are still lacking. There is not even a universally accepted definition of "bioflavonoids". I have chosen here to use it as a collective name of water-soluble pigments of flowers and fruits, of which at least some variant has some nutritional interest for humans. This definition might be lacking in scientific stringency, but will suffice for this context.
The breakdown of bioflavonoids into subgroups will be made only to make the subject more readily understandable, without any ambition to scientific correctness.
While the bioflavonoids are water-soluble, the carotenoids are fat soluble, something which makes the distinction simple. It also means that when we desire these pigments for their nutritional or medical value, carotenoids must be ingested with some fat, lest we cannot absorb them. Absorption of bioflavonoids, however, requires just some accompanying water.
Pigments - Chlorophyll
No doubt, chlorophyll is the most striking colouring matter of nature, because of the sheer visible amount of it. It is the green colouring matter of plants. In the presence of sunlight it converts carbon dioxide and water to carbohydrates.
It is sometimes used as a dye and in medicine, where some claims about its beneficial effects have been made, but remain so far unproved. One of the most common claims is that it would eliminate offensive odours.
Chlorophyll is a very strong pigment, we can call it dominant. All green parts of plants contain many other pigments as well, but we cannot see them. They are concealed by the chlorophyll.
How did it begin? Very long ago, Mother Earth had an atmosphere containing no free oxygen. The single-celled organisms which dominated then, produced energy from fermentation and glycolysis. A cyanobacterium, a single-celled organism, developed the chlorophyll and the photosynthesis. This organism then penetrated another cell, and established itself as an endosymbiont. [A symbiont is an organism living in a symbiotic relationship with another. An endosymbiont lives within the other party.] Obviously it was evolutionary successful, from this symbiosis descends all or almost all photosynthetic cells. The endosymbiont became what we today call a chloroplast, an organelle living in every cell of all photosynthetic plants, where it manages the photosynthesis.
The chloroplasts do not only contain the chlorophyll, but carotenoids too. The latter absorb blue light and add to the photosynthetic process - and they protect the plant against sun-induced oxidation
Pigments - Bioflavonoids
***Anthocyanins*** (sometimes divided into ***Anthocyanidins*** and ***Proanthocyanidins***) are pigments mainly found in certain flowers, fruit and vegetables with red-blue colours. Good sources are for example: blueberries/bilberries, red cabbage, eggplant, radishes, tea, beets, cherries, plums, red grapes, hawthorn, apple, pear, grape seed, pine bark, beer, red wine, cranberry, red beans and some other berries. This is also what gives roses their colour.
Other flowers with anthocyanins are geranium and Dahlia (with ***pelargonidin***); bluebottle and some asters (with ***cyanidin***); larkspur, violet and pansy (with ***delphinin***).
Medically these substances are strong antioxidants, even very strong. They also decrease capillary weakness, and support vitamin C activity. Good effect on eyes. Strong anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties.
***Betalains***, red-yellow pigments. Chemically related to anthocyanins, they are found only in Caryphyllales. A good dietary source is reed beet.
***Citrus bioflavonoids*** are mainly yellow pigments enhancing the effect of vitamin C and protecting it against oxidation. They are antioxidants in themselves as well. They are preserving and repairing the structure of the capillaries (small blood vessels), protect against heart disease; they are antibacterial and they seem to protect against cataract. They have clear antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. Can be used against any sort of varicose veins. Studies have shown excellent results in that respect.
The most well-known and researched citrus bioflavonoids are: ***Rutin***, ***Hesperidin***, ***Quercitrin*** and ***Tangeritin.***
Good sources: Citrus, especially the pith just below the peel, peppers, grapes, pine bark, onions, garlic, blue and red berries, green tea and buckwheat.
***Quercetin*** is chemically related to proanthocyanins and it is the most active of the known flavonoids. It is the active substance in many medical plants and has proved to have a very strong anti-inflammatory and anti-viral effect. Quercetin has been studied in connection with cancer treatment, but the result is not so clear. Some studies show that it can possibly, under certain circumstances, be a contributory factor in causing cancer. But that is still quite unclear.
***Catechin*** is a pigment of cocoa. (Also present in green tea, see below.) Studies indicate that it protects against heart disease and cancer. The beneficial effect does not apply to chocolate. The reason for this is the many undesirable ingredients that it contains in addition to cocoa.
Cocoa should not be used in excess, because it also contains theobromine, which can be toxic. For a dog or a horse it is deadly. Never give them chocolate!
***Green tea polyphenols*** are best derived from tea plant Camellia sinensis. It has a very strong antioxidative effect, and it is good for cancer prevention in that it suppresses the activity of carcinogens [compounds causing cancer].
One of the polyphenols in green tea is catechin (see above).
Pigments - Carotenoids
See Not Only Beta-Carotene: Carotenoids (Carotenes & Xanthophylls). https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/not-only-beta-carotene-carotenoids-carotenes-xanthophylls-d3ae6750
Saffron and Turmeric
Saffron provides not only the spice of that name, not only several medical effects, but it also has been used for dyeing fabrics. Ladies of nobility of the Antiquity often wore yellow robes, dyed with saffron. It was a sign of high station.
The colour of saffron is a combination of several medically active carotenoids: alpha- and beta-carotene, zeaxanthin and lycopene. Breakdown of zeaxanthin gives safronal and pirocrocin, which cause the typical taste and aroma of the spice.
Crocin, a carotenoid contributing the colour of saffron is a strong neuro-protector.
***Curcumin***, the colour of turmeric, does not only provide a beautiful golden-yellow colour, it is a potent medical drug too. The health benefits of turmeric are indeed astonishing, almost beyond competition. Most of them undoubtedly a result of curcumin, but it is impossible to say to what extent other compounds in turmeric contributes.
Obviously curcumin reaches the cell membranes, where it has a key role in keeping them in good shape and thus the cells themselves healthy.
For more on the health benefits of turmeric, see: The King & Queen of Spices: Turmeric & Ginger https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-king-queen-of-spices-turmeric-ginger-d697e39f
...and for the health benefits of saffron, see: The Three Most Expensive Spices. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-most-expensive-spices-24717e1d
Previous articles in the series on colours:
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Copyright © 2008, 2013, 2020, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(The lead image shows vegetation being green by chlorophyll. Photo by Mylene2401/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been digitally enhanced.)*
Here you find my articles related to health & medicine, and related to colour. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
Interested in health & medicine, join my community "The Mechanisms of Health (d52e)" https://read.cash/c/the-mechanisms-of-health-d52e
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
The Three Sacred Treasures https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-three-sacred-treasures-2b83aab8
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/an-ugly-philosopher-a-nagging-wife-and-an-illustrious-student-19992d42
Retrospection 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Suggested Reading 5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-5-02bd30bd
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Three Sacred Treasures
The Japanese imperial regalia, how they are handled and the stories behind them are unique for Japan. They are so sacred that no now living individual has seen them, not even the emperor! Indeed, nobody has seen them for centuries, since they are always shrouded. Traditionally, the priests of the temples where they are stored present them to the emperor during his enthronement, but that is a private ceremony in the presence of emperor and priests only. Yet, even then the regalia are shrouded.
To be correct, one should say that nobody knows if the genuine regalia exist. Indeed, there is reason to believe they are not, not all of them. They consist of a mirror, a sword, and a jewel – and it might very well be that the jewel is the only original and that as well sword as mirror are later copies/replacements.
