@Mictorrani

@Mictorrani 25 January 2022

B-Vitamins I: Introduction *This is the first part in a series about the various B-vitamins, in which I will discuss many well known and some less known vitamins from this large family.* The number of known B-vitamins is a matter of dispute. One problem is how to define a vitamin, which, strictly, may not be a substance the body can manufacture itself. That would exclude several so-called B-vitamins. Here I choose to ignore this distinction, and interpret ***vitamins*** in the broadest sense of the word. The B-complex, or the group of B-vitamins, consists of a large number of often interdependent water-soluble nutrients. About thirty different are known, although a “standard” B-complex rarely consists of more than eleven or eight: Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine (B6), Cyanocobalamin (B12), Folic Acid, Biotin, Pantothenic Acid, Choline, Inositol, and PABA. The three last ones are not always included. I will discuss these eleven separately, except for Niacin, which was treated in Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! and will just be briefly mentioned here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33 In addition to that, I will bring up some further B-vitamins: Amygdalin, Pangamic Acid, and Orotic Acid. Amygdalin has also been discussed before, in Cyanophobia, and will just be briefly mentioned now. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/cyanophobia-d2cfe961 B-vitamins are involved in all systems of the body, and in almost all processes, physical or mental, many of them as co-enzymes. I am not going to list everything known about them, but rather give a brief outline of the most important functions. Modern diet is so poor in B-vitamins that most people in the world suffer from chronic deficiency. There is no doubt that such deficiency is one of the major causes for the constantly increasing frequency of degenerative disease. Some easily noticed symptoms that can be a result of B-vitamin deficiency are: problems with blood values, cholesterol, heart, and blood pressure; irritation, insomnia, and all sorts of mental problems; bad quality of skin, hair, or nails; constipation and other problems with digestion. On a deeper level, you can get cancer, atherosclerosis, arthritis, or become senile. For each vitamin I have stated the RDA, Recommended Daily Allowance according to political health authorities. The value is approximate; values vary slightly between authorities and countries. On the whole the RDA values are too low for optimal health, so I have added an OD, Optimal Daily Dosage, which is based on research and experience. The OD values span over considerable intervals. Your actual need depends on your personal inner and outer condition and can vary from time to time. The lowest value, however, should be seen as a minimum for optimal health. If you are healthy, you will hardly need to reach the upper limit, which is suited for therapy – that is, treatment of serious illness. Doses higher than the stated upper limit can sometimes be used in very special cases, but I advise not to do that without being under the supervision of a competent professional. It is sometimes said that B-vitamins are harmless, no matter the dose, because they are water-soluble and a surplus is quickly washed out of the body. This underestimates the power of vitamins. If you want to go high in dosage, begin moderately and build up gradually over a period of several months. During that time: observe your reactions! If anything feels wrong, or if you get a symptom you do not understand: consult someone who can determine if your symptoms are natural, or lower your dose. If you get strange symptoms, they should quickly cease if you interrupt taking the vitamin. However, be careful with B6, it can cause damage that will not disappear when you break supplementation. Initially, vitamins can result in a healing crisis. In case of B-vitamins that can mean that unclean skin becomes more unclean before getting better, an inflammation can get worse before fading, or various digestive problems can occur the first week or weeks. Such symptoms should cease within a couple of weeks (unless you increase dosage further during that time). B-vitamins are interdependent and should be taken together. Taking much of one or a few should always be followed by a moderate intake of the whole B-complex, or possibly all vitamins. A base of superfoods is preferable (see the last part of this series). Just taking an isolated vitamin can result in therapeutic deficiencies of others (too little relative to the one of which you take much). To be continued... Related articles: Nicotinic Acid, the Real Super Vitamin! (Vitamin B3) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nicotinic-acid-the-real-super-vitamin-9e90bc33 Why Dietary Supplements are Needed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c All my articles on Vitamins, Minerals & Nutrients can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#vitaminsmineralsnutrients Copyright © 2006-2017, 2019, 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by MasterTux/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* 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: Should We Publish More at Read.cash Now When BCH has Fallen so Much?a https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/should-we-publish-more-at-readcash-now-when-bch-has-fallen-so-much-ce0c7033 Suggested Reading 16 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-16-cc9102ef Blue, Murdered Wives, Kings, and a Bird https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/blue-murdered-wives-kings-and-a-bird-050d1a9a Retrospection 14 (Health & Illness, and how we perceive them. Health Paradigms) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-14-ba02f7df Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c

@Mictorrani 24 January 2022

Should We Publish More at Read.cash Now When BCH has Fallen so Much? *To my surprise. I have seen this question turning up. No matter your purpose of being here, my answer is “****Yes, we should!****” This even offers us an opportunity to improve our earnings.* *Puzzling? I will explain it.* If you are here just because you like writing, then there is no question, the price of BCH is not of any real interest to you. Most of you, however, are here – at least partly – for the tips; to earn by posting. Then there are two approaches. Either you immediately cash out your BCH because you need the money for your regular life – or, you keep what you earn as a long-term investment in BCH. If you always cash out quickly, the price doesn't really matter much. You get a number of dollars in tips and you cash it out as approximately so many dollars. How many BCH you had as an intermediary is of very little consequence. As long as the swings in price are not too fast, it doesn't mean anything. If you published here before, you can continue publishing with about the same income. If you earn and save, the price does matter. But if you have followed the crypto industry a long time, you know that deep falls occur, and – even if it can take some time – the price normally increases again. There is no reason for panic. Don't sell, just continue keeping what you earn. Even better than that: keep publishing and earning. As a matter of fact, the presently low price is an opportunity to increase your profit. Think of it! You earn tips denoted in dollars (which are exchanged to BCH) → 5 dollars before, is still 5 dollars, but with the low price of BCH, it is more BCH. So the result is that you earn ***more BCH***, which is favourable once the price is rising again. So, as far as I can see, there is no reason for anyone to leave BCH or Crypto, or to stop using Read.cash. Now I know that for those of you with only a short acquaintance with Bitcoin, a sudden fall in price can be scaring. Yet it is a recurrent pattern, it has happened before. Still Bitcoin and Crypto survived and rose again. The most dramatic example was - if I am not misremembering it – in 2013. There is no reason for panic; just ***continue to support BCH, the genuine Bitcoin!*** Apart from a general fall of the value of cryptocurrencies right now, there is also a systematic attempt by bitcoin maximalists to destroy Bitcoin Cash. Many writers here have written about that, there is no reason for me to repeat all their observations. However, I don't think that is anything to worry too much about. It will delay the establishment of BCH to some extent, but it will not stop it. Why? Because in a comparison between BTC and BCH – BCH wins on every point. In the end, competition favours BCH. With SmartBCH as an extra attraction, there is no doubt about the winner. BTC stopped evolving a long time ago – instead it is systematically destroyed by being gradually transformed to a centralised and controlled colossus in traditional Bigbrotheristic style. The BCH system, however, faithful to its original ideals, is evolving. True or false about Bitcoin today? And how about Bitcoin Cash? Which one is true to the original values? Compare some early quotes: “*Bitcoin is a new kind of money. It's the first decentralized electronic currency not controlled by a single organization or government. Its an open source project, and the number of people who use it continues to grow. All over the world people are trading hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of bitcoin every day, with no middle man, no fees, no credit card companies. Its a startup currency which has never happened before.”* (Making Money- Gavin Andresen @ Ignite Amherst “*Bitcoin is the first digital currency that is completely distributed. The network is made up of users like yourself so no bank or payment processor is required between you and whoever you're trading with. This decentralization is the basis for Bitcoin's security and freedom.”* (weusecoins.com) “*Email let us send letters for free, anywhere in the world. Skype lets us make phone and video calls for free, anywhere in the world. Now there's bitcoin. Bitcoin lets you send money to anyone online, anywhere in the world for less then a cent per transaction! Bitcoin is a community run system not controlled by any bank or government. There's no wallstreet banker getting rich by standing between you and the people you want to send and receive money from.”* (ex_ample, reddit user) Related articles: Why Do I Not Write about Cryptocurrencies? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-do-i-not-write-about-cryptocurrencies-73da0c39 Laissez Faire City https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/laissez-faire-city-7da9602c Crypto Quotes + Comments https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/crypto-quotes-comments-0acda416 Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c Copyright © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by WorldSpectrum/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* 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 16 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-16-cc9102ef Blue, Murdered Wives, Kings, and a Bird https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/blue-murdered-wives-kings-and-a-bird-050d1a9a Retrospection 14 (Health & Illness, and how we perceive them. Health Paradigms) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-14-ba02f7df Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/biographical-details-or-not-art-bitcoin-453f1434

@Mictorrani 18 January 2022

Suggested Reading 16 *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 The “Big Brothers” of this world try to usurp the concept of cryptocurrency and make of it a tool for advancement of their own power. In a recent article, Are Stablecoins or CBDCs options against bitcoin?, @Jnavedan warns for exaggerated optimism when it comes to crypto and freedom. This warning is justified. The danger becomes even worse if people ignore it or are not aware of it. We must stand firm behind the idea of cryptocurrency in its undiluted form, not allowing power hungry politicians and bankers to usurp the concept and make it to theirs. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/are-stablecoins-or-cbdcs-options-against-bitcoin-1ae4a6ae Learn to handle smartBCH and smartdex: SmartBCH Articles: Guide For Those Who Want To Start Their SmartBCH Journey by @BCH_LOVER https://read.cash/@BCH_LOVER/smartbch-articles-guide-for-those-who-want-to-start-their-smartbch-journey-31774c91 Introducing SmartDex, the new Dex on smartBCh with a unique reward model and SmartDex, the Dex that encourages you to save instead of spending, both by @Fexonice1. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/introducing-smartdex-the-new-dex-on-smartbch-with-a-unique-reward-model-5430fb76 https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/smartdex-the-dex-that-encourages-you-to-save-instead-of-spending-75050cd0 How to DeFi with SmartBCH DEX MistSwap by @Pantera. https://read.cash/@Pantera/how-to-defi-with-smartbch-dex-mistswap-9b77efeb SmartBCH and smartdex, have attracted much attention lately. Some writers are very positive, but there are critical voices too; what they say deserves to be read, because what they say makes sense. @annayks wrote Make The SmartBCH Projects Work Properly and Big Investors Will Join and Protect SmartBCH And BCH - Stop Promoting Rugs. https://read.cash/@annayks https://read.cash/@annayks/make-the-smartbch-projects-work-properly-and-big-investors-will-join-1fcb7f02 https://read.cash/@annayks/protect-smartbch-and-bch-stop-promoting-rugs-bc889575 @MoreGainStrategies warns us SmartDex - Fooling Users Into Paying Fees Is a Red Flag. https://read.cash/@MoreGainStrategies https://read.cash/@MoreGainStrategies/smartdex-fooling-users-into-paying-fees-is-a-red-flag-2807d1a4 @Talon has thoughts about NFTs (non-fungible tokens) in two parts: What's With Non-Fungible Tokens(NFT) (Part One) and What's With Non-Fungible Tokens(NFT) (Part Two). https://read.cash/@Talon https://read.cash/@Talon/whats-with-non-fungible-tokensnft-part-one-27ff696a https://read.cash/@Talon/whats-with-non-fungible-tokensnft-part-two-c1d11cc0 @MikeZillo describes What are the origins of Seigniorage? This is not about crypto, but about a fundamental characteristic of FIAT money, “Seigniorage”. An important concept to understand. https://read.cash/@MikeZillo https://read.cash/@MikeZillo/what-are-the-origins-of-seigniorage-8c4fdfc2 “Some experts believe that we may be all living in a simulated world created by a super-intelligent species. But how could we ever prove this theory? Some scientists believe that the key to unlocking this mystery may be found by looking at the universe itself. “ That's the beginning of an article where @BuildingDreams asks How could we prove whether or not we are living in a simulation? https://read.cash/@BuildingDreams https://read.cash/@BuildingDreams/how-could-we-prove-whether-or-not-we-are-living-in-a-simulation-ab29b262 @bala41288 writes about Electric Airplanes - A near-future technology soon can blow our mind. https://read.cash/@bala41288 https://read.cash/@bala41288/electric-airplanes-a-near-future-technology-soon-can-blow-our-mind-10bb9c88 @onlymythoughts discusses the corona epidemic, how it is handled, and how it started, in A sensible approach? https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts https://read.cash/@onlymythoughts/a-sensible-approach-8be3eb27 @Jcnakama is an interesting new member. He thinks clearly and writes clearly. I would like to recommend several articles from his first few weeks here: The discipline of silence., Say Nothing, The psychology of form, and his most recent one, published just a few hours before I publish this: The psychological perception of sound. https://read.cash/@JCnakama https://read.cash/@JCnakama/the-discipline-of-silence-7d5bfff1 https://read.cash/@JCnakama/say-nothing-d6b7596e https://read.cash/@JCnakama/the-psychology-of-form-b808e402 https://read.cash/@JCnakama/the-psychological-perception-of-sound-64b44a25 Another relatively new member, who I have mentioned once before, is @Talecharm. She has a special and personal way to express what she wants to say. Read, for instance, Rock your World through the Rocks or Build A Building For Thyself. https://read.cash/@Talecharm https://read.cash/@Talecharm/rock-your-world-through-the-rocks-c8aff361 https://read.cash/@Talecharm/build-a-building-for-thyself-bc8c7dd7 @Giddyboy writes about the importance of using time well, in Time Is Your Ally. Use It Wisely. https://read.cash/@Giddyboy https://read.cash/@Giddyboy/time-is-your-ally-use-it-wisely-5424a117 Two articles by @Gemstone: Friendly Reminder: Nothing Good Comes Out Of Force and Shallow Minded World & Skin Deep Beauty https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/friendly-reminder-nothing-good-comes-out-of-force-46ffa850 https://read.cash/@Gemstone/shallow-minded-world-skin-deep-beauty-d92c0b66 @Lucifer01 asks in his personal way: Walk 7 Steps With Me. https://read.cash/@Lucifer01 https://read.cash/@Lucifer01/walk-7-steps-with-me-dfa7af56 Never be under pressure to reveal your srcrets, says @Bilqees. Don't tell people too much about yourself, they don't need to know everything. Hold on to your secrets. https://read.cash/@Bilqees/never-be-under-pressure-to-reveal-your-srcrets-2db82258 @Champion writes about good and bad in Two edged sword- (You need to see this). Then the most recent post by the same author: Learning is treasure. This is something to which I really agree. Learning is living. https://read.cash/@Champion https://read.cash/@Champion/two-edged-sword-you-need-to-see-this-472784cd https://read.cash/@Champion/learning-is-treasure-f69d9ef6 “Very Peri” is the colour of the year 2022, according to @McJulez. More precisely it is named “PANTONE 17-3938 Very Peri”. I am interested in colour, so this article caught my attention. However, even if the efficiency of a colour depends on which other colours it is combined with, I find Very Peri a quite dull and uninteresting shade. Perhaps your taste is different than mine. Take a look at the colour in Very Peri: Color of the Year. https://read.cash/@McJulez https://read.cash/@McJulez/very-peri-color-of-the-year-bb8ca5d3 It's not only @Lucifan (My Favorite Chess Stories) and I (Increase Your Brain Capacity with Games of Skill), who are interested in chess here, @ErdoV is writing a whole series about the noble game: Chess Deep History, Scientific Data About Chess, Effects of Chess on Children, and the series continues... https://read.cash/@Lucifan https://read.cash/@Lucifan/my-favorite-chess-stories-800290f6 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/increase-your-brain-capacity-with-games-of-skill-3792c5d4 https://read.cash/@ErdoV https://read.cash/@ErdoV/chess-deep-history-4eb2eeb1 https://read.cash/@ErdoV/scientific-data-about-chess-a8422cc0 https://read.cash/@ErdoV/effects-of-chess-on-children-f7a2fa4e Long absent @hamedbkh recently published France, England and the devil fighting alongside the saint (part 1). Allegedly, as well part 2 as 3 will follow. Although he posts infrequently, this is one of the best authors on this platform. https://read.cash/@hamedbkh https://read.cash/@hamedbkh/france-england-and-the-devil-fighting-alongside-the-saint-part-1-2d33ab50 Egyptology is one of my topics and interests, so I really enjoyed @Infinity's article The curse of Tutankhamun. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#egyptology https://read.cash/@Infinity https://read.cash/@Infinity/the-curse-of-tutankhamun-c1e1aec7 While we dwell in very old history, let's also mention Important Discovery for Modern Man's History by @lutch. https://read.cash/@lutch/important-discovery-for-modern-mans-history-cb5bedbe @BSzandra tells us about Superstitions about the first day of the year, @Temimay tells us about Mysterious and unbelievable ways people have actually died, and @Kristofferquincy relates Unbelievable historical events that actually happened. https://read.cash/@BSzandra https://read.cash/@BSzandra/superstitions-about-the-first-day-of-the-year-d4bbc9b4 https://read.cash/@Temimay https://read.cash/@Temimay/mysterious-and-unbelievable-ways-people-have-actually-died-8d707d00 https://read.cash/@Kristofferquincy https://read.cash/@Kristofferquincy/unbelievable-historical-events-that-actually-happened-45327382 Have you ever played with LEGO, one of the best toys invented the last century? @Librarian writes about it in a two-part series: LEGO - Humble Beginnings and LEGO - Inspiring Tomorrow. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/lego-humble-beginnings-c2e0cea5 https://read.cash/@Librarian/lego-inspiring-tomorrow-043f51e7 Customs and traditions by @ArteFM is a story about differences. https://read.cash/@ArteFM/customs-and-traditions-c96badc9 My people and our culture by @Maxdevalue.BCH describes an interesting Igbo tradition, which certainly contributes to the preservation of their culture. https://read.cash/@Maxdevalue.BCH/my-people-and-our-culture-4d513202 @Duvinca writes about a trip in Russia in St. Petersburg: trains, cold and charming palaces. https://read.cash/@Duvinca https://read.cash/@Duvinca/st-petersburg-trains-cold-and-charming-palaces-1a4a327c Finally some fiction: myself interested in dragons, I cannot resist Man's Trash, Dragon's Treasure by @Ozzyy. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#dragons https://read.cash/@Ozzyy/mans-trash-dragons-treasure-b89f8b41 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 © 2022 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: Blue, Murdered Wives, Kings, and a Bird https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/blue-murdered-wives-kings-and-a-bird-050d1a9a Retrospection 14 (Health & Illness, and how we perceive them. Health Paradigms) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-14-ba02f7df Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/biographical-details-or-not-art-bitcoin-453f1434 Suggested Reading 15 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-15-f656c19b