The Three Sacred Treasures are all connected to Japanese mythology and the origin of the Japanese imperial line, which, according to legend, descend from the sun-goddess Amaterasu. She sent the regalia to earth with her grandson, Ninigi-no-Mikoto, whose great grandson was Jimmu, the legendary first emperor. Thus the regalia are a symbol of the divinity of the emperor and of his legitimacy as a descendant of Amaterasu - and as the ruler of Japan.
The Sacred Mirror, ***Yata no Kagami*** (八咫鏡)
(kept in *Ise Grand Shrine*)
Amaterasu did hide in a cave after an argument with her brother, Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the god of the sea and of storms. The world became dark (Amaterasu is the sun). Ame-no-Uzume-no-Mikoto, a goddess, placed the mirror and the jewel outside the cave and when Amaterasu saw her own reflection, she lost attention long enough for the others to drag her out.
The mirror is kept in the inner shrine of Ise. The shrine is dedicated to Amaterasu and is probably from the 3rd century A.D, although legend holds that it is from 4 B.C.
This is one of the holiest places of Shintoism.
There is evidence that the original mirror was destroyed in a fire in 1040 A.D.
The Jewel, ***Yasakani no Magatama*** (八尺瓊勾玉)
(kept in *Tokyo Imperial Palace*)
The jewel share the story about the mirror and was involved in the same event. It might very well be the only original piece of the regalia that remains. It is kept in Tokyo Imperial Palace - in Kashiko-dokoro, the central of the Three Palace Sanctuaries; it is dedicated to Amaterasu.
The Sword, ***Kusanagi no Tsurugi*** (草薙劍)
(kept in *Atsuta Shrine*, in Nagoya)
After their argument, Susanoo-no-Mikoto presented Kusangi, the sword, as a gift to Amaterasu, an apology for tricking her to come out from the cave.
The original sword was lost at sea in the 12th century, after which it was replaced with a replica. This story is unclear though, and nobody knows for sure what is true and what is not. There are sources which indicate that it was the lost sword that was a replica. We will never know.
According to legend, Susanoo found Kusanagi in the body of an eight-headed serpent Yamata-no-Orochi. He killed the serpent and took the sword, which is said to have power over the wind.
The Symbolic Meaning of the Regalia
In symbology, three is a powerful number, and the Three Sacred Treasures symbolise the three virtues; sword for *valour*, mirror for *wisdom*, and jewel for *benevolence*. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-1-three-four-e4689164
From a symbolic point of view, the most interesting of these is the mirror. In a large part of the world, a mirror would symbolise vanity, which is something negative or at least dubious. One expression of this can be found in the myth of **Narkissos** (Narcissus) who fell in love with his own reflected image, which he admired in a well until he perished. He was transformed into the flower, **narcissus**.
In Japan, however, a mirror is a symbol of truth and wisdom; truth, because it shows how things really are, and wisdom as a result of self-reflection. It has positive connotations.
History or Myth?
It is difficult, even impossible, to know what is true about these regalia. One could go one step further and say that it is impossible to know with certainty where they are or if they even exist. *Something* has existed, that's for sure, but what there is now, we simply do not know with any degree of certainty. It is so difficult because all ceremonies where they are used are private, not public, and even then, the regalia appear only shrouded. Moreover, information and stories told about them are sometimes contradictory.
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(The lead image shows Tokyo Imperial Palace. Photo by Pierre Blaché/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
You find all my articles on Japanese Art & Culture here, and about symbols here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#japanology https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#symbols
Interested in Japanese culture? Join my community Japanese Art & Cultural History (7c1f). https://read.cash/c/japanese-art-cultural-history-7c1f
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/an-ugly-philosopher-a-nagging-wife-and-an-illustrious-student-19992d42
Retrospection 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Suggested Reading 5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-5-02bd30bd
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
An Ugly Philosopher, a Nagging Wife, and an Illustrious Student
*More than 2000 years ago, a philosopher, known for his ugliness and his quarrelsome wife, was sentenced to death. His ideas were dangerous, they said. He committed suicide by drinking poisoned wine.*
The philosopher was *Socrates,* and his wife was *Xanthippe*, a probably very competent woman who supported the whole family. Her name has becoming a word denoting an ill-tempered, quarrelsome and nagging wife, but I would imagine that she just kept the family in strict order. Socrates himself was an impractical man who lived in his own world of philosophy. Xanthippe just had to take the lead, and I think she did that very well.
The negative picture of her seems to stem from Xenophon (Symposion). Plato, who mentions her only in "Phaedo", describes her as a good mother and wife. As a matter of fact, she might have been of high birth. The couple's first son, Lamprocles, was named after her father, which indicates that her ancestry was more illustrious than her husband's.
Socrates' most famous student was *Plato*, perhaps the most influential human ever. We still live in his shadow, for good and bad. He is one of the main roots of Christian philosophy, he deeply influenced Islam, and he is the theoretical basis for the intrusive public politics we see almost everywhere today, statism. How much of his thoughts really originated with him is very difficult to determine. He built heavily on both preceding and contemporary thinkers, incorporating their ideas into his own framework in a way that makes every attempt to find the "original" Plato completely impossible.
The so-called *"Socratic problem"* is a never ending enigma of history. Socrates did not write anything, he is known only from what others wrote, most notably Plato (even if Xenophon, Aristophanes, and Aristotle contributed a little as well). This intellectual giant (Plato) was not only an influential thinker, he also was an excellent writer. As his student, he described Socrates, but the problem is that he also made him a literary character when he, in the favoured form of the times, the dialogue, expressed his own ideas. So where is the borderline between Socrates and Plato, or between Socrates the philosopher and Socrates the literary character created by Plato? An unanswerable question.
Socrates was sentenced to death by the Athenians, for corrupting the youth, and for impiety. His speech of defence is related by Plato in *"Apology"*. The death sentence was to be executed by suicide; he drank wine containing Conium maculatum, hemlock. The poison, coniine, is a neurotoxin that affects the central nervous system, blocking motion centres and causing paralysis. In *"Phaedo"* Plato describes Socrates' death (Translation by Benjamin Jowett, 1892 - is in the public domain):
*Crito made a sign to the servant, who was standing by; and he went out, and having been absent for some time, returned with the jailer carrying the cup of poison. Socrates said: "You, my good friend, who are experienced in these matters, shall give me directions how I am to proceed."*
*The man answered: "you have only to walk about until your legs are heavy, and then to lie down, and the poison will act."*
*At the same time he handed the cup to Socrates, who in the easiest and gentlest manner, without the least fear or change of color or feature, looking at the man with all his eyes, . . . as his manner was, took the cup and said "What do you say about making a libation out of this cup to any god? May I, or not?"*
*The man answered: "We only prepare, Socrates, just so much as we deem enough."*
*"I understand," he said; "but I may and must ask the gods to prosper my journey from this to the other world - even so - and so be it according to my prayer.*
*Then raising the cup to his lips, quite readily and cheerfully he drank off the poison. And hitherto most of us had been able to control our sorrow; but now when we saw him drinking, and saw too that he had finished the draught, we could not longer forbear, and in spite of myself my own tears were flowing fast; so that I covered my face and wept, not for him, but at the thought of my own calamity in having to part from such a friend. Nor was I the first; for Crito, when he found himself unable to restrain his tears, had got up, and I followed; and at that moment, Apollodorus, who had been weeping all the time, broke out in a loud and passionate cry which made cowards of us all.*
*Socrates alone retained his calmness: "What is this strange outcry?" he said. "I sent away the women mainly in order that they might not misbehave in this way, for I have been told that a man should die in peace. Be quiet then, and have patience."*
*When we heard his words we were ashamed, and refrained our tears; and he walked about until, as he said, his legs began to fail, and then he lay on his back, according to the directions, and the man who gave him the poison now and then looked at his feet and legs; and after a while he pressed his foot hard, and asked him if he could feel; and he said, "No;" and then his leg, and so upwards and upwards, and showed us that he was cold and stiff. And he felt them himself, and said: "When the poison reaches the heart, that will be the end."*
*He was beginning to grow cold about the groin, when he uncovered his face, for he had covered himself up, and said - they were his last words - he said: "Crito, I owe a cock to Asclepius; will you remember to pay the debt?*
*"The debt shall be paid," said Crito; "is there anything else?"*
*There was no answer to this question; but in a minute or two a movement was heard, and the attendants uncovered him; his eyes were set, and Crito closed his eyes and mouth.*
*Such was the end . . . of our friend; concerning whom I may truly say, that of all the men of his time whom I have known, he was the wisest and justest and best.*
Finally, just a comment on the cock to Asclepius. What sort of debt was that?