@Mictorrani 15 January 2022

Blue, Murdered Wives, Kings, and a Bird *What does the cruel Bluebeard, the murderer of many wives, have in common with a blue bird?* *The “blue” of course, but there is more to it than that, the second common denominator is folktales; we will discuss two fairy-tales. A combination of two of my topics, literature and colour* (although, admittedly, the importance of colour here is rather insignificant). Barbe-Blue - Bluebeard This is a fairy tale by Charles Perrault (1628-1703), which has been widely translated and spread, sometimes slightly changed. In English it is known under the name of Bluebeard. Bluebeard was an ogre, who had been married many times. His last wife, the young Fatima, was trusted with all the keys of the castle, but was forbidden to unlock one particular room. Once in his absence, she nevertheless opened the forbidden room and found in it the dead bodies of his former wives. Betrayed by a bloodstain on the key, she was about to be put to death for her trespassing, but was saved by the arrival of her brothers, and Bluebeard was slain. Charles Perrault more or less invented the fairy tale as we know it, and many internationally well-known tales originally were his, at least in the form we know them (although many of them has a much longer history). Apart from Barbe Bleue (Bluebeard), for instance Cendrillon (Cinderella), La Belle au bois dormant (Sleeping Beauty) and Le Petit Chaperon rouge (Little Red Riding Hood). Modern readers are most acquainted with most of these stories through an intermediary. namely the Brothers Grimm, whose collection of folk tales became normative, being the basis for later film interpretations by, for instance, Walt Disney (Snow White, Cinderella, etc...). As for Bluebeard, a large number of authors have elaborated on the theme and various versions of the tale exist. The story has also inspired to music. The word "ogre" means a monster who eats people, or sometimes a hideous and cruel man. This word (French: ogre) was probably coined by Charles Perrault. Many fairy tales are based on, or a least inspired by, a true story from history. What about Bluebeard? Well, we don't know for sure, but here are people who claim that the inspiration to Bluebeard is a 4th century Prince of Pohor, Conomor the Accursed, who married the widow of a king he had murdered in order to steal his kingdom. The widow was afraid of him, and managed to run away. Conomor, then a king, married St. Trephine, another woman. When she became pregnant, however, she feared he would kill her, because there was a prophesy that Conomor's own son would kill him. Thus she decided to make an attempt to escape. On her way she came to the royal crypt, where there were a number of coffins, each one, except last one, housing the corpse of a woman. The last one was empty, and believed to be for St. Trephine. Bluebeard eventually catches her and kills her. St.Gildas restores her to life, but when she is returned to Coromor, his castle collapses, and he dies. (The source of this story is a biography of St. Gildas.) Another, often mentioned source of Bluebeard, is Breton serial killer Gilles de Rais. He, however, did not kill wives, but children, whom he allegedly abused sexually before murdering them. It is unclear however, if Gilles de Rais committed the crimes for which he was hanged and burned (they claimed he was a witch). In any case, he is an unlikely source of the story of Bluebeard. L'oiseau Bleu – The Blue Bird “L'oiseau bleu" (The Blue Bird) is a tale from "Contes Nouveaux ou les Fees a la Mode" by Marie Catherine le Jumelle de Barneville, Baronne d'Aulnoy (1650-1705), who in a way did introduce the fairy-tale into serious literature, and gave it its artistic form. She also invented the name: *contes de fées* (fairy tales). L'oiseau blue is about prince Charming, who, in shape of a bird, is visiting princess Florine in a tower, but is injured by poisoned knives the princess' stepmother had placed outside the window. After that the princess found him and cured him. This, of course, is an extreme summary, the tale is far more detailed. Incidentally, it is striking how consistently step-mothers are described in fairy-tales as bad and evil women! Blue So, what does the blue colour mean in this context? In Bluebeard it is very simple. The man is described as having beard so black that it was blue. In L'oiseau bleu, it is harder to say. Perhaps it has to do with blue as a symbol for “longing” & desire. Resources: Blue Beard (In English), from Andrew Lang, *The Blue Fairy Book* (London: Longmans, Green, and Company, ca. 1889), pp. 290-295. https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/perrault03.html La Barbe bleüe, édition de 1697 originale. (In French) https://fr.wikisource.org/wiki/Histoires_ou_Contes_du_temps_pass%C3%A9_%281697%29/Original/La_Barbe_bleue "The Blue Bird" in “Fairy Tales” by the Countess d'Aulnoy (1856). Translated to English by James Robinson Planché. https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Fairy_Tales_by_the_Countess_d%27Aulnoy/The_Blue_Bird A website with some fairy-tales by Charles Perrault in French original. http://www.alyon.org/litterature/livres/XVIII/esprit_salon/perrault/ Copyright © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail & illustration: Left, Bluebeard, Woodcut by Gustave Doré, Public Domain - Right, Bluebird, photo by Shirley Dawson/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* Here you can find my articles about History of Literature. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#literature-amp-history-of-literature 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 14 (Health & Illness, and how we perceive them. Health Paradigms) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-14-ba02f7df Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/biographical-details-or-not-art-bitcoin-453f1434 Suggested Reading 15 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-15-f656c19b Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/food-preservation-the-paradox-of-canned-food-082a43d8

@Mictorrani 11 January 2022

Retrospection 14 *The theme of this retrospection is health and illness, what they are and how we perceive them. Perhaps you'll see them differently after reading this.* I have posted a large number of articles in various ways related to different aspects of health, but it would become too much if we bring up all of them here today. Let's focus on health paradigms, ways to think of health and illness. It is important how think of health because our thoughts determine how we handle it. I want to challenge some contemporary health paradigms, which is reflected in several of my articles related to health. Suicide is not Painless was one of my first health articles at Read.cash. What I want to say with it is that degenerative disease (such as cancer & cardiovascular disease) is a slow suicide if you do not refrain from doing what you know contribute to its development. And, as a suicide, it is entirely caused by you. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suicide-is-not-painless-25cb72cf The consequences of this view are profound. If you adhere to a religion banning suicide – which is most consistently done in Islam – everything potentially harmful is forbidden. (You can see more on how suicide is seen in different cultures in The Attitude to Suicide in some Major Religions – A Brief Survey.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-attitude-to-suicide-in-some-major-religions-a-brief-survey-ad94597b The article continues with Better Health - How to Begin, which offers some advice on how to escape the bad habits leading straight to degenerative disease. Some steps anyone can apply immediately. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/better-health-how-to-begin-fcd2c8fa Then we have three articles explaining often occurring questions: constipation, and why salt and sugar are harmful. Constipation, Very Common and Much More Dangerous than People Tend to Believe https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/constipation-very-common-and-much-more-dangerous-than-people-tend-to-believe-fd93de45 Why Salt Destroys Your Health - and Why People Like It https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-salt-destroys-your-health-and-why-people-like-it-15c7f0bf Why Refined Sugar Destroys You https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-refined-sugar-destroys-you-dd61915e Two articles about walking,the exercise nobody should be without. Walk or Die https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/walk-or-die-44dabe46 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 Three articles about things often treated wrong in contemporary society – also by medical professionals: how fever might be your best defence, how your immune system needs training to work properly, and why the use of antibiotics ought to be limited. These articles can change your view of illness, especially infections, and how they should be treated. Do not try to bring down fever, it might be your best friend https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/do-not-try-to-bring-down-fever-it-might-be-your-best-friend-e331f96d If You're Never Ill, You are Ill Indeed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/if-youre-never-illyoure-ill-indeed-fe8f9c79 Antibiotics & Side-Effects of Antibiotics https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/antibiotics-side-effects-of-antibiotics-ed3017f0 What do you know of about oxygen and antioxidants? We need oxygen to live, but oxygen also kills us. It's not so simple as many believe. Read Oxygen: Life & Death – A Balanced View on Antioxidants https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/oxygen-life-death-a-balanced-view-on-antioxidants-b688ba60 Speaking of oxygen, do you know how to breath efficiently? Correct breathing is essential for optimal health. Read about that in Don't Turn Your Nose Up At Your Nose – The Art of Breathing Right. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dont-turn-your-nose-up-at-your-nose-the-art-of-breathing-right-a91611b9 For what diet are we genetically adapted? Some people claim that the food eaten at the Stone Age, a Palaeolithic diet, is the ideal. I disagree; I consider it too modern(!) Our genetics are not yet adapted even to that. Read why in Some Thoughts on a Palaeolithic Diet https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/some-thoughts-on-a-palaeolithic-diet-a2f674d9 I will not discuss articles about individual dietary supplements in this retrospection, but I think Why Dietary Supplements are Needed belongs here. It is a survey over why contemporary food can never suffice nutritionally. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c More on the ideal diet: Two Important Points on Diet & Health. Eat living food, and eat too little. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/two-important-points-on-diet-health-6f9c354a Should we eat a varied diet, or should we keep a monodiet (eating only one sort of foodstuff)? The answer appears obvious, but if looking at it a little deeper, it is not all that obvious any longer. Learn why in Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596 Learn what germinal food is and why it is extremely nutritious: Germinal Food = Superfood. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/germinal-food-superfood-112867a5 In today's world, no superstition is greater than the belief in the miracle of medical drugs. In this article, I also discuss why many doctors are approaching patients and illness in the wrong way. Medicine, Modern Superstition & Flawed Paradigms https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/medicine-modern-superstition-flawed-paradigms-7fba6b65 Symptoms are not always leading us straight to the root cause of an ailment; they can be quite misleading. I think they often are. Healthcare professionals treat symptoms, while often failing to find the root cause. So, why would we need medical detectives? I tell you why and illustrates if with a true story from my own life. Deceptive Symptoms - A True Story https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/deceptive-symptoms-a-true-story-4875976e One can see the body as a pipe, with an inner and an outer surface. The number of micro-organisms living on these two surfaces are higher than the number of cells in the human body. It's important who they are; their composition is of tremendous importance for health. Read more in The Body's Inner & Outer Surface (and its inhabitants) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-bodys-inner-outer-surface-and-its-inhabitants-109dfc8b In my opinion, The Feminisation of Nature is the single greatest threat to human survival. It might very well exterminate the human species within a few generations. Read how and why in this article. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-feminisation-of-nature-d9ba1e17 What is ageing? Is it inevitable? What's the purpose of death? Do we have to die? Causality, Reversed Causality & Coincidence: Thinking, Politics & Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/causality-reversed-causality-coincidence-thinking-politics-ageing-d2223b4d Ageing & Death, Inevitable or Not? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/ageing-death-inevitable-or-not-9ec15bdc Telomeres, Rate of Living, Hormesis & Ageing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/telomeres-rate-of-living-hormesis-ageing-c90921fb Incidentally, I sometimes get questions about the title “Suicide is not Painless” (the first mentioned article above). It is a play with words, based on the title of the theme to M.A.S.H. (once a popular TV-series), called Suicide is Painless. https://youtu.be/v605dDOO-Dw 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 © 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by www_slon_pics/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* 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: Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/bitcoin-trustlessness-backing-8f11ed9c Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/biographical-details-or-not-art-bitcoin-453f1434 Suggested Reading 15 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-15-f656c19b Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/food-preservation-the-paradox-of-canned-food-082a43d8 New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/new-years-resolutions-vows-of-the-peacock-4b5d2f39