Asclepius was the god of medicine and health. A sacrifice of a cock to Asclepius was a common procedure after having been cured from illness. Socrates seems to indicate that he considered death a cure, as healing.
Related articles:
Is Ignorance Better Than Knowledge? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/is-ignorance-better-than-knowledge-21aac619
The Most Influential Individuals – and What about Warlords? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-most-influential-individuals-and-what-about-warlords-e8002fa8
Copyright © 2017, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
All my articles on Philosophy can be found here, and on History here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#philosophy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#history
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Retrospection 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-10-76496ba2
Suggested Reading 5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-5-02bd30bd
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Retrospection 10
*About Brain, History, Memory, Bandwidth of Consciousness, Subjective-Objective, Words, Verse, The number of the Beast, The Music of the Spheres, Number Magic, History of Music.*
In this Retrospection, we begin with rather “heavy” topics and a series of four articles I published here he first week of March 2021.
1. Brain & Horror Vacui (Fear of the void) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/brain-horror-vacui-fear-of-the-void-ae876896
2. History – Understand the Present by Understanding the Past https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-understand-the-present-by-understanding-the-past-54e66be9
3. Memory as Soft or Hard History https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/memory-as-soft-or-hard-history-29978e19
4. Bandwidth Of Brain and Consciousness https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bandwidth-of-brain-and-consciousness-2207fe01
In the series I discuss certain properties of brain and consciousness, reliability of perception and memory, bandwidth of brain and consciousness, and the importance of history. As a matter of fact, I am diving deeper in the concept of history, trying to define what history really is and how reliable it is in its various forms. These four articles were originally one long essay, as such published in my own e-magazine, Meriondho Leo, in 2011, and as a part of my e-book “Reality & Mind” (2018).
Let's continue with a related article, Words, Consciousness & Beyond. It is about how interconnected words, thinking and consciousness are. Is it possible to think without words? Are we prisoners in our consciousness and its never ending stream of words? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/words-consciousness-beyond-f32317bc
More about words:
Words are Power - But only if you Have Something to Say. The title of this article is self-explanatory. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/words-are-power-but-only-if-you-have-something-to-say-dd4dca45
Verse, alliteration and rhyming probably started as mnemo-technical tools, used to structure the content of texts so they become easier to remember. Read more about that and other aspects of words in Rhyme & Reason: Verse, Structure, & Memory. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/rhyme-reason-verse-structure-memory-f6ba9e9c
Philosophically I am a subjectivist and I have touched that perspective in a number of articles. However, it is most clear in What is Special with Number 7? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/whats-special-with-number-7-47e6a9cd
Are the octave and the Pythagorean scale part of the very fabric of cosmos or reality? Read more in The Octave & The Music of the Spheres. Here I also discuss the scale's connection to number seven and twelve. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-octave-the-music-of-the-spheres-0034a105
Since we slipped into the subject of numbers... According to St. Augustine, God created the world in 6 days because six is a perfect number. Learn why it is perfect by reading Perfect & Multiperfect Numbers. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/perfect-multiperfect-numbers-5ee182b9
In Genesis 32:14, one can learn that Jacob sent his brother Esau "two hundred she goats, and twenty he goats, two hundred ewes, and twenty rams." Why 220 turns up here, is explained in Amicable & Sociable Numbers. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/amicable-social-numbers-ec0f8895
When we discuss numbers we just have to include 666, the number of the beast. Few numbers have been the subject of so much speculation throughout the times. I try to explain it in The Number 666 & The Essence of the Beast . https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-number-666-the-essence-of-the-beast-f6de601b
In culture, symbology and magic, four numbers occur more than others: three, four, seven and twelve. Interestingly, seven and twelve can be generated from three and four.
Number Magic 1: Three & Four https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-1-three-four-e4689164
Number Magic 2: Seven https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-2-seven-7294599b
Number Magic 3: Twelve https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-3-twelve-17e84054
If you are interested in numbers, you can also read:
Two tricks based on the circularity of 9 and The Goldbach Conjecture https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/two-tricks-based-on-the-circularity-of-9-be070ce5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-goldbach-conjecture-3745051c
Another article that belongs here is Symbols & Their Opposite: Mathematics & Music, which binds together mathematics and music, and further expresses my subjectivist perspective. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-their-opposite-mathematics-music-94a7a931
Since we have touched the subject of music, we can take a look at my articles about music and music history. So far, my index has only six articles under the label Music & History of Music. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#music-amp-history-of-music
Handel, Haydn & The Day When Time Stopped https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/handel-haydn-the-day-when-time-stopped-6496df90
The Greatest Victory https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-greatest-victory-e440f74a
The Octave & The Music of the Spheres https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-octave-the-music-of-the-spheres-0034a105
Symbols & Their Opposite: Mathematics & Music https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/symbols-their-opposite-mathematics-music-94a7a931
The Kreutzer Sonata: How Art Inspires to Art, which Inspires to Art... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-kreutzer-sonata-how-art-inspires-to-art-which-inspires-to-art-3dced6f6
Pictures at an Exhibition https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pictures-at-an-exhibition-48b5889b
Two of these were discussed above. Of the rest, I will only comment the first one. It is a long article encompassing more topics than the title implies. *The day the time stopped* leads us far away from European history of music, although there is one small common denominator.
All my articles connected to numbers or mathematics can be found here, and to music here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#numbers https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#music-amp-history-of-music
My series “Retrospection” is primarily created for new readers of mine, as a manual into my production at this platform so far - but it can be read by anyone who wants to explore my articles topic by topic, rather than doing so in chronological order. In addition to that, my retrospections contain new comments and from time to time short personal stories connected to the relevant topic or topics. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Previously published “Retrospections” are:
Retrospection 1 (About Japanese Art & Cultural History.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-1-a78bc572
Retrospection 2 (About Egyptology & about Coffee.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-2-a54911f7
Retrospection 3 (About Quotes, Sayings and Proverbs; and about creating new words.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-3-d8bc8727
Retrospection 4 (About dinosaurs, reptiles, dragons and to some extent birds.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-4-0c1add0e
Retrospection 5 (About Privacy, Freedom and Politics.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-5-aaa611cc
Retrospection 6 (Suggested reading. About ***other*** read.cash authors and their articles.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-6-f632199c
Retrospection 7 (Purple, Eyes, Vision, Light and Blindness.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-7-ec5d208c
Retrospection 8 (Cats, Dogs, Covid-19, The Knights Templar.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-8-dbaf62ec
Retrospection 9 (Teeth, Human & Animal; Dentistry & Dental Health, Gems, and Colour.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-5-02bd30bd
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Suggested Reading 4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-4-c10920a4
Suggested Reading 5
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
Let's begin with two read-worthy articles by @Pantera : https://read.cash/@Pantera
Crypto-News Websites: Massive Manipulation, Propaganda & Censorship of Bitcoin Cash https://read.cash/@Pantera/crypto-news-websites-massive-manipulation-propaganda-censorship-of-bitcoin-cash-071010ae
...and...
China Bans Crypto Transactions - A Violation of Human Rights. I dislike the concept of human rights, because in reality it is politically created privileges. If you refer to them, you automatically recognise the political unit's (be it state or international organisation) right to give you the rights (which are privileges), and thereby implicitly its right to amend or remove them as well. Rights cannot be given, only taken. However, this objection is not important for @Pantera's article, which offers an interesting discussion about Bitcoin and government control. https://read.cash/@Pantera/china-bans-crypto-transactions-a-violation-of-human-rights-014524a5 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/assorted-absurdities-of-democracy-ce00a359
@pandoru1997 writes about how to buy Bitcoin anonymously in Buy Bitcoin without DNI verification, anonymously and securely [GUIDE]. An increasingly important subject when KYC and other controls are implemented almost everywhere. https://read.cash/@pandoru1997 https://read.cash/@pandoru1997/buy-bitcoin-without-dni-verification-anonymously-and-securely-guide-089738e1
@annayks recentlty published Bitcoin has a Use Case? A Fake One - An Event That Will Land BTC to the Bottom. It is about Bitcoin (BTC) not being a protection against inflation. https://read.cash/@annayks https://read.cash/@annayks/bitcoin-has-a-use-case-a-fake-one-an-event-that-will-land-btc-to-the-bottom-cb002547
Normally, I would not include speculations about crypto prices, but Pyramids, Bubbles and Logarithms by @Librarian deserves to be mentioned for its explanation of fundamental principles. https://read.cash/@Librarian/pyramids-bubbles-and-logarithms-8dcd0ed5
NFT – Non Fungible Tokens – A Dummie's Guide for Dummies by @Infinity explains Non-Fungible Tokens in an easy-to-understand way for those who still don't know what it is. If you belong to them, I think you should read this, it is worth the while to get acquainted with this topic. https://read.cash/@Infinity/nft-non-fungible-tokens-a-dummies-guide-for-dummies-6273b77c
Some days ago, @zekecuba published The gamification of Read.Cash, which is an interesting analysis of why Read.Cash is so successful. The article also gives links to previous posts about Gamification and Octalysis, which are quite interesting: https://read.cash/@zekecuba https://read.cash/@zekecuba/the-gamification-of-readcash-f61658ad
**What is gamification?** https://read.cash/@zekecuba/what-is-gamification-9f9b2b8e
**Octalysis, the 8 core drives** https://read.cash/@zekecuba/octalysis-the-8-core-drives-39b0bb0b
**Octalysis, organization of core drives** https://read.cash/@zekecuba/octalysis-organization-of-core-drives-65075582
I have always gone my own way, which has often been total deviation from the majority around me; I have never felt the need to “fit in” anywhere. Most people, however, are not like that, at least not in their youth. @VoluntaryJapan has written an article about his own development in this respect, Go Your Own Way, No Matter What — The Payoff Is Immense; it might serve as an inspiration for others. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-strength-of-being-an-outsider-by-choice-0afbebe4 https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan/go-your-own-way-no-matter-what-the-payoff-is-immense-f5a620b3
Some wisdom from @Eylz2021 in Life lessons: wish they were taught to us during our early years. https://read.cash/@Eylz2021 https://read.cash/@Eylz2021/life-lessons-wish-they-were-taught-to-us-during-our-early-years-c2e9e332
Other mature insights from life: We are what we are by @gertu13. https://read.cash/@gertu13/we-are-what-we-are-7171c421
The Power of Self-Confessions by @Just1dood can wake up some sleeping minds. It is an old topic, but with some different perspectives. https://read.cash/@Just1dood/the-power-of-self-confessions-2b7950a2
A week or so ago, @Willtravis wrote Family isn't Blood Alone, where he concludes: https://read.cash/@Willtravis https://read.cash/@Willtravis/family-isnt-blood-alone-d1d6d59c
*“Who is standing by you now, without any strings attached deserves your commitment and love too more than those who seeks to benefit the family rite only cause they are related by blood. Those true friends are your family, they are your true bonds.“*
In Volcanoes, @itafari explains about volcanoes; where they can be found and about the risks they pose. https://read.cash/@itafari/volcanoes-b7d37aff
Apples are interesting. They can be eaten in many forms and their roles in culture, folklore and mythology are firmly rooted. The question is, however, if everything called an apple, is really an apple. Historically, it seems as if almost any fruit could be called apple. Compare pineapple, pomme de terre, pomegranate, apelsin (means Chinese apple – a name of orange in several languages). Anyway, it is a versatile fruit with many health benefits. @cmoneyspinner expresses his/her love for apples in My Foodie Luv: It's October ~ Let's Celebrate Apples! https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner https://read.cash/@cmoneyspinner/my-foodie-luv-its-october-lets-celebrate-apples-b7d0294f
While we are on the theme of fruit, read Short-Write: Grapes, The Symbol Of Masculinity, by @Gemstone. https://read.cash/@Gemstone/short-write-grapes-the-symbol-of-masculinity-41ac490f
Then a little history. Yesterday, @Alexandra001 published Was Russia in slavery? Or what is the Mongol-Tatar yoke, in which she briefly relates the period in Russia called “Horde rule”, and what consequences it had. https://read.cash/@Alexandra001 https://read.cash/@Alexandra001/was-russia-in-slavery-or-what-is-the-mongol-tatar-yoke-73e403a8
Do you believe in witches? Whether your answer is yes or no, they do exist in the sense that there are people – both now and in history – considered to be (or have been) witches. So culturally they exist. Then of course it is a different matter entirely, if one believes in their occult or supernatural powers or not. Whichever the case, read The Witch's Confession, written by @Argent. https://read.cash/@Argent/the-witchs-confession-68c3601e
Chemistry in life by @Hanzell describes how principles from chemistry can be applied to life. This is a very interesting way to think, which I have also applied from time to time, although I have derived my principles more from mathematics and physics than from chemistry. Thinking in such analogies can increase the understanding of life. https://read.cash/@Hanzell/chemistry-in-life-7a7c5a43
Finally some fiction - and let's remain with @Hanzell. In a story called White silence, published while I was writing on this very post, she wrote: https://read.cash/@Hanzell https://read.cash/@Hanzell/white-silence-86f43c84
“*It isn’t in the darkness that you should feel hopeless, no. It’s in the white light.”*
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Suggested Reading 4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-4-c10920a4
Retrospection 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses
*We will look at Al-Khidr, Musa's teacher, God's friend, the man who never died. Was he possibly Hermes/Thoth or Osiris?*
This is the second article in a series of two. The first one is The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
I.
Al-Khidr is a pre-Islamic figure, fictive or real. Although not named there, Sura 18:65-82 of the Qur'an is often said to refer to him. There he is "God's unnamed servant" and a teacher of Musa (Moses). His identity and status are not undisputed. He is said to have eternal life, look like an adult but with white beard, etc... Sometimes he is counted as one of the prophets, sometimes as a saint, God's friend, or a "ghawth". The whole person of Al-Khidr is shrouded in legend, interpretation and speculation, and his relation to Islam is problematic and contains troublesome contradictions. His position amongst the Sufis [Sufi = an Islamic mystic] is especially strong. According to Schimmel's "Mystical Dimensions of Islam", one of the greatest Islamic mystics, Moorish Ibn Arabi, received his khirqa from Khidr. ["Khirqa" is a cloak a Sufi receives from his spiritual guide as a symbol of having entered "the path".]