@Mictorrani 9 January 2022

Bitcoin: Trustlessness & Backing *In this article, I will discuss two questions:* ***what is “trustlessness” and why is it so important****, and* ***why is “backing" of a cryptocurrency a bad idea?*** Trustlessness We say about Bitcoin that it is ***trustless*****.** What does that mean? When you have money in a bank, you have to trust the bank to protect your money and information about it. You have no control though. They can do whatever they want with it, but you ***trust*** them. When you send emails via – say – Gmail, you trust them to store and deliver as they are supposed to. But you have no saying in what they really do. It is completely based on trust, a trust that in Gmail's case has been shamelessly betrayed. Likewise, if you leave a letter with the Postal Service, it is a system of trust. You trust them to deliver your letter. When you have cash in your pocket, you are responsible for keeping it safe, or you will lose it. If you do, it is your own fault. You have not trusted anyone else. Cash in your pocket is trustless. No one can betray that trust, since there isn't anyone. Trust-based services are susceptible to bribery, threat, or blackmailing. That means, you cannot entirely trust anyone with really important things. Traditionally trust-based services are held in check by law and the possibility of law enforcement; if a bank steals your money, you take it to court. Already at that stage, law is insufficient to protect against damage caused by breach of trust, since the representatives of state and law are those who protect it the least. But when it comes to the internet it becomes even worse. You cannot trust a website at the other end of the world to do what it says it will do! The only way to be sure that you and no one else controls important things such as your money or your privacy, is that these things can be handled ***trustlessly*** – that is, that no one else has even a remote possibility to breach any trust. A trustless digital system must never have a central point; decentralisation of the system is a prerequisite – as is properly applied cryptography. Bitcoin is a breakthrough in trustlessness, since for the first time it offers a digital version of what in the physical world is cash. It is trustless. What you have and what you do with it is no one's business but your own, and no one can freeze your assets, confiscate or tax them beyond the level you allow, because there is no third party involved. Most bitcoin users do indeed avail themselves to third party services, thereby eliminating the trustlessness in their own dealings. But so you can do with cash as well, when you, for instance, entrust it to a bank. The point is that the ***bitcoin system*** is trustless, you do not have to trust any third party unless you actively choose to do so. Backing There is recurrent criticism of that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are lacking tangible backing. This is one way bankers and politicians try to discredit cryptocurrencies and scare people away. To some extent the general public believe this to be a weakness. Many say that a cryptocurrency should be backed by gold, then it would be trustworthy, and that's why stable coins turned up. They have a “backing”, and they miss the whole point. Any tangible backing would in practice be controlled by one or other government, which could simply confiscate it at any time; with it, Bitcoin would lose one of its most important features. The lack of physical backing is one of Bitcoin's major strengths, because there is nothing a government can steal. For many people, it is still a fixed idea that digital "currencies" must be based on gold and that the question was only a matter of finding a safe place to store the gold. We don't know why it is so hard for most people to realise that no such place exists and that safe solutions must be based on a principle of "no jurisdiction". The reliance on the state is deeply rooted, it is taken for granted, questioned only by a few. For the same reason, whatever is held digitally cannot be in a physical location. It would be dependent on the government of that location. That's where a distributed system comes in handy. It is interesting to see critics of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies over and over again presenting perceived weaknesses that are, in fact, strengths. There are problems with Bitcoin which have to be solved, but that it lacks tangible backing is not one of them. Copyright © 2013/2014. 2021 Meleonymica. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by tombark/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* Here you find all my writings about privacy & antibigbrotherism, including a few articles about crypto. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#privacy-amp-antibigbrotherism 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: Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/biographical-details-or-not-art-bitcoin-453f1434 Suggested Reading 15 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-15-f656c19b Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/food-preservation-the-paradox-of-canned-food-082a43d8 New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/new-years-resolutions-vows-of-the-peacock-4b5d2f39 Suggested Reading 14 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-14-1625f948

@Mictorrani 7 January 2022

Biographical Details or Not? Art & Bitcoin “*Why are you so briefly discussing the life of people you write about? There are not many details of their childhood, education, family, and so on.”* I sometimes receive that question, and that's right; I'm not spending many lines on biographical details, unless there is something exceptionally interesting there, or if some detail of the biography is inseparable from an important part the person's work. I prefer to focus more on the work than on the man behind it. It is part of my opinion about separating the public from the private. The results of published works are public. The lives of the people behind the works are private, and it should stay at least as private as they wish or wished themselves. Sometimes they publish details about themselves, then that part is public, but not really all that interesting anyway. The work must be able to stand on its own, even if we do not know anything about the creator. Otherwise it is a bad work. Why do you really need to know anything about a composer, artist or author to be able to appreciate his work? Their childhood, their vices, and their love life are certainly irrelevant for the appreciation. Does the fact that a man was a drunkard, a fornicator, or even a murderer change the quality of his art for better or worse? Either the art is good or it is bad. If the man behind it was a saint or an asshole won't change anything. However, our knowledge of his character muddles proper judgement of his art. Better we don't know. And how about Bitcoin? Nobody knows anything about its creator, Satoshi Nakamoto. Although a lot of people feel frustration over that, does it at all diminish the greatness of Bitcoin? Are you unable to appreciate or benefit from using Bitcoin just because you don't know who Satoshi Nakamoto is or was? Of course not. On the contrary, I would say. Any knowledge about him could possibly create prejudice and blur our judgement of Bitcoin itself. What if he is something half the world dislike? What if he is a murderer, rapist or heavy drug addict? I have no reason to suspect him to be so, just consider the possibility; would it change your view of Bitcoin? For many people it would, because they cannot make a clear distinction between the man and his work. It is the same trait that makes some people unable to disagree with someone without getting on bad terms with that person on the whole. One can hate something someone stands for without hating that person as a person. One can hate something someone does, without hating them. You can even love someone, and still hate something they do. There is a distinction between a person and his/her actions, and there is a distinction between different actions from the same person. In the same way, of course, someone you hate as person, can still do something you like and appreciate. This however, is unfathomable for a majority of humanity. So yes, in most cases I do indeed avoid engaging in too many biographical details. Some general facts, when they are known, cannot be avoided, but it is the ***results*** of the work of people like H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe, Richard Wagner, Hokusai (or, by all means, Satoshi Nakamoto), that are important from my point of view. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lovecraft-was-more-than-horror-dcfc3d13 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/poe-a-personal-view-d1e75708 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/hokusai-manga-the-most-famous-japanese-artwork-ever-21e50210 The most important exception was the discussion about creativity, madness, and drug abuse - which unavoidably must lead to a study of certain aspects of the creator's personality. But that was still a study of phenomena, not an unmotivated intrusion into private lives – and it certainly contained no judgemental attitude towards these individuals. (See The Cult of the Green Fairy; La Fée Verte and Mindfood & Drugs, Creative Genius & Insanity) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-cult-of-the-green-fairy-la-fee-verte-641c4182 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/mindfood-drugs-creative-genius-insanity-91391009 In the end, for those who desire more biographical details, there are normally many easily available sources on the net. Not about Satoshi Nakamoto, Sharaku or the handful of people who have gone to great length to protect their privacy, but about most others. Copyright © 2018, 2021 Meleonymica. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by geralt/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* Related articles: Satoshi & Sharaku https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/satoshi-sharaku-103177b2 Private & Public – Is it Justified With a Free Press When Privacy is Outlawed? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/private-public-is-it-justified-with-a-free-press-when-privacy-is-outlawed-89a06337 Why Should You Always Write under a Pseudonym? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-should-you-always-write-under-a-pseudonym-07e4fe80 Privacy: What is it? Do we need it? Why are People Afraid of it? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/privacy-what-is-it-do-we-need-it-why-are-people-afraid-of-it-d69afb46 Here you find all my writings about Privacy. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#privacy-amp-antibigbrotherism 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: Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/food-preservation-the-paradox-of-canned-food-082a43d8 New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/new-years-resolutions-vows-of-the-peacock-4b5d2f39 Suggested Reading 14 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-14-1625f948 History of Months IV: India, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iv-india-china-the-french-revolution-the-cruelty-of-april-300ec314 Christmas or Yule? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/christmas-or-yule-0988588e

@Mictorrani 4 January 2022

Suggested Reading 15 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 As this is the first edition of “Suggested Reading” this year,I take the opportunity to wish all members of Read.cash a Happy & Prosperous 2022! I'm sure we will see many exciting things unfold in the cryptospace this year. January 3. A new birthday for Bitcoin Cash claims @Jnavedan, and he is right. If you wonder why, read his article. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/january-3-a-new-birthday-for-bitcoin-cash-f73c47c6 Another article by the same author, NFT, Will change the world? - Risks behind the euphoria, warns about too much optimism. This is justified. It is easy to see only the benefits of NTFs, or any new invention, and forget that the Big Brothers of this world can (and will) twist it and use it for their purposes as well. We must be ready to counter that, but if nobody sees this risk, there will be no defence available. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/nft-will-change-the-world-risks-behind-the-euphoria-100cfed4 The NFT Revolution Will Not Be Gamified, Yet... writes @oyl. https://read.cash/@oyl/the-nft-revolution-will-not-be-gamified-yet-ada12040 Positive or negative about cryptocurrency? Well, Its All About Perspective according to @Shohana. https://read.cash/@Shohana/its-all-about-perspective-2ee1fc76 Veteran @Fexonice1 wrote SmartBCH, a gate way for the world to discover the potentials of BCH, and it might very well be so. The author is very enthusiastic about SmartBCH, and I also think there is good reason to be so. He wrote: https://read.cash/@Fexonice1 https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/smartbch-a-gate-way-for-the-world-to-discover-the-potentials-of-bch-c1d84ddd “With SmartBCH the BCH future we will have been looking forward to has begun. It is important to understand what this SmartBCH is about, the benefits and implications, and it is important to promote this revolutionary project, even more important to spread this knowledge to as many people as possible. And with the arrival of the BCH Evolution, SmartBCH will be the foundation for many new BCH projects that will help make BCH a serious contender in the crypto space.” Decentralized Finance will make you millionaire in a day claims @Naturalist. Perhaps that is a slight exaggeration, but the author convincingly explains why it is financially advantageous for the individual. https://read.cash/@Naturalist/decentralized-finance-will-make-you-millionaire-in-a-day-42342503 Then we two articles by always well writing @Pantera: The Metaverse Wars and SmartBCH For Beginners: Start Here! The latter one is a good introduction to SmartBCH for those who still does not understand very much about it. https://read.cash/@Pantera https://read.cash/@Pantera/the-metaverse-wars-1a40995d https://read.cash/@Pantera/smartbch-for-beginners-start-here-9f7ec63e Now we leave crypto, looking at a post on physics. Another article by @Naturalist, Fifth state of matter, describes the Bose-Einstein condensate. https://read.cash/@Naturalist https://read.cash/@Naturalist/fifth-state-of-matter-c04da792 New member @Angelken writes about The different theories of energy. https://read.cash/@Angelken https://read.cash/@Angelken/the-different-theories-of-energy-20fe5db1 Another promising new member is @Florina45, whose latest article is About Human Brain. https://read.cash/@Florina45 https://read.cash/@Florina45/about-human-brain-cb709350 In an old article by @Purebeauty, a member who has not been online the last 8 months, we can read that The secret of beautiful tomatoes lies in the seeds. https://read.cash/@Purebeauty https://read.cash/@Purebeauty/the-secret-of-beautiful-tomatoes-lies-in-the-seeds-c2b5f270 I want to bring up 2 articles by @DocLayla: Beyond right and wrong, an interesting discussion about he subjectivity of values as right and wrong; and Control and Choice. https://read.cash/@DocLayla https://read.cash/@DocLayla/beyond-right-and-wrong-47161df8 https://read.cash/@DocLayla/control-and-choice-2240723d @Sammy1 writes about Practical wisdom versus lies what is their difference? A philosophically interesting discussion. https://read.cash/@Sammy1 https://read.cash/@Sammy1/practical-wisdom-versus-lies-what-is-their-difference-e651cc89 We are never ready: Only Prepared, says @Giddyboy, and he is absolutely right. What he says remind me of my uncle, who always said that *”The art of planning well, includes a plan to quickly change the plans in front of the unforeseen.”* https://read.cash/@Giddyboy/we-are-never-ready-only-prepared-351d0652 Fasting, The Cheapest Anti-Cancer Solution claims @Gemstone. This is a topic I am extremely well acquainted with; the author is right. Regular fasting is the easiest and cheapest method to decrease the risk for cancer – and, if you already have it, it is sometimes a good contributive method in curing it. However, while fasting to prevent cancer is efficient and without any danger whatsoever, fasting cannot be recommended in all cases of cancer, so tread with some caution there. https://read.cash/@Gemstone/fasting-the-cheapest-anti-cancer-solution-f5557b43 @VoluntaryJapan, a consistent advocate of Voluntaryism, recently published You Are Not a "Citizen" or a Peasant — You Are Human. https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan/you-are-not-a-citizen-or-a-peasant-you-are-human-9106d1d4 Why do we need a family ?! asks @Blogika. In the article, she tries to give an answer. https://read.cash/@Blogika/why-do-we-need-a-family-53f8d94a @Theblackdoll says that Re-wearing is Okay!!, which is an article about using one's resources well. https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/re-wearing-is-okay-ba2f3520 In Who will win?, @Belozoriana discusses if handwriting will be able to survive in competition with typing. It's a justified question, and it is a pity if children start typing direct, never learning handwriting. While it is true that also typing develops certain motor ability, it is not comparable to what handwriting does. It has also been shown that handwriting develops intelligence. This is not surprising, given how much hand ability is connected to brain power. In the end, shaping different letters with an ordinary pen, requires much more motor ability than pressing various buttons or keys. https://read.cash/@Belozoriana/who-will-win-afe81c06 Are you interested in languages? Then you should read My Ramblings Regarding the Baltic Peoples and Their Languages by @Izjaslaw.Katsumijovich.Naoki. https://read.cash/@Izjaslaw.Katsumijovich.Naoki/my-ramblings-regarding-the-baltic-peoples-and-their-languages-e1843ca7 So for all cat lovers: The top 10 benefits of having a Cat in your life by new member @BuildingDreams. https://read.cash/@BuildingDreams/the-top-10-benefits-of-having-a-cat-in-your-life-a444dff5 Finally some fiction: The Evil Hair!!!! in 3 parts, by @Theblackdoll. The third part gives links to part 1 and 2 as well. The Evil Hair!! - Part 3 (Finale). https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/the-evil-hair-part-3-finale-067077da Then, I recommend @Ozzyy, who regularly writes fiction, often in long series. Just visit this author's profile and start to read. It's worth the while. https://read.cash/@Ozzyy 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 © 2022 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: Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/food-preservation-the-paradox-of-canned-food-082a43d8 New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/new-years-resolutions-vows-of-the-peacock-4b5d2f39 Suggested Reading 14 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-14-1625f948 History of Months IV: India, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iv-india-china-the-french-revolution-the-cruelty-of-april-300ec314 Christmas or Yule? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/christmas-or-yule-0988588e