Al-Khidr means The Green Man, or strictly "the green". According to Bukhari, the Prophet Mohammed said, "Al-Khidr was so named because he sat on a barren white land once, after which it turned luxuriantly green with vegetation."
As related by al-Bayhaqi in "Dala'il al-Nubawwah", Al-Khidr was present at the funeral of Mohammed, at the condolences; and he should have said: "Peace, God's mercy and blessings be upon you, members of the Family of the Prophet."
In Sri Lanka, there is a house, Khizr Maqaam [Khizr being another form of Khidr], in a region called Kathirkamam. There (according to the locals) should be to find Al-Khidr's spring, Maul Hayat [Living Water], the one whose water bestows eternal life upon the one drinking it.
Musa (Moses) met al-Khidr "at the place where two currents meet and merge into the sea". According to local tradition, that is where the river Menik Ganga meets an underground stream of grace, or wisdom. In Sri Lanka. This place can be visited.
Al-Khidr's eternal life is sometimes interpreted literally, a man never dying. But this man can also be a personification of the "spirit of life".
The nature of this figure - and his identity - is a never ending problem for Islamic scholars. The most radical position was taken by Sayyid Qutb, of the Muslim Brotherhood, who cut off Al-Khidr from Islam completely, denied he was the nameless servant of God mentioned in the Qur'an, thus removing him from all religious speculation.
Al-Khidr is pre-Islamic, so interesting questions arise. Can he be actually traced further back in time? And if his pre-Islamic existence can be more defined, has he survived in other traditions too? It is impossible to say anything with certainty, but we can speculate over these questions, and perhaps find some plausible theory.
II.
"Sages affirm that all antediluvian sciences originate with the first Hermes who lived in Said in upper Egypt."
(Toledo, Moorish historian, d. 1069)
Al-Khidr was a teacher and initiator, he taught Musa (Moses) wisdom and the Sufis consider him as the master of the path.
The meaning of the name Enoch of the book of Genesis, is "initiator". Moreover, he lived for 365 years on earth, but was then taken to God. What this story tells is that he never died. He was a teacher, and a master of science and arts.
In "Theosophy and Islam", Theja Gunawardhana suggests that Enoch and Al-Khidr are the same person. Considering the similarities, it is a not too far-fetched conclusion. Further he identifies this person with two other names, namely Idris, and finally Hermes. Theja Gunawardhana [in my opinion correctly] connects Hermes with the Temple mysteries of old Egypt.
So now we are in Egypt again! But who was Hermes? This most certainly is a Greek name of someone in or from Egypt, and a genuine Egyptian figure ought to exist somewhere behind. Osiris again? No! I have previously mentioned Hermes Trismegistus [in Hermeticism & Holographic Microsystems], who most probably is another name of the old Egyptian god Thoth. And he was a teacher and initiator. According to legend he introduced script, and was a master of science and arts, magic and wisdom. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/hermeticism-holographic-microsystems-021d5e31
So, is Al-Khidr another name of Thoth? We can say nothing with certainty, but it is a plausible theory.
On the other hand, the step from Enoch/Idris to Hermes is questionable, and the identification of Khidr with Enoch is far from certain or even mainstream; there are many suggestions of his identity. He has been connected with Elijah, Jeremiah, St George; or even Ahasuerus, The Wandering Jew; or Melchizedek. It has been suggested that the legend about him is taken from the Alexander Romance or the epic of Gilgamesh... Speculation will never end.
Before ending this, one more word about Osiris, The Great Green. Stephen Van Nattan identifies Idris with Osiris (instead of with Enoch). If Al-Khidr is Idris, that would again lead us to Osiris. His theory, however, of which this is only a small part, has its disputable points. But it is nonetheless interesting and should be mentioned.
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(The lead image shows a horned (!) Moses. From statue by* *Michelangelo* *in San Pietro in Vincoli. Photo by LoggaWiggler/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The original photo has been cropped.)* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-two-michelangeli-two-of-the-greatest-artists-of-european-art-history-72fc6347#ii-michelangelo-di-lodovico-buonarroti-simoni-michelangelo
Here you can find my articles about Folklore & Legends, and about Colour. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#folklore-amp-legends https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-i-from-the-celts-to-old-egypt-sumer-89ced343
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Suggested Reading 4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-4-c10920a4
Retrospection 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
The Green Man I: From the Celts to Old Egypt & Sumer
*There is more than one "Green Man" to discuss, but I have divided the exploration into two branches and two articles. In the first one we will be going back from the Celtic Green Man to the old Egyptians and Sumerians.*
*The second part,* The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses*, deals with Al-Khidr, the Green Man of pre-Islamic & Islamic Middle Eastern tradition.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3
The Green man is a symbol frequently occurring in the British Isles, in English folklore, or perhaps one should say in English-Celtic folklore. But as we will see, this is a character leading far back in time, as far back as it is possible to reach: to ancient Sumer and Egypt. He has undergone considerable changes on the way, but the correspondence is striking. The same Green Man or similar but independent thinking? Who knows - the differences are also striking; perhaps the type is archetypal and born independently in every human culture.
In English and Scottish churches, and outside pubs, one can often find carvings of a man with foliage around his head, sometimes growing out from his mouth and ears. That is the Green Man of myth. A vegetation and fertility deity. Some people see him as a symbol of the "old" religion prior to Christianity - that is the Celtic religion. He represents a parallel universe of faerie, and he is associated with May-Day celebrations, with an old Celtic fertility rite. All sexual restrictions were laid aside then, an orgy took place. Children born nine months later, were considered as fathered by "Robin", and, at least in later Celtic times, they were given the surname "Robinson". Robin Hood, as named Robin, has some connection with this folklore, although unclear exactly how. Also note that he is traditionally dressed in green. Another Robin in this context is Robin Goodfellow.
The term "The Green Man" was coined by folklorist Lady Raglan in 1939. She suggests that he is a combination of several mythic figures, as Jack-in-the-green and Robin Goodfellow. She also connects him with the Arthur legend's Green Knight.
Robin Goodfellow is portraited by Shakespeare in "A Midsummer Night's Dream", there called Puck. An interesting detail is that Robin's love is the Queen of Heaven, who is also linked to waters. This is reflected in Robin Hood's Maid Marian, or Marion, [from "mer" or "mare", sea]. It is possible to go very far in parallelism here, and also to link the Green Man to Dionysos of the Greeks, a horned god of vegetation, fertility and orgy. Puck is also depicted as a goat, just like the Greek Pan had goat horns, and so had the Dionysos's satyrs. This might even be the Christian Devil. Not necessarily the biblical Satan, but another being who only later came to be associated with Satan, something representing an old religion, and therefore being "evil" from that perspective.
Confusing? Well, perhaps we should simply see The Green Man as Nature contra the "denatured" Culture? Rather that than general Paganism contra Christianity, even if that to some extent can be the same thing. Friedrich Nietzsche defined the terms Dionysian and Apollonian as the opposites in his dualistic system, opposites he discovered in Greek literature, and thus in the Greek mind. They can be seen as a form of Yin and Yang, The rational Apollonic force and the Dionysian instinct; culture and nature, thought and passion, order and chaos. Both forces coexist in every human, it is just a matter of which one of them dominates.
But most of all, The Green man leads to Osiris of Ancient Egypt. Not the element of orgy, it might have been added along the way, the Egyptians where not dualistic in that sense; but the Pyramid texts refer to him as the "Great Green", and he is a symbol of vegetation and rebirth, just as the spring is reborn each year. His wife is Isis, Queen of Heaven [compare Robin Goodfellow's beloved above].