@Mictorrani 2 January 2022

Food Preservation & The Paradox of Canned Food The ability to preserve foodstuffs is essential for the evolution of human life and civilisation. It made it possible to store food to be used during periods of scarcity, periods otherwise leading to mass starvation and death. However, as with every great improvement of food availability, it comes with a loss of food quality. (So did even the Neolithic revolution, the introduction of agriculture, and the use of fire.) So what can we say about the quality of preserved food? In Why Dietary Supplements are Needed, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c “*Storage is another destructive factor. All fresh fruit are losing vitamins every second after having been picked from the plants. The same goes for all crops. An orange, for instance, is losing vitamin C from the moment it is picked. Long storage and time-consuming transportation hardly preserves any nutritional value.* *Fruit are often picked before they are ripe, to ripen afterwards during storage or transportation. A fruit that is ripening after being separated from the plant and root will never develop full nutritional value!* *All forms of preservation take their toll on nutrients, especially vitamins. Which method of preservation is the best and least harmful choice depends on the foodstuff we deal with, and what we mainly want to preserve in it. No general rule applies.”* The first method of preservation that was developed, was probably drying; initially in sunlight, later with the help of salt. Drying in sunlight is a fairly good way to preserve for instance certain fruit, but it comes at the cost of water soluble vitamins, especially vitamin C. When salt is used for preservation, it increases the number of foodstuffs that can be preserved, but it comes with its own extra dangers. In Why Salt Destroys Your Health - and Why People Like It, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-salt-destroys-your-health-and-why-people-like-it-4e2658fd “*Salting was the first widely used method of preserving food and it has surely been used as a preservative for millennia. As such, it was important and valuable. Not good for the health, but better than starving to death. After all, it provided the possibility to store food and use it later, in a period of scarcity. Today, however, it is not needed at all, except in times of extreme sweating. But people got used to it, so it remained in the cooking habits.”* In the same article, I describe why and how salt is harmful. Modern methods of preservation include freezing and canning. Freezing is the best method for many foodstuffs, although not perfect. To an extent it can increase the availability of certain nutrients, by breaking the cells of the foodstuff. This is useful for us in case of certain hard plant cells, which we can not digest otherwise (unless heating them). If we cannot break them down, certain nutrients will remain unavailable for us. So, how about canned food? Is it a healthy choice? Generally speaking, no. What's canned is not fresh. It has often been boiled, salted or sugared, or put in oil, and the metal of the can poses an extra problem. For certain foodstuffs it remains the least bad method of preservation though, but that's not the same as if it were really good. So not generally speaking - however, there are a few confusing exceptions. If we measure the magnetic field that surrounds everything alive, it's still there for canned food in two cases: black beans and tomatoes. If this magnetic field is really a proof that something is living, black beans and tomatoes are indeed alive even after months enclosed in metal. This is a puzzling fact for which I have no explanation. Canned cherries have been used to cure difficult disease, even cancer. This might have something to do with their high level of cyanide-related bioflavonoids, but it is unlikely that the flavonoids are still bioactive after many months in a sealed can. Perhaps there is some other unknown substance at work here? Whatever the case, canned cherries are healing. The real superpower here, however, is sardines in oil. It is one of the best sources of co-enzyme Q10 we know of. Sardines are also rich in many vitamins and minerals, and in Omega-3 fatty acids which combat inflammations and cardiovascular disease. Sardines in oil are ***very*** healing despite being indisputably dead. This might be explained by Q10 and Omega-3, but what's puzzling is that there is no living alternative offering the same curative power. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565 Fresh sardines? They still offer the vitamins and minerals, but not the same high level of Q10, and they don't possess the strong healing properties of canned sardines in oil. I also want to include canned mackerel. It is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Better than buying a fish oil supplement. The mackerel doesn't lose any nutritional value by being canned. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/understanding-dietary-fats-part-1-of-2-e8b4f70d Canned mackerel and sardines come in many brands and prices. There is no reason to buy the most expensive labels, the price does not reflect quality. Just try the labels you have available and let the taste determine what is best. Finally... 100% natural and unprocessed honey is a natural preservative. If you put something in a jar with pure honey and seal it, it holds almost forever. Related articles: Why Dietary Supplements are Needed https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-dietary-supplements-are-needed-d70e789c Why Salt Destroys Your Health - and Why People Like It https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/why-salt-destroys-your-health-and-why-people-like-it-4e2658fd Co-Enzyme Q10 & Carnitine https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/co-enzyme-q10-carnitine-42291565 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 Copyright © 2014, 2022 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image by heberhard/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* Here you find my articles related to health & medicine. 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: New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/new-years-resolutions-vows-of-the-peacock-4b5d2f39 Suggested Reading 14 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-14-1625f948 History of Months IV: India, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iv-india-china-the-french-revolution-the-cruelty-of-april-300ec314 Christmas or Yule? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/christmas-or-yule-0988588e History of Months III: Ancient Egypt & Babylonia https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iii-ancient-egypt-babylonia-3964b538

@Mictorrani 30 December 2021

New Year's Resolutions & Vows of the Peacock Do you belong to those who give new year's resolutions? I do not, but it is a quite common tradition in many parts of the world, mainly in the Western world. Make a resolution on the New Year's eve and it takes effect on the first day of the new year. A lot of people resolve to improve themselves or their lives in different ways: to eat healthier, to quit smoking, to exercise more, to work harder, to work less and enjoy life more, and so on. Needless to say, many of them fail to fulfil their resolutions. The modern, secular tradition has its origin in the United States, and in some sources it is attributed to Benjamin Franklin. However, some form of “new year's resolutions” can be found far back in history. Medieval knights renewed their chivalric vows every year at the end of Christmas. It was called the *peacock vow.* It was a great spectacle. In his own literary magazine, “All the Year Round”, Charles Dickens wrote about these ceremonies, although he wrote it several centuries after the Medieval era: *The most celebrated of all the vows of chivalry were those that were called “The Vow of the Peacock,” or of “The Pheasant.” These noble birds—for so they qualified them—perfectly represented, by the splendour and variety of their colours, the majesty of kings during the middle ages, when, superbly arrayed, they held what was called “Tinel,” or full court, corresponding with the “Drawing-room” of modern times. The flesh of the Peacock (or of the Pheasant) according to the old romances, was the peculiar diet of valiant knights and heart-stricken lovers, and its plumage was considered by the Provencal ladies the richest ornament with which they could deck the crowns they bestowed on the Troubadours, as rewards for the poetical talent displayed by them in singing the praises of love and valour. But it was on the day when a solemn vow was made that the Peacock (or Pheasant) became the great object of admiration, and whether it appeared at the banquet given on these occasions roasted or in its natural state, it always wore its full plumage, and was brought in with great pomp by a bevy of ladies, in a large vessel of gold or silver, before all the assembled chivalry. It was presented to each in turn, and each made his vow to the bird, after which it was set upon a table to be divided amongst all present, and the skill of the carver consisted in the apportionment of a slice to every one.* In 1312, *Jacques de Longuyon* wrote a fictional tale, which the earliest literary occurrence of “the Nine Worthies of Chivalry” and it is the first written source mentioning the “Vow of the Peacock”. This tale was a work of pure fiction and it seems to be the genuine origin of the peacock vows. This story then inspired real life, which imitated *de Longuyon's* fiction. The Romans made promises to the god *Janus* in the beginning of each year. (Janus gave name to the month January. For more on that, see History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 But the oldest documented example is from the Babylonians. In the beginning of a year, they made a promise to return everything borrowed (including paying debts). We can never know whether these old traditions were inspiring to the modern tradition. It might very well have started independently. Humans have a tendency to think in cycles of periods, as months and years, and to see the beginning of a new period as a new start. Then it is quite natural to see this new starting point as a suitable time to start new habits (or get rid of old ones). That way of thinking comes quite natural to the human mind and does not necessarily require historical precedence. But let's return to contemporary new year's resolutions: why do people so often fail to fulfil them? I think one reason can be that they have no action plan, they rarely think of ***how*** to do it. It is often a mere list of wishes, left to take care of themselves. But they won't. Without determination, persistence and self-discipline, three qualities necessary for success in reaching any goal, all progress is impossible, and the resolutions remain a list of unfulfilled wishes. Copyright © 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail by Allan Lau/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* All my articles about calendars can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time You find all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic, here: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34 Some other selected posts: Suggested Reading 14 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-14-1625f948 What You Need to Know about Copyright https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/what-you-need-to-know-about-copyright-a3462799 The Master of the Macabre https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-master-of-the-macabre-c753c740 The Essence of Health: Food & Thinking https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-essence-of-health-food-thinking-133abc14 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 The Human Predisposition to Schism - and What it Means to Bitcoin https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-human-predisposition-to-schism-and-what-it-means-to-bitcoin-897235b2

@Mictorrani 28 December 2021

Suggested Reading 14 *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 We start with an article by new member @MartinNewman1, his only article so far: Secretum, the new blockckchain-based messaging app. I have not tested this, but it's an interesting project, and I think the development of blockchain-based messaging apps is both desirable and inevitable. https://read.cash/@MartinNewman1 https://read.cash/@MartinNewman1/secretum-the-new-blockckchain-based-messaging-app-c5e1a7cd @Jack216 presents Cryptocurrency news for the week #11 and @oyl reports about The State of NFTs: Late Dec 2021. And if you are interested in NTFs but do not know all that much about how to create them, Create Your Own NFT in 5 Minutes by @Gemstone can be of help. https://read.cash/@Jack216 https://read.cash/@Jack216/cryptocurrency-news-for-the-week-11-f9f2cfc7 https://read.cash/@oyl https://read.cash/@oyl/the-state-of-nfts-late-dec-2021-ad1e1301 https://read.cash/@Gemstone/create-your-own-nft-in-5-minutes-3f4b8600 More on NTFs. @PieceofInsanity recently published NFTs and intentions? https://read.cash/@PieceofInsanity https://read.cash/@PieceofInsanity/nfts-and-intentions-5e64c3fc MARHABA DeFi - Halal Crypto Opportunities by @PVMihalache, announces *“the world's first shariah-compliant decentralized finance platform“*. An interesting development. https://read.cash/@PVMihalache/marhaba-defi-halal-crypto-opportunities-df0e46e6 @scottcbusiness makes clear about two often confused words in Lending Versus Staking – Explained. There is a quite significant difference, but the words are not always used correctly. https://read.cash/@scottcbusiness https://read.cash/@scottcbusiness/lending-versus-staking-explained-18c23a61 Are you interested in SmartBCH tokens? Then it can be interesting to read @HappyBoy's 11 SmartBCH tokens to watch out for in 2022. The title notwithstanding, the author lists 12 tokens. https://read.cash/@HappyBoy https://read.cash/@HappyBoy/11-smartbch-tokens-to-watch-out-for-in-2022-645e9122 @Jnavedan gives us Year-end crypto ramblings. A journey hand in hand with Bitcoin Cash. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/year-end-crypto-ramblings-a-journey-hand-in-hand-with-bitcoin-cash-f5eb8798 @sj0820 wrote Mind control techniques, which is basically focused on controlling one's own mind. https://read.cash/@sj0820 https://read.cash/@sj0820/mind-control-techniques-e6c514e4 Phobias is a recurrent theme here the latest weeks. This time @Infinity contributes to the discussion with Claustrophobia. https://read.cash/@Infinity https://read.cash/@Infinity/claustrophobia-2ffd86ef Never waste your precious time, says @Officialrosh1. I can just agree; I'm always sad when I see people wasting their time, or, by all means, wasting anything. It goes on around us all the time; we live in a civilisation of waste. https://read.cash/@Officialrosh1/never-waste-your-precious-time-d07835aa Another article related to wasting time, is How to kill time on the Internet ? by @Belozoriana. Incidentally, isn't that a terrible concept, “killing time”? We have a limited time, it is never enough and we should use it well, even the idea of needing time-killing is totally alien to me. https://read.cash/@Belozoriana/how-to-kill-time-on-the-internet-bd3f7bce In Child Character, @frenly88 discusses how tot build the character of a child. https://read.cash/@frenly88/child-character-4dba39c9 “*As long as you keep seeking, what you seek is also seeking you.... And those who seek shall always find.”* ... writes @DocLayla in What you seek is seeking you. https://read.cash/@DocLayla https://read.cash/@DocLayla/what-you-seek-is-seeking-you-fe8693b7 @SmartT gives Reasons why Morning Sex is useful for your well-being and Relationship. I added a comment to this article: https://read.cash/@SmartT https://read.cash/@SmartT/reasons-why-morning-sex-is-useful-for-your-well-being-and-relationship-b6456365 “*You are absolutely right, just let me add that for the male, testosterone levels are highest in the morning; testosterone is formed during sleep, so urge and stamina are normally highest when waking up after sleep. As if that was not enough, short fasting increases testosterone, so it is normally higher when it is long since you did eat - such as after a night of sleep.”* For those interested in the testosterone problem, I have previously written Testosterone: How to Keep Up the Level. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/testosterone-how-to-keep-up-the-level-27f3e52e As for @lutch, I want to include two posts this time. The first is Microplastics in Our Body, which in a way connects to the hormone discussion above, because some microplastics can imitate female sex hormones, estrogens. More about estrogen-imitating substances and their danger in my old article The Feminisation of Nature. https://read.cash/@lutch https://read.cash/@lutch/microplastics-in-our-body-1ca2da24 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-feminisation-of-nature-d9ba1e17 The other artitcle by @lutch is Snakes and Humans, which reveals a quite spectacular connection between mammals and reptiles. https://read.cash/@lutch https://read.cash/@lutch/snakes-and-humans-2f10a669 My loyal readers know that I am interested in palaeontology (which I described here). So it goes without saying that the next article caught my attention. @Naturalist published Dinosaurs still exist...science prediction, about an almost complete dinosaur embryo found in China. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-4-0c1add0e https://read.cash/@Naturalist https://read.cash/@Naturalist/dinosaurs-still-existscience-prediction-4ef9a5f5 Has it ever occurred to you that there are Differences In Candles And Their Effects, and that candles are potentially harmful? Read this article by @Gemstone to learn more. https://read.cash/@Gemstone/differences-in-candles-and-their-effects-75744324 Then I want to include two posts by @Temimay: History of the talking drum and Weirdest coincidences in history; and another article by the already mentioned @Naturalist, Mysteries and mysticism in Ancient Greece... https://read.cash/@Temimay https://read.cash/@Temimay/history-of-the-talking-drum-76858290 https://read.cash/@Temimay/weirdest-coincidences-in-history-1493ca2a https://read.cash/@Naturalist https://read.cash/@Naturalist/mysteries-and-mysticism-in-ancient-greece-acbd5047 Why not read the story of a legendary Indian Chief? @ceky321 relates it in his article Sitting Bull. https://read.cash/@ceky321 https://read.cash/@ceky321/sitting-bull-de145c42 Writing is the best form of art!, says @Oikawa, while @David_BCH gives A review of a book I have read. https://read.cash/@Oikawa/writing-is-the-best-form-of-art-a34701ae https://read.cash/@David_BCH https://read.cash/@David_BCH/a-review-of-a-book-i-have-read-cd943dbc “*The Game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind, useful in the course of human life, are to be acquired and strengthened by it, so as to become habits ready on all occasions; for life is a kind of Chess, in which we have often points to gain, and competitors or adversaries to contend with, and in which there is a vast variety of good and ill events, that are, in some degree, the effect of prudence, or the want of it.”* (Benjamin Franklin, 1779) @Lucifan wrote My Favorite Chess Stories, a good read for all those of us loving the noble game. https://read.cash/@Lucifan https://read.cash/@Lucifan/my-favorite-chess-stories-800290f6 As I have a documented interest in symbols, an article named How did the red rose connect with love? by @Rahabinte caught my immediate attention. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-12-434a814a https://read.cash/@Rahabinte/how-did-the-red-rose-connect-with-love-30b0fc02 @Talecharm is a relatively new member I recently discovered. I think she is promising and well worth following. Take a look at her most recent post, By the Nest. https://read.cash/@Talecharm https://read.cash/@Talecharm/by-the-nest-c4e5884a Finally a story with a morale**,** The Three Fishes!! by @Theblackdoll. https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/the-three-fishes-c96c0e1e 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 Some other selected posts: My Communities & Their Rules https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/my-communities-their-rules-ccff0c97 What You Need to Know about Copyright https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/what-you-need-to-know-about-copyright-a3462799 Index, with all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34