There are also similarities with certain aspects of Sumerian god Damuzid [later Aramaic "Tammuz"], a shepherd-god, who was also associated with fertility, vegetation, and the cycle of life and death. He was dead and resurrected by his wife Inanna [compare Osiris and Isis]. Damuzid may live only half the year, the other half he is doomed to the Underworld. [The Greeks called this couple Adonis and Aphrodite.]
Sometimes one can see attempts to view the death and resurrection of Christ as a reflection of the story of Damuzid. This, however, does not hold to closer scrutiny. There is nothing supporting such a claim. Damuzid's death and resurrection is a cyclical event taking place every year, and the cyclical nature of it is a part of its very essence. The role of Innana, his wife, is also central. The story of Christ is very different, despite some outer similarities, it is based on completely different ideas and concepts.
As for the horns of many beings: the Sumerians, whose culture is the only one that can match Ancient Egypt in age, depicted every deity with horns, a symbolism that spread itself in the area. It was a sign of their divinity, nothing meant as a depiction of a physical feature. As an example can be mentioned that Alexander the Great, when he began claiming divine descent, were depicted with ram horns.
Generally old pictures are full of symbolism and should be interpreted from that perspective, rather than as naturalistic representations. One could say that symbols are everything.
(This article is based on material previously published in Meriondho Leo)
*Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.*
*(Lead image by Sue Rickhuss/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
Here you can find:
My articles about Folklore & Legends, and about Colour. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#folklore-amp-legends https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45
Here you find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Colours IV: Colours of Animals https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iv-colours-of-animals-0523e0d8
Suggested Reading 4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-4-c10920a4
Retrospection 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours IV: Colours of Animals
*Colours are essential to animal life, and they greatly increase chances of survival. Very briefly, colours have functions that can be divided into three categories:*
*1. As communication between members of the same species.*
*2. As signals and other forms of interaction between members of different species, most notably between predators and their prey. Of this, camouflage is an important part, whether it is a predator sneaking upon its prey, or the prey trying to remain unnoticed by its predator(s).*
*3. As a part of adaptation to the physical environment. e.g. black pigments absorb harmful ultra violet light. (Compare that to human tanning.)*
Pigments & Structure
Most black, brown, red and yellow colours of the animal kingdom, as well as some green and blue, are pigment colours. Almost all species have melanin-like pigments, giving black, most browns and some of the dark red and yellow colours; like the red hair of humans, or the yellow of chickens. Melanin is the pigment that gives humans different skin colours, and also the one in "melanoma", pigment tumours. It comes in two forms: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Both are present in human hair, where the former gives black and dark brown; the latter gives reddish and yellow. Your hair colour (while young) depends on the ratio between them: which one of them that dominates, and how strongly it dominates.
Red, orange and yellow are mostly carotenoids or pterines (the latter mainly in some insects); or psittacins, which are found only in parrots. While animals, including humans, produce most of their pigments themselves, carotenoids are the exception to this. They must be assimilated through the food. Thus, especially birds can lose some of their beautiful colours if they, over a prolonged time, get too little carotenoid content in their food. The best-known example of this is the flamingo, which loses its colours in captivity if deprived of its natural food (normally containing carotenoids).
Humans eating very large amounts of carotenoids can get an orange or yellow skin tone. This is absolutely harmless and might even be beneficial. Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants, they block oxidation and prevent body fat from getting rancid. In the skin they protect from oxidation caused by sunlight.
Carotenoids Lutein and Zeaxanthin provide the colour of the "macula lutea", the yellow spot (in the retina) of the eye; and Rhodopsin, or visual purple, is essential for our vision. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lutein-zeaxanthin-nutrients-that-protect-your-eyes-from-ageing-9a87f2a3 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/purple-light-it-doesnt-exist-and-what-is-visual-purple-1f1004b0
Bound to a protein, carotenoids cause blue and green colours, e.g. the dark blue of the lobster. The red colour of a boiled lobster is a result of breaking down the protein while only the carotenoid remains.
The green colour of many larvae and grasshoppers is blue and yellow pigments mixed, while the green colours of many birds are a mixture of black and yellow.
Tyndall blue is what gives birds like parrots and kingfishers their shimmering blue colours, and it is the same phenomenon behind the blue of face and genitals of certain primates, like mandrills; and blue eyes. Very small proteins in the iris scatter the short waves of light and the reflected blue light is seen against a black layer of melanin further back in the iris. In brown eyes, the blue colour is concealed by occurrence of melanin among the scattering particles.
The varieties of green of many birds are caused by Tyndall blue combined with some yellow pigment, serving like a filter. For this to happen, there must be three layers; one of pigments, one of particles causing scattering, and an innermost layer of melanin.
White of animals is often caused by structural effects as well, depending on total reflection or scattering by particles too large to scatter only the short wavelengths of the light. In other cases it is simply due to albinism, or absence of pigment.
Many groups of animals can show off the effect of interference, but it is most striking among birds and beetles. If you want to see an example, watch the green head of a (male) mallard (a type of wild duck). It shifts in colour if you change the angle from which you watch it.
The thin layers that are necessary for interference occur as thin plates in the cells or in keratin, chitin, feathers, scales, etc. (Keratin is the albuminous substance forming the principal matter of nails, hair, horn, etc. Chitin is a hard amorphous compound, the chief constituent of the external covering or integument of crustaceans and insects.)
Luciferin is a pigment which emits light by oxidation without generating heat. It occurs in fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms.
Shifting Colour
Many animals have the ability to shift colour in one way or another. Some changes have to do with age or with the change of seasons. For mammals and birds, it is limited to that. If you do not count blushing. This, however, is a widely misunderstood phenomenon. Not long ago, I read an article in one of the world's most renowned scientific journals, by a scientist trying to derive the purpose of blushing from the human past, based on the assumption that blushing is unique to humans. This reveals blatant ignorance. Blushing has been observed amongst several bare-skinned, at least bare-faced, birds and mammals, most notably humans, vultures, and turkeys. Consequently its purpose has nothing to do with human prehistory but is a remnant of something else and its origin must be older than the human species.
Blushing occurs when the small blood vessels of the face, the capillaries, are dilated. Then the face becomes suffused with red. This is an emotional reaction caused by an arousal of the sympathetic nervous system. The opposite can happen as well: the colour is drained from the face, giving a very pale or white appearance.
Let me suggest the theory that this happens with all or almost all mammals and birds, it can just not be seen if they have fur or feathers. So what happens? The hairs or feathers in certain places of the body move - rise or shrink. This is an important signal system. The reason why we see it as blushing, a colour effect, is just that we have lost our fur. If this is right, the change of colour is secondary here, not a phenomenon that has developed for the sake of the colour.
Apart from amongst birds and mammals, the ability to shift colour is very common. The chameleon is the classical example, but the real master is the octopus, which can create complex patterns that move over the body. This is done by special cells, chromatophores, containing different pigments. Each chromatophore is capable of contraction and expansion, whereby pigment spreading can be controlled. Chromatophores are used by many reptiles, fish, amphibians, crustaceans and cephalopods, although the exact design of the chromatophores differs between species.
Blood & Bile
The most primitive blood was probably sea water, able to contain a sufficient amount of oxygen to satisfy the need of the animal. When animals gradually became more complex and active, the capacity of the blood for oxygen transportation had to increase. New methods had to be developed. They were based on colouring matters. All of them consist of a metal bound to a protein. It can be copper, it can be vanadium, or it can be iron.