@Mictorrani 27 December 2021

History of Months IV: India, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April *This is the fourth and last article in the series “History of Months”. I will discuss months in India and China, and finally the Calendar of the French Revolution. As an appendix, I bring up T.S. Eliot's words that ”April is the cruellest month”. Is there any truth in such a claim?* Hindu Months - India Indian calendars are a complicated matter, because there are many different ones. There is no reason to discuss them all in detail, and those interested in details are referred to special literature. Both calendars and principles for astrology are based on Vedic material; Vedanga Jyotisha and later Surya Siddhanta, possibly with some adoptions from Babylonian-Egyptian sources. The Hindu calendars are lunisolar or solar and designed by science, not religion. One version of the names of the lunar months is: 1. Chaitra (March - April) 2. Vaisākha (April - May) 3. Jyeshta (May - June) 4. Āshādha (June - July) 5. Shravana (July - August) 6. Bhādra or Bhadrapadha (August - September) 7. Aswayuja (September - October) 8. Kartika (October - November) 9. Agrahayana, or Māgashirsha (November - December) 10. Pushya (December - January) 11. Māgha (January - February) 12. Phalguna (February - March) Several other calendars use similar names. Months are named by the "nakshatra" in which its full moon appears. A "nakshatra" is a part of a division of the ecliptic into 27 nakshatras (with a 28th intercalary one). Indian-style calendars are used for cultural and religious purposes in several non-Indian countries, especially Buddhistic ones. The Indian solar calendar uses the months Mesha, Vrishabha, Mithuna, Kataka, Simha, Kanyaa, Tulaa, Vrishika, Dhanus, Makara, Kumbha, Miina; which are names of the signs of the zodiac the sun passes through, beginning with "Aries". Chinese Months The Chinese calendar is lunisolar and attributed to Huang-di, the Yellow Emperor, in the year 2637 BC Gregorian time, which is from when years are counted. There is some dispute even among the Chinese of whether this starting point is the right one. 2697, for instance, is sometimes used instead. The calendar has been reformed a few times through history since, most notably by introducing the Taichu calendar in 104 BC. The names of the months in Chinese are quite uninteresting, their nature is too logical. They are simply numbered; first moon, second moon, third moon, etc. Chinese alchemy has correspondences and combinations associated with the months - Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches, and the five elements, but we may save that for another time. The French Revolutionary Calendar The French Revolutionary calendar is a unique attempt to create a secular calendar, based on hatred of everything related to religion or the monarchy of the old French system [l'ancien régime]. 1793-1805 and during the 18 days of the Paris Commune in 1871, it was official. At first, 1789, the year of the revolution, was year I. When, after some confusion, the question was finally settled, year I was counted from the autumnal equinox (22 September) 1792. So, it was no longer based on the revolution, but on the official creation of the republic in 1792. Thus its French name: "Calendrier républicain". On 1 January 1806, Napoleon abolished it. The beginning of year I, however, was not decided upon until 24 November 1793, so the system was introduced retroactively. Being a short historical parenthesis, at that of very local use, it is hardly important enough to be included here. In literature and history, however, one comes across it now and then, so some acquaintance with it is not out of order. Months were divided into three ten-day weeks, just as the oldest weeks of history, those of old Egypt. [The reason was not to copy Egypt though, the French republicans were obsessed with the decimal system and wanted everything to be based on 10.] At last 5-6 extra days [jours complémentaires] were placed in each year to synchronise the calendar with the solar year. The year began at the autumnal equinox, determined, not by calculation, but by real life observation in Paris; and the months were: 1. Vendémiaire: grape harvest; from Latin "vindemia". 2. Brumaire: fog; from French, "brume". 3. Frimaire: frost; from French "frimas". 4. Nivôse: snowy; from Latin "nivosus". 5. Pluviôse: rainy; from Latin "pluvius". 6. Ventôse: windy; from Latin "ventosus". 7. Germinal: germination; from Latin "germin". 8. Floréal: flower; from Latin "flos". 9. Prairial: pasture; from French "praine". 10. Messidor: harvest; from Latin "messis". 11. Thermidor: summer heat; from Greek "thermon". 12. Fructidor: fruit; from Latin "fructus". Appendix: The Cruelty of April *April is the cruellest month, breeding* *Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing* *Memory and desire, stirring* *Dull roots with spring rain.* (The beginning of "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot) "April is the cruellest month", wrote T.S. Eliot. Is his statement justified? Yes, to some extent it is. In many parts of the Northern Hemisphere's non-Tropical areas, April is the statistically dominant month for suicide, depression, and various mental ailments and emotional problems. The reason for this is not really known but might be related to early spring, nutritional deficiency, and a long time (the whole preceding winter) with too little sunlight. T.S. Eliot's poem can be found in its entirety here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/47311/the-waste-land Read the whole series: Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-ii-islamicarabic-months-87ce10ba History of Months III: Ancient Egypt & Babylonia https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iii-ancient-egypt-babylonia-3964b538 History of Months IV: Indian, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iv-india-china-the-french-revolution-the-cruelty-of-april-300ec314 Other related articles: About Zodiacs & Astrology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Chinese) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/about-zodiacs-astrology-egyptian-babylonian-indian-chinese-41e79317 The Dog Star & The Dog Days, about Sirius & the Old Egyptian Calendar. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-dog-star-the-dog-days-sirius-the-egyptian-calendar-3792593b Number Magic 3: Twelve https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-3-twelve-17e84054 Copyright © 2011, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Thumbnail Image by WikiImages/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been cropped.*) All my articles about calendars & time can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time 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: Christmas or Yule? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/christmas-or-yule-0988588e History of Months III: Ancient Egypt & Babylonia https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iii-ancient-egypt-babylonia-3964b538 History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-ii-islamicarabic-months-87ce10ba History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 Suggested Reading 13 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-13-193a188b

@Mictorrani 25 December 2021

Christmas or Yule? Is it reasonable for non-Christians to celebrate Christmas? That question can be relevant, not at least to the many non-Christian immigrants into Western countries, where Christmas can sometimes be hard, if not impossible, to avoid. This is not a problem for religiously indifferent people, which include a majority of the Christmas celebrating Europeans as well; but to followers of certain beliefs, partaking in another religion's celebrations can sometimes be seen as blasphemy. *"Freshly cut Christmas trees smelling of stars and snow and pine resin—inhale deeply and fill your soul with wintry night."* (John J. Geddes) But how Christian is Christmas? The time of the birth of the historical Christ is unknown, and will probably remain so forever. There is absolutely no reason to believe that it took place in December. Quite late, the church proclaimed a celebration in remembrance of the birth of Jesus. Initially that celebration was held in different days, and it was not until somewhere in the middle of the 4th century it was fixed to the 25th December, the then estimated day of the winter solstice. This was made to make it coincide with the celebration of the birth of the sun god, a cult of the late Antiquities, whose symbolism was just transferred to Christ. The winter solstice was subject to celebration in many ancient cultures, and in the Northern Germanic world, they had a special midwinter sacrificial feast, in different languages called iul, jol, geohol, or geol, or in modern English, Yule. In all Scandinavian languages, the word for the Christmas time, including the Christmas itself, is derived from this root. In itself, the word has no Christian implication. Many important symbols and traditions we usually associate with Christmas, originally had nothing to do with Christianity at all. *"Christmas always rustled. It rustled every time, mysteriously, with silver and gold paper, tissue paper and a rich abundance of shiny paper, decorating and hiding everything and giving a feeling reckless extravagance."* (Tove Jansson) The most important of them, Father Christmas (Santa Claus), is an artistic and literary creation of a relatively late time. His origin is mixed, but he does not in any way represent Christianity explicitly. His appeal is far more universal and he must be considered as a mythical or fictitious character in his own right. I would say that today he is a fictitious superstar, possibly greater than the holiday he represents. *"I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. Mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph."* (Shirley Temple) The Christmas gifts are in reality New Years gifts. (Have you ever thought of how strange it is that Christian years are counted from 1st January, and not from the assumed birthday of Christ?) The Christmas tree has a Christian origin, but not necessarily any religious significance any more. The angels are symbols of visiting dead relatives, and belong to a pre-Christian holiday. Would a non-Christian belief be any bar to the celebration of Christmas, as long as the purely religious parts of the tradition is omitted (like going to mass)? It can be a folkloristic or artistic Christmas, or as an astronomic midwinter, as a celebration of light and colour, of family, of spiritual values of your own choice, even as a commercial celebration - whatever you choose to put in it. I have no general answer to that, everyone must judge for himself/herself. Still I suggest we reserve the word "Christmas" for an explicitly Christian celebration, and call it Yule otherwise. Now one can object that Yule originally was a pagan celebration, and it's hard to argue against that. If you feel it that way, and if that fact troubles you, don't celebrate at all - or feel free to coin another name for what you put into the concept. However, I think the word "Christmas" is unsuitable for celebrations lacking Christian elements. Finally.... Sir William Blackstone (1723-1780), English judge and law commentator, one of the really important individuals for the development of English law, wrote: *"To come down a chimney is held a burglarious entry."* One would wonder what Father Christmas/Santa Clause would think of that!! Copyright © 2006, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images/Pixabay. CC0/Public Domain. The image has been cropped.)* Read also my series about calendar and months: Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-ii-islamicarabic-months-87ce10ba History of Months III: Ancient Egypt & Babylonia https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-iii-ancient-egypt-babylonia-3964b538 History of Months IV: Indian, China, The French Revolution & The Cruelty of April (forthcoming) All my articles about calendars & time can be found here, about history here, and about folklore here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#history https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#folklore-amp-legends Some other selected posts: My Communities & Their Rules https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/my-communities-their-rules-ccff0c97 What You Need to Know about Copyright https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/what-you-need-to-know-about-copyright-a3462799 Index, with all my writings on Read.Cash, sorted by topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34

@Mictorrani 24 December 2021

History of Months III: Ancient Egypt & Babylonia *This is the third article in the series about the “History of Months”. Today I will discuss the calendars from old Egypt and from Babylonia. They are ancestral to some important calendars that are used today.* [The lead image shows Egyptian god Thoth, who is said to have invented the 365-day calendar.] Ancient Egypt and the Coptic Calendar The Coptic year is a Solar year, and it begins on 11 September Gregorian time, or the 12 September in the years before Gregorian leap years. The Coptic Christians' counting of years begins on 11 September 284 AD. It was the day when Diocletian became the Roman emperor and executed a huge number of Christians in Egypt. Coptic Christian time is counted AM, Anno Martyrium. The Ancient Egyptian year was originally a Sidereal Solar year, based on the heliacal rising of Sirius, bright star of the constellation Canis Major. It might be slightly different based on where on earth you are while observing Sirius. The year was divided into 12 months of 30 days, and 5 extra days. A reform of the Egyptian calendar in 238 BC, not enforced until 25 BC, synchronised it with the Roman, Julian calendar, and that new calendar was called Coptic. It is important to know, however, that the Julian calendar was originally based on the Egyptian, and mainly designed by Egyptian astronomer Sosigenes, who was hired by Julius Caesar to reform the Roman calendar and introduce solar years. The Roman calendar until then had been based on lunar years. Sosigenes introduced years of 365 ¼ days. One result of that we still see today, is the existence of 29 February every fourth year. The Coptic calendar, still used by Egyptian farmers and the Coptic Church, is based on the calendar of Ancient Egypt. Deities referred to in etymology always mean Ancient Egyptian deities. First I give two forms of the months' names, based on Greek respective Arabic versions. Within the parentheses are given two alternative forms of the names, those of Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom Ancient Egyptian (except for the 13th month). Further comments and explanations follow last. There are two major Coptic dialects: Boharitic, which is the liturgical language of the Coptic Church, and Sahidic. I refrain from listing their respective versions of these names. **1. Thout/Tout (Tekh/Dhwt)**: From Thoth, Djehuty, Tut, or Tergot; the measurer, god of science, art, magic, wisdom, etc. Thoth is what the Greeks called "psychopompos", the one who guided the souls through the underworld upon death; and he is said to have given humanity script. **2. Paopi/Babah (Menkhet/Pa-n-ip.t)**: from Hapi or Yepi, a Nile and vegetation God. Not to be confused with Horus' son, Hapi. Might also be Ptah. "Menkhet" is "clothing". **3. Hathor/Hatour (Hwt-hwr/Hwt-hwr)**: Hathor was the goddess of beauty, love, and motherhood. She was also "the Lady of Turquoise". **4. Koiak/Kiahk (Nekheb-kau/Ka-hr-ka)**: from Ka Ha Ka, "Good of Good" a name of Apis, the holy bull. **5. Tobi/Tubah (Sf-bdt/Ta-'b)**: Amso Khem, Amon-Ra. **6. Meshir or Amshir (Rekh wer/Mhyr)**: from Mechir, God genius of wind. *"Why are you angry like Amshir winds?"* (Egyptian phrase) **7. Paremhat/Baramhat (Rekh neds/Pa-n-amn-htp.w)**: from pa-en-Amenhotep, month of Amenhotep I. Before his time it was called Rekeh-nedjes (little burning). Sometimes said to be derived from Mont(u), god of war, at times manifested as Buchis, a bull (not to be confused with Apis). Montu is depicted with a falcon’s head, plumes, and a sun disc. **8. Paremoude/Baramoudah (Renwet/Pa-n-rnn.t)**: from Egyptian Renenutet, goddess of the true name, a deification of an aspect of the soul; also a goddess of good fortune and harvest, sometimes depicted as a cobra. Her name consists of two stems and can be read as "ren-nutet" or "renen-utet"; the first meaning "she who gives true name", the second "nourishment" and "snake". https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/from-the-sacred-cobras-of-egypt-to-quezalcoatl-serpents-snakes-in-mythology-fc2039be [Not all cobras are Renenutet, however, her child Nehebkau and, above all, Wadjet, were other cobras. The one figuring in the Pharaonic regalia is Wadjet.] https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/from-the-sacred-cobras-of-egypt-to-quezalcoatl-serpents-snakes-in-mythology-fc2039be Another derivation leads to Renno, a god of death and strong wind. **9. Pashons/Bashans (Hnsw/Pa-n-hns.w)**: from Khonsu, a moon god; from the son of Amon-Ra and Mut, or from Khenti, god of metals, a name of Horus. **10. Paoni/Baounah (Hnt-htj/Pa-n-in.t)**: from an Egyptian phrase denoting a Theban festival. "Pan-en-inet" means "the one in the wadi". **11. Epip/Abib (Ipt-hmt/Ipip)**: from Apep (Apophis), a serpent which was killed by Horus. "Ipt Hmt" (Ipet hemet) means "She whose incarnation is select." **12. Mesori/Misra (Wep-renpet/Msw-r')**: from Mes-en-ra, birth of the sun. "Wep renpet" is "opening of the year". **13. Pi Kogi Enavot/Al Nasii** (the Little Month). A month of only five days, six in leap years. Babylonian - Hebrew - Assyrian The names of the Hebrew (Jewish) months originate from the Babylonian calendar, going back to Akkadian, and ultimately to the Sumerian lunar calendar of the city of Nippur. The Jews adopted them during the Babylonian exile. The Babylonian names are put in parentheses. Assyrian names are as the Babylonian, or approximately so, except for 3 cases; they are stated separately. Jewish names of months from before the Babylonian exile are unknown, except for four names turning up in old scripts. Otherwise, they are mostly referred to by numerals. The four, which are Canaanite in origin, are Aviv, Ziv, Ethanim, and Bul. They can be found in the Tanakh, or the Old Testament respectively. According to Edwin R. Thiele, in his excellent "The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings", Judah would have counted the year as beginning with Tishrei, while Israel started at Nisan. Some apparent inconsistencies in chronology can be explained by such a theory. The Hebrew years are counted from Anno Mundi, abbreviated AM. It is calculated based on the creation of Adam, according to Rabbinical belief, and should have taken place in 3760 BC. [Unfortunately this is abbreviated in the same way as Coptic time, although AM there means Anno Martyrium (see above).] **1. Nisan/Nissan (Nisanu)**. The first month of the ecclesiastical year. Before the Babylonian exile called "Aviv", spring. "Nisanu" was also the beginning of the Babylonian year. **2. Iyar (Ayaru)**: from Akkadian "ayyaru", blossom. Before the Babylonian exile called "Ziv", light. Babylonian "procession month". **3. Sivan (Simanu)**: means "time". Babylonian "time of brickmaking". Assyrian "Khzeeran". **4. Tammuz (Du'uzu)**: from Sumerian god Dumuzid. Month of Tammuz. **5. Av/Menachem Av (Abu)**: from Akkadian "abu". Babylonian "Month of torches". Assyrian "Tdabbakh" or "Ab". **6. Elul (Ululu)**: derived from a word meaning harvest. Babylonian "Month of purification". **7. Tishri/Tishrei (Tashritu)**. From Akkadian "surru", to begin. The first month of the civil year, but not of the religious year. Before the Babylonian exile called "Ethanim", strong. Babylonian "month of beginnings". **8. Heshvan/Cheshvan (Arakhsamna)**, from Akkadian "warahsamnu", "eighth month". Before the Babylonian exile called "Bul". Babylonian "eighth month". Assyrian "Tishri(n) II". **9. Kislev (Kislimu)**; from Akkadian "kislimu". Meaning unknown. **10. Tevet/Teves (Tebetu)**; Babylonian "month of violent rains". **11. Shevat/Shvat (Shabatu)**; Babylonian "month of rain". **12. Adar I (Adaru).** This month exists only in leap years, as an intercalary month. **13. Adar II (Adaru)** In non-leap years this month is only called Adar. It is second only when Adar I is added, in leap years. Babylonian "month of threshing". The Babylonians sometimes inserted Ululu 2 as an intercalary month instead of Adar II. *To be continued...* Read also: Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-ii-islamicarabic-months-87ce10ba Other related articles: About Zodiacs & Astrology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Chinese) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/about-zodiacs-astrology-egyptian-babylonian-indian-chinese-41e79317 The Dog Star & The Dog Days, about Sirius & the Old Egyptian Calendar. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-dog-star-the-dog-days-sirius-the-egyptian-calendar-3792593b Number Magic 3: Twelve https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-3-twelve-17e84054 Copyright © 2011, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. All my articles about calendars & time can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time 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: History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-ii-islamicarabic-months-87ce10ba History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 Suggested Reading 13 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-13-193a188b Deworming Naturally: Papaya https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/deworming-naturally-papaya-4b26f158 Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149

@Mictorrani 23 December 2021

History of Months II: Islamic/Arabic Months *This is the second part of “History of Months”, in which I discuss the Islamic year and its months. The first part was* *History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 The Qur'an (9:36) states: "*Surely the number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve, in accordance with His decree from the day He created the heavens and the earth, out of which four are sacred.*" They would be Zu al-Qi'dah, Zu al-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. Perhaps Ramadan is more sanctified amongst Muslims (only Muharram could rival that) but the special status of the four others originates from pre-Islamic Arabia. During these months fighting was forbidden in Arabian tribal society. Islamic years are counted from AH, which means "anno Hegirae" - the year of the Hijrah. This refers to the prophet Mohammed’s emigration to Medina, which occurred in 622 AD. The oldest written evidence of this calendar is from an Egyptian papyrus 22AH, which is also the oldest preserved Arabic text during Islamic times. **1. Muharram**: from "haram", "forbidden", referring to a ban of fighting. For Muslims it has religious significance in various ways, differing between Sunni and Shia. Ashura, the tenth of Muharram is very special. For the Sunni, it is a commemoration of when Musa (Moses) overcame the Egyptians by crossing the Red Sea, an originally Jewish celebration which, according to Hadith, the prophet Mohammed himself liked. A fast is recommended. There is a statement by the prophet, according to Al-Bukhari, Hadith 1865, where he says [to the Jews]: "*We have more claim to Musa than you.*" This is a puzzling statement to which I have not been able to find an explanation. For Shia, this is the day of Husain ibn Ali's martyrdom. Husain was the son of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet Mohammed. He fell at the battle of Karbala this day in the year 61 AH, which corresponds to 22 October 680 AD. This day, the tenth of Muharram, is sometimes called only Muharram, and it is a national holiday in several countries, mainly those having a large Shia population. In this case, this day is one of mourning, indeed, even self-flagellation and cutting oneself with a knife or a razor are reported, although this is not accepted by religious authorities. There are many traditionally held popular beliefs about the day of Ashura, that it was the day of Adam's creation, etc. They can neither be verified nor refuted and most religious authorities reject them. **2. Safar**: "whistling of the wind", "empty", because people left their homes to continue their wars after three months of interruption, and the wind whistles in them. It could also mean "yellow", which means it can have been autumn with yellow leaves when the month got its name. **3. Rabi’ al-awwal**: "the first", "beginning of spring". **4. Rabi’ al-thani, or Rabi' al-akher**: "the second month of spring" or "the last month of spring". **5. Jumadah al-awwal**: "dry", "first month of summer"; from "jumda", "land devoid of rain". Another explanation: "jumad" means "freezing". When this month got its name, it must have been freezing season. Or, a third one, suggested by a friend of mine: Jumad is also a name for a "non-living thing" so when it is very hot, the living plants would be dead and so it becomes "jamad" or "jumad". In this month Mawlid is celebrated. That is the birth of the prophet Mohammed. According to most Sunni Muslims it was on the twelfth, according to Shia the seventeenth. **6. Jumadah al-thani, or Jumadah al-akher**: "second month of summer" or "the last month of summer". **7. Rajab**: from "rajaba", "to respect". This was one of the months when fighting was forbidden amongst pre-Islamic Arabs. **8. Shaaban**: from "shu'ba", "branch". It has to do with that pre-Islamic Arabs spread out (branched) over the land in search of water. **9. Ramadan**: from "ramadha", intense heat, or "al-ramz", "to burn". Why this month is named after heat is a matter of some dispute, but the most likely is that the weather was hot when the month was given its name. Ramadan is the month when the Qur'an was revealed to the prophet Mohammed, and fasting is obligatory for Muslim believers. **10. Shawwal**: "lift" or "carry". from "shala" which means "when the female camel gets pregnant". Also suggested "winds carrying the pollen" as basis for "carry". The first day of this month it is Eid ul-Fitr, the first day after the fasting of Ramadan. **11. Zu al-Qi'dah**: "possessor of truce". From "qa'ada", "to sit" or "to rest". **12. Zu al-Hijjah, or Zu Alhegah**: "possessor of the pilgrimage". The month of Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca. It takes place on the 8th-13th. From the 10th to the 13th it is Eid-ul-Adha, commemorating Ibrahim's (Abraham's) readiness to sacrifice his son to God Arabic names of the Gregorian months, which are used for civic purposes in almost all Arabic-speaking countries, are derived directly from the Gregorian names [even if they differ slightly from country to country], or - in Syria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Palestine - from Babylonian names of months. This can be puzzling because the Babylonian year is lunisolar, and its months are not synchronised with the Gregorian, but they have chosen to use the Babylonian month most closely corresponding to the Gregorian. [As for Babylonian months, see below.] Kurds also use Babylonian-style names of Gregorian months, while Berbers use Gregorian-style names. (The Babylonian calendar will be discussed in part three of this series.) Since 1969, Libya has its own names of Gregorian months, names from different sources. *To be continued...* Read also: Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 Other related articles: About Zodiacs & Astrology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Chinese) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/about-zodiacs-astrology-egyptian-babylonian-indian-chinese-41e79317 The Dog Star & The Dog Days, about Sirius & the Old Egyptian Calendar. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-dog-star-the-dog-days-sirius-the-egyptian-calendar-3792593b Copyright © 2011, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image: Photo by Mohamed Hassan/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* All my articles about calendars & time can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time 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: History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/history-of-months-i-julian-gregorian-christian-months-22243451 Suggested Reading 13 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-13-193a188b Deworming Naturally: Papaya https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/deworming-naturally-papaya-4b26f158 Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149 Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596

@Mictorrani 22 December 2021

History of Months I: Julian - Gregorian - Christian Months When I began writing this, it was intended as a description of the origin of the names of the months. What I had in mind then, were mainly the present Gregorian/Julian months of Roman origin, as per a private discussion with a friend. I soon decided to include some other major languages/cultures, like the Indian, Arabic/Islamic, and Chinese, but it tended to grow. Months led to the Zodiac, or zodiacs, so in the end I had to remove some material or sum up some things very briefly. Generally, I have concentrated on the different major traditions, those with independent contributions to the history of calendars; and whose systems can in some sense be considered international, or ancestral to other systems. Sometimes I have included comments or explanations not strictly related to the names of the months and their origin or to other calendric matters. This is not in any way done according to any principle, but merely my own subjective digression from the point when something occurs to me as being an interesting and educating detail. I'm convinced that it makes reading more entertaining. If you are used to read my articles, you know that it is part of my literary style. Names of months in languages not normally using the Latin alphabet may have different transcriptional forms. What I use here is not always the only possible alternative. If you find other forms in life or literature, they are not necessarily more right or wrong than those I use, they simply represent another principle of transcription. Months led to calendars and the Zodiac, and zodiacs led to astrology. Calendars and years are dealt with here just in the context of months and Zodiacs - and astrology is included only in its capacity of being cultural history and in its relation to calendars. I do not discuss its theory, methods, interpretation, or credibility here. *The part about Zodiacs have already been published:* *About Zodiacs & Astrology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Chinese)**.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/about-zodiacs-astrology-egyptian-babylonian-indian-chinese-41e79317 *An introduction to the concepts were also published before, as* *Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa**. I suggest serious readers to first read that in order to fully understand the concepts. In the article I discuss different forms of calendars and various terms. In a sense, it is a prelude to the present series, which consists of 4 parts. The first part follows here.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb Julian/Gregorian/Christian Months All the names we use for the months of the Gregorian calendar are of Roman origin. **1. January**: Janus, god of doors, beginnings and endings, sunset and sunrise. He had one face looking forward and one backward. Sir William Bentham (1779–1853) suggested he was originally the Mesopotamian Uanna, later the Chaldean Baal-ianus and finally the Roman Janus. Cicero (106–43BC), however, claimed that the name was derived from Latin "ire", transition. It has also been speculated on whether it might come from Sanskrit "yana", also meaning transition. A fact, however, is that "jauna" means door in Etruscan, and that a connection with this is likely. The fact that there is no counterpart to Janus in Greek mythology from which the Romans derived so much of theirs is a little puzzling. The two heads symbolise Janus's ability to see both the future and the past. Early depictions show Janus with one bearded and one unbearded face, this difference disappeared over time. Before that, however, one can find him with four heads. **2. February**: Februalia, a time for forgiveness of sins. Februare to purify. Or from Februus, a god. **3. March**: Mars, the god of war. This was the first month of the earliest Roman year, that is why September-December are named the seventh–tenth month, although in modern usage they are the ninth-twelfth. Mars's parents were Juno and Jupiter, and his wife was Bellona. This war god probably began as a god of agriculture and fertility, originally Etruscan "Maris". **4. April**: Can be derived from aperire [Latin to open]. Another theory links it with Aphrodite/Venus. **5. May**: from Maiesta, or Maia, mother of Mercury by Jupiter and daughter of Atlas. It might also come from maiores, grown up men. Maia means "the great one". She was the wife of Vulcan, daughter of Faunus. **6. June**: Juno, chief goddess, wife of Jupiter. Another theory links it to iuniores, young men. **7. July**: Named after Julius Caesar. Before his time it was called Quintilis [fifth month]. **8. August**: Named after Augustus. Previous name: Sextilis [sixth month]. **9. September**: [septem, Lat. seven]. It was thought that the months should be named after Roman emperors following Augustus, but Tiberius feared that as a bad omen (both Julius and Augustus were murdered), so he refused having a month named after himself. It simply continued to be called the seventh, September. **10. October**: Eighth month [octo, Lat. eight]. **11. November**: Ninth month [novem, Lat. nine]. **12. December**: Tenth month [decem, Lat. ten]. Had Tiberius not had this paranoia [which might very well have been justified since he, too, was murdered, in spite of not having his own month] September-December might have been named after: Tiberius, Gajus (Caligula), Claudius, and Nero. It was later brought up by Domitian who changed the name of September and October, but that was just temporary. Other emperors also tried to name months after themselves, but without lasting results. Commodus (if we may believe Gibbon, The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, one of the most disgusting rulers the world has seen) wanted to name all the months after himself: Amazonius, Invictus, Felix, Pius, Lucius, Aelius, Aurelius, Commodus, Augustus, Herculeus, Romanus, Exsuperatorius. This son of the most decent Roman emperor of all (Marcus Aurelius, one of the few good men in that position) was a veritable monster, and it is not surprising that he wanted the whole year for himself. The Romans also had "Mercedinus" or "Mercedonius", a sort of leap month, which, in certain years, were placed after February. It was the time when wages were paid, and the name of this extra month is derived from Latin "merces", wage - the same root as "mercenary" in English, a soldier who fights for anyone who pays him. The whole thing was abolished by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, during his office as Pontifex Maximus. He then introduced what was to be called the Julian calendar, based on Egyptian calendric principles. (The ancient Egyptian calender will be discussed in part III of this series.) The Gregorian calendar, which is a reformed Julian, was introduced by the pope Gregory (Gregorius) XIII on 24 February 1582. It was adopted gradually in different countries and is now an almost globally used civil calendar. It is a correction of the Julian calendar, which counted a few minutes too many between vernal equinoxes, a difference adding up to deviation from reality of 10 days in the 16th century. None of the Orthodox Churches has adopted the Gregorian calendar for religious use. They either use the old Julian calendar or a revised Julian calendar (not the Gregorian). For those using the old Julian calendar, Christmas day is now on Gregorian 7 January. *To be continued...* Related articles: Zodiac, Month, Year: Some Scientific Elementa https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/zodiac-month-year-some-scientific-elementa-1ba8efbb About Zodiacs & Astrology (Egyptian, Babylonian, Indian, Chinese) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/about-zodiacs-astrology-egyptian-babylonian-indian-chinese-41e79317 The Dog Star & The Dog Days, about Sirius & the Old Egyptian Calendar. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-dog-star-the-dog-days-sirius-the-egyptian-calendar-3792593b Copyright © 2011, 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image: Statue of Julius Caesar. Photo by IlonaF/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.)* All my articles about calendars & time can be found here. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#calendars-amp-time 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 13 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-13-193a188b Deworming Naturally: Papaya https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/deworming-naturally-papaya-4b26f158 Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149 Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596 Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/human-hair-source-of-male-strength-or-femininity-44a45f1b