All vertebrates, including humans, use some sort of haemoglobin, which is based on iron and gives the blood its red colour. ["Vertebrata" is a large division of animals that have a backbone, or spinal column, of bone or cartilage, and early in life have a notochord. The Vertebrata include mammals, reptiles, birds, fishes and amphibians (frogs, etc). All other animals belong to Invertebrata.]
Porphyrins, a group of pigments essential in nature, combine with iron, making heme; which, together with globin, produces haemoglobin. A genetically based enzyme deficiency might disrupt this process, causing a disease called porphyria.
Derived from the blood and the breakdown of haemoglobin, bilirubin, orange-red in colour, is a colouring matter of bile, contributing to the colour of faeces. Another bile pigment is urobilin, darker brown, also occurring in faeces and urine.
Animal Pigments Used by Humans
Not many animal pigments are or have been used by humans, but there are some. The best-known are:
Sepia - is a secretion of the common cuttlefish, Sepia officinalis, a pigment containing melanin. You can read more about sepia in Sepia, Grisaille & Verdaille: Monochrome Art... and how about Japan?. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/sepia-grisaille-verdaille-monochrome-art-and-how-about-japan-da2aed40
Purple - is now made synthetically, but the original source was a gastropod, Murex brandaris, having a shell with many spines and provided with a gland secreting a purple dye. This was extremely expensive, so the use of purple carried enormous prestige. It was used during antiquity to symbolise high status. Other molluscs have been used to get other bluish or purple-like shades. Purple and its related shades are treated separately, so I will not deal with them any further here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#purple
Recent research indicates the presence of anti-tumorous compounds is purple-producing molluscs. Genuine purple or purple-like pigments, or substances involved in their formation, might prove to be a powerful medicine for the future.
Carmine - originally made from Kermes vermilio, later also from Dactylopius coccus, cochineal, an insect. Kermes vermilio was used already in old Egypt. Cochineal, however, stems from the Americas, and was used by the Maya and the Aztecs.
Ivory black - is a result of charred ivory. It is heated to drive out the hydrogen and oxygen and is subject to incomplete combustion. The resulting ivory char is black.
Copyright © 2010, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(The lead image shows a kingfisher, with its Tyndall blue colour. Photo by Lukas Bieri/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)*
Here you can find:
My articles about Colour. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour
All my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
My 5 most recent articles:
Suggested Reading 4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-4-c10920a4
Retrospection 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Suggested Reading 4
*In* *this series**, I assume the role of a reader instead of a writer, discussing articles by other writers... things I recommend.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading
In a recent article, When People Choose crypto the Government get scared, @alberdioni8406 wrote: https://read.cash/@alberdioni8406/when-people-choose-crypto-the-government-get-scared-568dafcb
“Governments are at constant war with the decentralized world not because they don't want the free market to exist but because they are always looking for control and monitoring of their citizens' finances.”
They are looking for exactly that with their ongoing crypto regulation: This is what @Pantera wrote yesterday: Subservience To the State - Custodial Wallets Invalidate Cryptocurrency. I fully agree when @Pantera says: https://read.cash/@Pantera https://read.cash/@Pantera/subservience-to-the-state-custodial-wallets-invalidate-cryptocurrency-1df5c08b
“With custodial wallets, crypto is not ours. It is like holding your crypto in an exchange. Put trust in these services that the money will be available upon request. [...]”
“Your crypto will be in the custody of a third party, which completely invalidates the point of cryptocurrencies.”
Is DeFi, Decentralized Finance, a threat to traditional banking? I think so, and, in my opinion, that is a good thing. The same author, @Pantera, discussed the question a couple of weeks ago in DeFi: A Threat to the Banking Establishment. https://read.cash/@Pantera https://read.cash/@Pantera/defi-a-threat-to-the-banking-establishment-16128592
Another article about freedom from “Statist” involvement, not only in our finances, but in everything, is Voluntaryism: The Reasonable Alternative to Statist Chaos, by @VoluntaryJapan . https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan/voluntaryism-the-reasonable-alternative-to-statist-chaos-6cb09e47
Then follows naturally Secede Today, the easy way by @sanctuary.the-one-law . https://read.cash/@sanctuary.the-one-law/secede-today-the-easy-way-f651fa05
And while we are on the theme “Big Brothers” and their abuse of power, let's pay some attention to a non-state with state-like qualities and perhaps state-like ambitions – namely Facebook. Read Beware the Zuckerberg Nation State by @MarielB22 . https://read.cash/@MarielB22/beware-the-zuckerberg-nation-state-596ba99a
I never liked Facebook, not even when it was new, and I have never had a Facebook account and will never have one. The more it evolves, the worse it becomes. It is a quagmire of privacy violation and censorship!
Read also this by the same author: Correction: The Revolution Will be Televised. https://read.cash/@MarielB22/correction-the-revolution-will-be-televised-2f14f120
How safe is Bitcoin? Read this article by @Telesfor : The danger of a death spiral with Bitcoin BTC. In my opinion, @Telesfor describes a “worst case” consequence of one of Bitcoin's major weaknesses, a weakness that has been eliminated in BCH. https://read.cash/@Telesfor https://read.cash/@Telesfor/the-danger-of-a-death-spiral-with-bitcoin-btc-ce9c8ec7
Bitcoin BTC is the first genuine cryptocurrency, but to see it as an ultimate solution to the problems it tries to solve, is just naïve. It was naïve already in 2010, and it is even more so now. It is merely the first step in a new line of the evolution of money. New and better cryptocurrencies undoubtedly will follow. BCH definitely is a better one, and, as I have to agree with many other authors here, it better satisfies the initial goals as they were expressed by Satoshi Nakamoto. BTC has not evolved well, but BCH so far has.
Another read-worthy article is The Bitcoin Moral Panic by @dave_gutteridge . https://read.cash/@dave_gutteridge/the-bitcoin-moral-panic-0fe6884c
If you don't know how to create a secure password that is still easy to remember, the method described by @JLoberiza in How to create a secure password that you can remember can be useful. https://read.cash/@JLoberiza https://read.cash/@JLoberiza/how-to-create-a-secure-password-that-you-can-remember-cd4c3f98
“Streaks can demolish your advancement.“ writes @jamesmichelea in Breaking a Series for Better Improvement. This is quite relevant for people being obsessed by streaks, and I think that is a quite common obsession. https://read.cash/@jamesmichelea https://read.cash/@jamesmichelea/breaking-a-series-for-better-improvement-b76f85d9
In You never know who you might run into in the future, @Kitki presents a thought-worthy little story. https://read.cash/@Kitki/you-never-know-who-you-might-run-into-in-the-future-56c62180
I think most of you agree to that lying is wrong. But is it that simple? Can it never be right to lie? That's what @Greatwolfman asks in his article Lies - good or bad? https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman https://read.cash/@Greatwolfman/lies-good-or-bad-061effb9
“I don’t remember the things I did that hating life has completely gone in my mind. I think it was that I live my life with a purpose. I set my own goals and attend to my priorities. It was like I slowly understood the meaning of life and forgot about hating it.“ (@Bjorn)
Have you hated your life so much that you wished to die? @Bjorn discusses this in Eye Hate Life. https://read.cash/@Bjorn https://read.cash/@Bjorn/eye-hate-life-40a37ccd
I must admit that I cannot relate to the feeling he describes. I have had my share of bad times and more than that, but even in the deepest darkness, I always found life interesting and thus in some sense enjoyable. Yet I think many people feel as @Bjorn, although not always with a happy ending.