@Mictorrani 20 December 2021

Suggested Reading 13 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 will start with the first article of a new member. What you think of it depends on your opinions. It has got minimal attention so far, but I think it's a very strong debut here with a very important message. The article is Mandatory Vaxx is a Masterpiece of Hypocrisy (Plus: Unpractical Pragmatism) by @dr_preobrazhensky. Clear writing and clear thinking. https://read.cash/@dr_preobrazhensky/mandatory-vaxx-is-a-masterpiece-of-hypocrisy-plus-unpractical-pragmatism-89b9bd65 @annayks claims that Bitcoin Cash Will Thrive With or Without Mercenaries. A good article about BCH,price, adoption and leaders. https://read.cash/@annayks https://read.cash/@annayks/bitcoin-cash-will-thrive-with-or-without-mercenaries-3269aa89 In How to stake on Dex on SmartBCH for newbies, @Fexonice1 explains the procedure in a very clear and easy-to-understand manner. Useful also for those not already knowing much about how to do this. Just follow the instructions. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/how-to-stake-on-dex-on-smartbch-for-newbies-3e2f6399 @M.Rosenquist writes about important Privacy Concerns for Dual-Use AI Image Clarity Tools. This is an important topic; face recognition technology is a huge threat to privacy, and clarity tools can take face recognition to new heights. But there are other sides of this development as well. The author brings up some of them. https://read.cash/@M.Rosenquist https://read.cash/@M.Rosenquist/privacy-concerns-for-dual-use-ai-image-clarity-tools-f841b4bb Then we have two articles related to the important problem of censorship: @scottcbusiness published Are Content Approvals A Form Of Censorship? and @NakamotoBch published Internet Censorship Is Killing Freedom And Why You Should Care. https://read.cash/@scottcbusiness https://read.cash/@scottcbusiness/are-content-approvals-a-form-of-censorship-f0a9c344 https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/internet-censorship-is-killing-freedom-and-why-you-should-care-afbf2607 @Temimay expresses concerns in The meta verse vs our privacy. https://read.cash/@Temimay https://read.cash/@Temimay/the-meta-verse-vs-our-privacy-c7f682b9 The rise of the deep fakes by @M3i is a discussion about faking photos, videos and audio recordings. This sort of technology might very well invalidate recorded evidence in the future. https://read.cash/@M3i/the-rise-of-the-deep-fakes-6523c10d @remona correctly claims that Respecting Different Opinions is an Art, we need to Learn it! https://read.cash/@remona https://read.cash/@remona/respecting-different-opinions-is-an-art-we-need-to-learn-it-3d757821 Do we have Selective Blindness or Selective Attention? asks @virtualvariety. A discussion about a very common phenomenon, of which everyone should be aware. https://read.cash/@virtualvariety/do-we-have-selective-blindness-or-selective-attention-ffa893b5 The most recent article by the same author is Did you know that on the Internet there are some basic rules? What's said is fundamental for internet, yet a lot of people fail to follow these unwritten rules. https://read.cash/@virtualvariety/did-you-know-that-on-the-internet-there-are-some-basic-rules-29ba3c58 The best treatise I've read on parenting. by @Stainless_BCH is not politically correct, but it is true, and it is refreshing that someone dares to say it. This post definitely deserves more attention. https://read.cash/@Stainless_BCH/the-best-treatise-ive-read-on-parenting-3e8d866d @PrincessHiba explains How to Set Boundaries and Why Setting Them Is Important. https://read.cash/@PrincessHiba https://read.cash/@PrincessHiba/how-to-set-boundaries-and-why-setting-them-is-important-40340976 A lot of people are unable to make a clear distinction between what they want and what they need, sometimes with catastrophic results. Especially if they borrow to be able to get what they merely want. @Oikawa elaborates on this in Why do you need it? Don't let your desires take over you. https://read.cash/@Oikawa https://read.cash/@Oikawa/why-do-you-need-it-dont-let-your-desires-take-over-you-b1ee5a32 The same author also says: Know your worth! Don't follow others! https://read.cash/@Oikawa/know-your-worth-dont-follow-others-8ceaeed7 @lutch writes about Declining Fertility Around the World. This,in my opinion, is an extremely important observation. I have previously written about The Feminisation of Nature, which I think is the gravest threat to human survival. Basically, @lutch discusses the same topic. The problem definitely needs more attention. https://read.cash/@lutch https://read.cash/@lutch/declining-fertility-around-the-world-969daf62 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-feminisation-of-nature-d9ba1e17 @JustMyRambles01 wrote a thought-provoking article Death - don't fight about bread and milk. https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01 https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01/death-dont-fight-about-bread-and-milk-92116491 There are many human phobias; it seems as if everything is a phobia for someone. Two members recently wrote about their phobias. @Lucifer01 wrote I have Acrophobia & Kabourophobia! What’s yours?, and @Ling01 wrote Thalassophobia : No To Deep Ocean. https://read.cash/@Lucifer01 https://read.cash/@Lucifer01/i-have-acrophobia-kabourophobia-whats-yours-85ae08a5 https://read.cash/@Ling01 https://read.cash/@Ling01/thalassophobia-no-to-deep-ocean-897131df Is it an inherent human trait always to want more of everything, whatever it is? Read what @Queen001 says about it in It never stops. https://read.cash/@Queen001 https://read.cash/@Queen001/it-never-stops-b004d1c5 Here we have an old article by a member, @UsmanAusman, who has not been logged in for almost a year. I include it here because the topic is interesting: The Importance of Cartography to Human History. Personally I love maps. As a child I learned to draw maps of the whole world by heart, and I still like to explore maps as well as the real world with the help of maps. Wherever I go, I want to study good maps before going. But old maps have other dimensions too; they are works of art, and they show us how people from a certain place and time perceived the world. https://read.cash/@UsmanAusman https://read.cash/@UsmanAusman/the-importance-of-cartography-to-human-history-53360682 Another old article by a member who has not been here for many months, but was discussing an interesting topic: The history of the golden ratio in design and its use in various fields by @Hossamm9.4. https://read.cash/@Hossamm94/the-history-of-the-golden-ratio-in-design-and-its-use-in-various-fields-3c7ff444 Let @Jelena tells us about Wild horses in the south of Serbia. https://read.cash/@Jelena https://read.cash/@Jelena/wild-horses-in-the-south-of-serbia-1c1200ae @David_BCH asks Are you for or against zoos?? This is a not an easy question. As I wrote in a comment to the article: https://read.cash/@David_BCH https://read.cash/@David_BCH/are-you-for-or-against-zoos-5e3f9131 *“On one hand, a zoo is educational and,in the best cases, a place for study and research. On the other hand one can ask if we, as humans, have the right to keep individuals of other species in captivity for our own sake. Shouldn't they have the right to keep their natural habitat and live on their own conditions there? This becomes a moral dilemma - so it is hard to say as well 'yes' as 'no' too zoos. Whatever one answers, there are reasonable objections to that answer.”* Did you know? There is the Dracula Parrot or Vampire Bird asks @susurrodelmisterio. https://read.cash/@susurrodelmisterio/did-you-know-there-is-the-dracula-parrot-or-vampire-bird-717af65e @Jijisaur recently published My Favorite Mythical Creatures! Rawr! and @Lucifan presented My Favorite Fantasy Novels (1). The latter is about “The Riftwar Saga” by Raymond E. Feist. I agree with @Lucifan that it is one of the best (series of) fantasy novels. https://read.cash/@Jijisaur https://read.cash/@Jijisaur/my-favorite-mythical-creatures-rawr-9e5e2718 https://read.cash/@Lucifan https://read.cash/@Lucifan/my-favorite-fantasy-novels-1-4c13d760 So far we have not looked at posts by contemporary artists here in ”Suggested Reading”. Let's look at one artist, @daring-celt. He describes step by step how he creates his artwork. Take a look at, for instance: Digital art_2019. Moon & Dragon. Talking in the sky and Cat and Bird (graphic with pens-brushes). https://read.cash/@daring-celt https://read.cash/@daring-celt/digital-art-2019-moon-dragon-talking-in-the-sky-3df2ab74 https://read.cash/@daring-celt/cat-and-bird-graphic-with-pens-brushes-723ad066 *For those who have asked why I do not include my own latest articles in every “Suggested Reading”, the answer is that I do. At the very bottom of the post I list my 5 most recent articles.* 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: Deworming Naturally: Papaya https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/deworming-naturally-papaya-4b26f158 Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149 Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596 Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/human-hair-source-of-male-strength-or-femininity-44a45f1b Suggested Reading 12 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-12-d0297a78

@Mictorrani 18 December 2021

Deworming Naturally: Papaya *Intestinal worms and other parasites can cause (or contribute to) a long list of diseases, even death. Some of them have the ability to turn off parts of the immune system, and they can block the effect of vaccination and medication.* Every veterinarian knows that it is useless to vaccinate a dog unless it is first free from parasitic worms, so deworming first is standard. Otherwise the vaccination will not "take". Parasitic worms, if left undisturbed, will gradually harm the immune system. They simply turn off certain functions of it, so it leaves them alone to thrive (and that is why it does not react to a vaccination either). Thus, in the long perspective, they can contribute to a considerable number of diseases. This applies to humans as well. Worms and other parasites can block various processes and sometimes block the effect of certain chemical medicines. When it comes to natural substances, it goes without saying that something blocking immune functions also blocks the effect of a treatment that is designed to stimulate immune function. If you stubbornly resist a treatment, especially if it is a natural one, deworming is well worth a try. Even if it does not help against all possible parasites. Chemical deworming bears risks, since it involves quite toxic substances. One simply poisons the worms, so they die and leave the body through the faeces. But the poisons used for that will harm you as well. Fortunately nature offers an almost perfect alternative: papain. It is a protein-splitting enzyme, which is sometimes used to stimulate digestion. But it does not just help you digest your food, it causes a total dissolution of all known kinds of intestinal worms and their eggs! And it does so without harming you in any way whatsoever! Natural papain is found in papaya. Very little though in the ripe pulp. The highest levels are found in the pulp of unripe fruit, in the leaves, and in the seeds. Chewing the leaves or the seeds is the easiest way to utilize this. When I am eating papaya, I always keep and dry the seeds, then I eat a few every day. A good way to prevent worms! If you already have worms, or suspect that you do, and want to do a deworming treatment, you might need to take a teaspoon of seeds three times per day during some weeks. Meanwhile, it is important to keep down the level of protein in the food (not to increase the workload of the papain). Seeds should be thoroughly chewed. The taste is strong, but not unpleasant once you get used to it. Various papaya extracts with papain are available commercially. Most of them are adequate and may be the only alternative if you have no access to real papaya. But if you have the natural fruit available, why not use it? Other fruit which contain protein-splitting enzymes include pineapple and kiwi. The enzyme in pineapple, bromelain, is sometimes used to “soften” tumours, so other medication can easier reach into them. Bromelain also has a number of other medical effects. Sometimes the name, Bromelain, is used about a combination of compounds from pineapple (including the enzyme), rather than about the enzyme itself. These two uses of the word might cause confusion. Apart from their obvious nutritional value, fruit such as papaya, pineapple, or kiwi, can be used to support digestion. The enzymes assist in the splitting of proteins. **WARNINGS:** Despite the fact that most species of fruit are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre, some fruits have so strong medicinal effects that people with certain ailments should avoid them. Papaya belongs to them. It has many positive effects; apart from the deworming described above, it has shown to lessen the risk for diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure. However, ***if you suffer from hyperthyroidism or irregular heartbeat, you should avoid papaya.*** This because it can trigger a production of hydrogen cyanide; the amount is normally harmless, but not for people suffering from these two conditions. You should ***also avoid papaya if you have kidney stones or latex allergy***. Finally, for women: ***do not eat papaya during pregnancy***, since it can trigger contractions and labour. Copyright © 2007, 2015, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image: Papaya. Photo by nightowl/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been cropped & digitally enhanced.)* Here you find my articles related to health & medicine. 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: Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/richard-wagner-opera-giant-pioneer-of-fantasy-228e9149 Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596 Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/human-hair-source-of-male-strength-or-femininity-44a45f1b Suggested Reading 12 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-12-d0297a78 Prompt: Favourite Quote https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prompt-favourite-quote-9b0c1fad

@Mictorrani 16 December 2021

Richard Wagner: Opera Giant & Pioneer of Fantasy “*One supreme fact which I have discovered is that it is not willpower, but fantasy-imagination that creates. Imagination is the creative force. Imagination creates reality.”* (Richard Wagner) On 22 May this year (originally published in Meriondho Leo 2013, the year of Wagner's 200th birthday, but never before published on internet), it has been 200 years since the birth of Richard Wagner, one of the greatest creative geniuses of the western culture. His fame is based mainly on his operas, or music dramas, where he composed the music and wrote the librettos. More than that, he tried to create the total work of art, including elements from all forms of art combined to a great whole: a ***Gesamtkunstwerk****.* Wagner did not see this as something new, but as a return to an art that existed before the fall of Athens of Antiquity, when, according to him, a ***Zersplitterung der Kűnste*** took place and then gradually developed further through the ages. His vision was to reunite the arts. While the ***Gesamtkunstwerk*** ["total work of art"] was most clearly manifested in his opera cycle, ***Der Ring des Nibelungen****,* another opera, ***Tristan und Isolde****,* is the beginning of modern classical music and atonality. The bitonal so-called Tristan chord, which repeatedly changes from major to minor keys, is a bold step away from the harmonies of classical music up until then. At the same time it illustrates another one of Wagner's ideas, the one about ***leitmotifs***. The changes of the Tristan chord reflect not only Tristan's emotions, but also his subconscious feelings. This is very subtle. "Everything lives and lasts by the inner necessity of its being, by its own nature's need." (Richard Wagner) Wagner was not only a creator of operas, he also wrote extensively – about his Gesamtkunstwerk, of course, and about his philosophy of art, but also about other things. He was a versatile creative genius, but also a terrible person. Selfish, unscrupulous, and totally amoral, he never hesitated to use others for his own purposes. For a long time he was forced to live in exile, wanted as a terrorist, and until he met Ludwig II of Bavaria, who financed parts of his expensive life and work, he was often on the run from his creditors. In 1870, after a scandalous beginning, Wagner married Cosima, the daughter of Franz Liszt. Wagner and Liszt were close friends at that time. Liszt did early support Wagner and helped him get his works set up. He produced the first performance of ***Tannhäuser*** *i*n 1845*,* and of ***Lohengrin*** in 1850. No doubt, Franz Liszt influenced Wagner's subsequent music. In Liszt's orchestral works, it is possible to find precursors to some of Wagner's musical ideas from this period, and Wagner might very well have taken them as his own. Liszt, who was a kind and generous nature, just let it happen. Even today, it is impossible to say how much or little Liszt really influenced Wagner. But one thing for sure is that the influence of Liszt on subsequent classical music is still not fully appreciated. Unfortunately, Hitler came to appropriate Wagner's music, and that damaged the appreciation of his art for half a century. If you want to read about Richard Wagner and his ideas, there are countless books to choose from. I suggest, however, to start with his own writings, especially if you aim at understanding his philosophy of art. A good beginning is: ***Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft*** *, 1849 [The Artwork of the Future*] ***Die Kunst und die Revolution****, 1849 [Art and Revolution]* ***Oper und Drama****, 1851 [Opera and Drama*] These texts and many more can be found at http://users.belgacom.net/wagnerlibrary/prose/ Wagner's operas are long and massive; if you are not used to opera you can hardly appreciate them. Still they are in a way very modern. Fans of Tolkien and the more mature parts of the fantasy genre that has developed after him, will feel at home in the mythological environment of the ***Ring*** cycle, or Wagner's last opera, ***Parsifal***. *"Even if I know I shall never change the masses, never transform anything permanent, all I ask is that the good things also have their place, their refuge."* (Richard Wagner) Related article: Genuine Ultramarine, Once One of the Most Costly Pigments in the World (Mentioning Wagner and “Parsifal”.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/genuine-ultramarine-once-one-of-the-most-costly-pigments-in-the-world-8ac3c605 Copyright © 2013, 2018, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. Here you can find my articles about History, and here about History of Music. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#history https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#music-amp-history-of-music 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: Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/monodiet-or-varied-diet-multinutrition-or-serial-variation-9528e596 Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/human-hair-source-of-male-strength-or-femininity-44a45f1b Suggested Reading 12 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-12-d0297a78 Prompt: Favourite Quote https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prompt-favourite-quote-9b0c1fad Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/karkade-rooibos-red-teas-with-health-effects-5c61e9b6