Recently published Mind Anxiety is a thought-worthy article by @dark_spirit666 . https://read.cash/@dark_spirit666/mind-anxiety-e71d728b
I also think Building love is better than falling in love by @Luna1999 provides insights more people would need to share. https://read.cash/@Luna1999/building-love-is-better-than-falling-in-love-d5c1d0f2
My mother used to say that “there are no bad children, only bad parents”. This is exactly what @adereign expresses in Failure in parental responsibility. https://read.cash/@adereign https://read.cash/@adereign/failure-in-parental-responsibility-a2dcdb9f
@NakamotoBch recently wrote The Power Of Thinking And How To Improve Your Thinking Skills. What he says is something that can never be repeated too much. https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/the-power-of-thinking-and-how-to-improve-your-thinking-skills-55b7789f
Finally, I want to wish @aniruddhasen welcome back in his capacity as an author! After about 3 month's break, he has posted 2 articles: The more things change the more they remain the same and The price of security. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-more-things-change-the-more-they-remain-the-same-1b2640e2 https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/the-price-of-security-1366e4e7
Read the whole series, ”Suggested Reading” and my series “Retrospection”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#suggested-reading https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
*My 5 most recent articles:*
Retrospection 9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-9-6319ef6a
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Retrospection 9
*About Teeth, Human & Animal, Dentistry & Dental Health, Gems & Colour.*
A friend of mine once said that there are three things all people are interested in, even if they don't always want to admit it: sex, money and teeth! When he said that, I questioned whether teeth really were in parity with sex and money. Later, I have realised that they are. Most people have problems with their teeth, sooner or later, and such problems come with much pain, cosmetic trouble, and huge economic strain. Nobody can ignore the subject of teeth; everyone, absolutely everyone, would benefit from understanding teeth better, what it is and how to take good care of them.
I have written a series about teeth, and it has its own label in my Index. There you can presently find 6 articles: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#teeth
Dentistry - A Modern Luxury? Why Do We Need It? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dentistry-a-modern-luxury-why-do-we-need-it-357f88b3
Preserve Your Teeth: Nutrients & Other Beneficial Substances https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/preserve-your-teeth-nutrients-other-beneficial-substances-33b92d13
Take Care of Your Teeth: Hygiene, Prevention & Reparation of Damage https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/take-care-of-your-teeth-hygiene-prevention-reparation-of-damage-e4fa8291
Animal Teeth, Sabre-Toothed Tigers & Dragon's Teeth https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/animal-teeth-sabre-toothed-tigers-dragons-teeth-3ee1c91e
Supplement to Teeth: Etymology & Glossary https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/supplement-to-teeth-etymology-glossary-d83241c4
Tusks & Ivory https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/tusks-ivory-dfe625f7
In my usual way, I try to cover the subject from many perspectives: health, biology, evolution, history, culture, etc. If you are only interested in human teeth, reading the three first articles will suffice.
The sixth article, Tusks & Ivory, can also be found under the label Gems, which I recently added. That topic presently includes: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/tusks-ivory-dfe625f7 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#gems
Once the Most Precious Gem on Earth https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/once-the-most-precious-gem-on-earth-71626df2
Tusks & Ivory https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/tusks-ivory-dfe625f7
Genuine Ultramarine, Once One of the Most Costly Pigments in the World https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/genuine-ultramarine-once-one-of-the-most-costly-pigments-in-the-world-8ac3c605
Amber, Organic Gem with a Long History & Many Properties, Part I https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/amber-organic-gem-with-a-long-history-many-properties-part-i-9ea705bb
Amber, Organic Gem with a Long History & Many Properties, Part II https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/amber-organic-gem-with-a-long-history-many-properties-part-ii-fa6314f8
It should be noted that most people think of gems as “gemstones”, mineral gems, but there are organic gems as well: most notably pearls, amber and ivory. “Ultramarine”, however, is the mineral Lapis Lazuli, a gemstone.
I have been asked to continue this series with more about mineral gems. It may or may not happen, nothing has been decided about that yet.
People who follow my writings here have noticed that I have just published several articles about colour, where I try to explain what colour is, how and why we see different colours, and the purpose and effect of colours; and colour is important. In “Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour” I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
“Sight is the dominant human sense. Of the perceptional (from our five ordinary senses of perception) information our brain receives, 80-90% is related to sight, and of that more than 80% is related to colour.“
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
This ***chromocentric*** perspective will be reflected (no pun intended) in a few soon forthcoming articles as well. Indeed, I recently created “Colour” as a new separate topic in my index . There you'll also find ***chromocentric*** articles from the past, most of which you can or could find under the label “Eyes, Light, Vision, Blindness”, which I discussed in Retrospection 7 . Those that were not there, are, beside the new articles mentioned above, some articles related to colour and art: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#eyes-light-vision-blindness https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-7-ec5d208c
Aka-e – Japanese Colour Magic and Prussian Blue & Aizuri-e - Blue Pictures, both related to Japanese art – and Sepia, Grisaille & Verdaille: Monochrome Art... and how about Japan? , which has as well a Western as a Japanese perspective. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/aka-e-japanese-colour-magic-f89cf7e4 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prussian-blue-aizuri-e-blue-pictures-dc563ddd https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/sepia-grisaille-verdaille-monochrome-art-and-how-about-japan-da2aed40
For those who wonder, *“****chromocentric****”* here means *“colour-centred”*. The word is used in genetics, mainly in the form “chromocenter”. Its exact meaning is technical and would require a long explanation, let's just say that there it has to do with chromosomes. However, I have not found it used in the general meaning as “with a focus on colour”. For this purpose I created it as a combination of “chromos”, which means “colour” in Greek, and “centric”, which needs no further explanation. About creating new words, see Retrospection 3. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-3-d8bc8727
Also for those who wonder... My material about Japan, and my familiarity with Japanese culture and language, have made some readers assume that I am Japanese. I am not, but I have what we can call strong family links to Japan.
My series “Retrospection” is primarily created for new readers of mine, as a manual into my production at this platform so far - but it can be read by anyone who wants to explore my articles topic by topic, rather than doing so in chronological order. In addition to that, my retrospections contain new comments and from time to time short personal stories connected to the relevant topic or topics. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#retrospection
Previously published “Retrospections” are:
Retrospection 1 (About Japanese Art & Cultural History.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-1-a78bc572
Retrospection 2 (About Egyptology & about Coffee.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-2-a54911f7
Retrospection 3 (About Quotes, Sayings and Proverbs; and about creating new words.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-3-d8bc8727
Retrospection 4 (About dinosaurs, reptiles, dragons and to some extent birds.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-4-0c1add0e
Retrospection 5 (About Privacy, Freedom and Politics.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-5-aaa611cc
Retrospection 6 (Suggested reading. About ***other*** read.cash authors and their articles.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-6-f632199c
Retrospection 7 (Purple, Eyes, Vision, Light and Blindness.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-7-ec5d208c
Retrospection 8 (Cats, Dogs, Covid-19, The Knights Templar.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-8-dbaf62ec
Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.
*(The lead image shows piranhas by Reimund Bertrams/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been digitally altered.)*
You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34
*My 5 most recent articles:*
Colours III: Function, Purpose, & Effect of Colour https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-iii-function-purpose-effect-of-colour-de0b4e94
Colours II : The Nature of Colour 2 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ii-the-nature-of-colour-2-b4e4b528
Colours I : The Nature of Colour 1 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-i-the-nature-of-colour-1-0e75a695
Vitamin E - A Powerful Vitamin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vitamin-e-a-powerful-vitamin-32979116
Suggested Reading 3 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-3-e9dafa78
@Mictorrani