@Mictorrani 15 December 2021

Monodiet or Varied Diet? Multinutrition or Serial Variation? *A question often brought up in discussions with me is what is a suitable diet for humans. Unfortunately it is easier to ask that question than to answer it in general terms. I can tell you about many things that are harmful, and many being good for your health too. But when it comes to the composition of a perfect diet we tread uncertain grounds. Moreover, what is perfect might to some extent vary from person to person - depending on differences in outer environment and inner biochemistry.* *It is an often repeated mantra, however, that it is essential to have a varied diet. Given the many known and unknown nutrients we supposedly need, this makes sense. From that perspective one should eat very little of each of very many different foodstuffs. Preferably daily. (Discussed more below.) Yet, perhaps it is not that simple.* Monodiet or Varied Diet? Nature is often our best teacher. But if we let observation of nature guide us, we will soon find something that must make us question the cherished "truth" of a varied diet: Most animals eat the same thing, or just a few closely related foods, during their whole life! The variation they have, appears to be a result of limited supply of the favoured food, not anything dictated by biological need. This makes us ask: Have we completely gone astray about nutrition; is the ideal food a monodiet? To further saw doubts: most diets that have successfully been used to cure various diseases have been very limited in variation, sometimes veritable monodiets. I know cases of eating only garlic, apples, tomatoes, dates, potatoes, canned cherries, eggs, meat, soil, or clay,... What they have in common is that they all were monodiets or almost so. At times it almost seems as if that were the important detail, that limiting the diet to only one foodstuff is more important than what we choose to eat! I will not recommend a monodiet for the healthy individual. Still varied eating makes more sense, given our current knowledge of nutrition. Yet I think these observations are thought-provoking; and, as I have written on several occasions: “***they remind us of not being over-confident in our current knowledge, but keep the mind open for that cherished truths can change with time. We don't know everything - and everything we believe we know might be wrong.”*** Multinutrition or Variation in Series? A fundamental principle is that every essential nutrient or other compound should be available in the blood at every moment. Resultant of that is that every nutrient or other essential or beneficial substance should be ingested every day, because the optimal level in the blood must at all times be kept. Taken once a week or a little now and then, it will not do much good. The level would swing up and down and sometimes be too low – and, perhaps, sometimes too high (when applicable). If we want the optimal beneficial effects of something, we must get it daily or almost daily. What does it say about our diet? That we need to eat a lot of different things and we need to do it daily. A little garlic or turmeric can make wonders with your health, but it must be taken every day or almost so. The same goes for all health-providing foodstuffs or substances in our diet, including supplements. A conventionally varied diet, where you eat one thing one day, another the second, again another the third, etc., is of limited value. In that way the level in the blood, if it changes at all, will just a short while be high enough to influence your biochemistry and then it will be gone again. It will not give any permanent effect. However, a little of everything every day would. On the other hand, that goes for bad things as well. For them to make real harm, they must be taken regularly. Not necessarily every day, but in some sense regularly. An occasional indulgence in sweets, bad fats, alcohol or even smoking, will not cause irreparable harm. The harm comes when it is often. This is ***The Power Of Graduality*** . https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-power-of-graduality-7432c3a0 Its power rests on the general fact that ***frequency is more important than amount***. The effect of frequency is gradually built up in small regular steps, and it is permanent. In order to keep the blood biochemically balanced so that everything you need or might need if an acute crisis occurs (accident, illness, intoxication) is always available, you'd be better off by eating very small amounts of a large number of essential or healthy foodstuffs and nutrients every day, rather than meals consisting of a relatively large amount of 3-4 foodstuffs which are changing from day to day. Someone I know wanted to be serious about this. He decided to design a daily regime consisting of as many different things as possible, things known to be healthy. In order to do so, he invented a machine with which he could dry and pulverise almost any foodstuff. Dry it, because that would ensure supply during the whole year; pulverise, because he could then take very little of everything – and it has to be little if you eat that many things. He dried as many different fruits, nuts and vegetables he could find, with their seeds of course – continuing with herbs, flowers, spices... you mention it. Then he took a very small amount of each every day, mainly in yoghurt or mixed into other food. (But he could also use certain dry powders separately. He got a fantastic bread by mixing apple powder into the dew. That was fibre, and dry powder binds water and the bread becomes juicy.) His blood contained significant levels of over a thousand substances of which there is not normally any significant amount in the blood of people with an ordinary diet. At least not on a permanent basis. However, let's now look at the other side of this coin. Even if this idea is good, there is a risk involved in following it too slavishly. What happens when small amounts of something toxic gradually builds up like this? Or pollutions in the foodstuff used? Or simply long term overdose? There is also the risk of developing hypersensitivity to something that is always there. No matter whether you follow the described multi-nutrient approach or not, I would suggest you to refrain from everything one day per week, one week per month, and one month per year. Every foodstuff, every supplement you take, everything you ingest - except possibly water. However, it is not necessary to refrain from everything at the same time. Skip some things one day, and others the next, etc.. - just for each single thing, keep to the pattern. That will eliminate the risk for hypersensitivity and strongly reduce the risk for other negative side-effects. Copyright © 2011, 2020, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image: Photo by diapicard/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain. The image has been cropped.)* Here you find my articles related to health & medicine. 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: Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/human-hair-source-of-male-strength-or-femininity-44a45f1b Suggested Reading 12 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-12-d0297a78 Prompt: Favourite Quote https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prompt-favourite-quote-9b0c1fad Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/karkade-rooibos-red-teas-with-health-effects-5c61e9b6 Retrospection 13 (Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-13-518614d7

@Mictorrani 13 December 2021

Human Hair: Source of Male Strength or Femininity? *In this article I discuss various aspects of human hair - historically, culturally, and biologically.* I. Some History Most of you have heard about Samson, or Simson, a Herculean hero of the Tanach and the Old Testament. He was deceived by his wife, Delilah, who cut off his hair, thereby making him lose his strength. Obviously, his never cut hair carried his mighty strength. He was a "Nazirite" from birth. Such a figure was not allowed to ingest wine, vinegar, grapes, or raisins; never get close to corpses or graves; and never to cut his hair. Nazir is Hebrew for "consecrated". Its definition can be found in the Old Testament, Numbers, chapter 6. The modern Rastafarian has adopted some features from the Nazirite, and specifically the prohibition against hair cutting. They even claim that their dreadlocks are modelled after Samson. However it is with that, the hairstyle has been used elsewhere too, as by Pakistani and Qalandari Sufis or certain Shiva sects of Hinduism, even by the ancient Egyptians. James the Just, the first Bishop of Jerusalem should have had dreadlocks down to his feet. But locks have been used by various peoples on all continents throughout history - often as a religious symbol. The Keshin Hymn of Rig Veda states: *"The long-haired one endures fire, the long-haired one endures poison, the long haired one endures both worlds."* The Indian Sikhs must not cut their hair, and the old Saxons never did. A Saxon warrior had his hair tied in a knot, and touching it was a deadly offence automatically leading to bloodshed. If he fell in battle, his cut-off head was held in the hair. Members of the royal Merovingian house were known for their long hair, and it evidently played a role in their culture (which differed from the one of their subjects in some instances). When the Indians of the Western Hemisphere took scalps, it was in the belief that the strength were in the enemy's hair, and by possessing it, another man could add this strength to his own. Both Christian monks and clerics, Buddhist monks, and some Hindus shave their heads, wholly or partially; a symbol of spiritual devotion, or a sacrifice. Muslim pilgrims on Hajj shave their heads - it is a sign that they are servants, or slaves, of God. What has been said so far mainly refer to males, even if nuns might be required to shave their heads too. Otherwise hair has quite universally been the pride of women. Shaving or cutting it off could sometimes be a punishment for fornication or adultery; short hair being a sign of great shame. Shaving heads and using wigs instead, common in ancient Egypt, and occurring elsewhere too, most certainly began as a hygienic measure to get rid of lice and vermin. Today some women consider bald men as sexy, while most males see as feminine long hair on a woman. From a biological point of view this is the most logical. Testosterone, a male sex hormone, related to both virility and male fertility, causes baldness; while estrogens, female sex hormones, stimulate hair-growth on the head. This is discussed further below. II. Human Hair *"It is foolish to tear one's hair in grief, as though sorrow would be made less by baldness.”* (Cicero) Melanin is the pigment giving humans their colours - of skin and hair - and in melanoma, pigment tumours. It comes in two forms, eumelanin and pheomelanin. The former gives black and dark brown; the latter gives reddish, even yellow colour. [Amongst animals this can give bright yellow, as the colour of chickens.] The colour of your hair as young is entirely a matter of genes - unless you dye it. You have both eumelanin and pheomelanin, your hair colour depends on the ratio between them: which of them dominates, and how much it dominates; as well as of the total amount and density of melanin in the hair. The observation that some Egyptian mummies have preserved red hair, or even blond, has given birth to a myth, that they were read-haired or blond in life. The explanation is another. The red pigment, the pheomelanin, breaks down more slowly than the eumelanin; so while the colour fades by oxidation, the red part will remain longer than the brown-black. It is only the red pigment, and in some instances blond, left today. It does not necessarily mean there was no other. Hair quality is partly inherited, but also a matter of nutrition and life-style. If you regularly treat your hair with chemical products, you destroy it. If you smoke, it loses in quality, certain diseases affect it negatively, and so do deficiencies of vitamins and minerals, as well as certain medical treatments [for instance radiation and chemo-therapy]. There is very little to do in terms of nurturing the hair from the outside. It can be beneficial to apply a light acid, as washing with diluted apple cider vinegar. A protective acidic layer is natural, but often destroyed by shampoo and other chemicals. It keeps the microflora of the hair and the scalp in good order. This is necessary to avoid mycotic problems [mycotic = caused by fungi]. Otherwise nutrition comes from the inside, and consists in a good diet and appropriate supplements. This, however, does not mean that herbs applied externally would not positively affect the scalp. But expensive shampoos and other chemical products are worthless - no, they are destructive. Save your money and your hair by skipping them. Thoroughly and regularly massaging the scalp, however, increases blood circulation and thereby nutrition and detoxification of the scalp, thus affecting the hair follicles positively [each hair grows from a hair follicle]. It will not change the hair you see, but the hair to come. Diseases known for affecting hair negatively are thyroid imbalance and other glandular problems, cardiovascular disease, and various forms of immune system deficiency. Women sometimes experience hair loss during pregnancy; this, in my opinion, is a result of nutritional deficiencies, and to some extent temporary hormonal changes. To nurture both a foetus and oneself is not as ordinary everyday life. One should absolutely not eat for two, you do not need energy for two [a mother-to-be must absolutely not grow fat, not even a little] - but there is a strongly increased need of certain vitamins and minerals. So-called typical male baldness is no disease and nothing wrong at all. It is an entirely inherited quality and there is nothing to do about it. If you are very young and want to know if you will become bald early, look at your mother's brothers; or your mother's mother's brothers. The genes for baldness are inherited through females, but are activated in males. Male baldness is much a matter of hormones. Testosterone [a male sex hormone] reduces growth of hair on the head, while estrogens [a group of female sex hormones] stimulate it. The wide-spread belief that bald men are more virile is true. Baldness means more masculinity. From a biological point of view, men with a thick and lustrous hair are more feminine. Probably this is strictly applicable only if you compare individuals of approximately the same "racial" type, but there is no evidence supporting that. And of course, a few cases of male baldness have other reasons, various health problems. This does not apply to them. Genetically Asian men get less bald than African and European. Asians overall have the best hair quality, while Africans have the most fragile and slowly growing hair. There is a difference not only of quality, but also in dimension. Dark hairs are generally thicker than blond ones. So blonds have a larger number of hairs instead; and it is generally harder to get blond hair grow long. A perfectly healthy hair is strong. Its strength is comparable to that of copper wire; and it can be stretched 25% of its length, even 50% if it is wet. If you hang something from your scalp hair, you can carry several tonnes in it. Your neck strength, not your hair, sets the limit. Every day one normally drops 100 hairs. If one is not thin-haired, one has 100000-150000 hairs on the head, but it is quite individual. Blonds have about 140000 hairs, brown-haired 110000, black-haired 108000, and red-haired 90000. The speed of hair-growth is not correlated to the body at large. It grows first 3-5 years, then it stops growing for about 2 months. Then it grows again. While growing, it grows 0.3-0.5 millimetres per day. A hair has a limited lifespan; when it has reached its full length, it drops, and a new starts growing in its stead. This does not happen with all hairs at the same time, so you will not notice the change. If you have grown really long hair, you have probably noticed that you can get it to a certain length, but there it stops. Perhaps you have envied the girl next door who can get her hair down below the waist while you can only get it shoulder-long? This difference is mainly a matter of genes, and there is not much you can do to change it. Curls are a matter of biochemistry. The proteins of hair contain sulphur atoms. They sometimes bind to each other pairwise, forming disulphides, which bend the hair. One could say that the binding between the two atoms creates a stretching tension in the hair shaft. The more disulphide bonds you have in your hair, the more natural curls you have. This part of the hair structure is a matter of genes. A lot of methods to change one's hair in this respect, however, have flourished for long. Some of them undoubtedly damaging it, and none is truly permanent. The hair follicle consists of two parts, the bulb, at the bottom, and the mid follicle. The shaft, the hair as we see it, is the third part of a hair, and the one located outside the skin. The hair follicle is alive, but the hair (shaft) itself is not. The material of hair is keratin, a protein made from dead cells pushed up from the hair follicle. In the bulb there are also melanocytes, cells producing pigment. The chemical composition of hair is this: -Carbon 51% -Hydrogen 6% -Sulphur 5% -Nitrogen 17% -Oxygen 21% Sooner or later all hair greys. For some people it happens early, it can begin already in the teens - for others it comes late, perhaps not until after seventy. The basis, again, is genetics. Some deficiencies are known to affect his, however, most notably vitamin B12, but also diseases and other factors; thyroid problems, vitiligo (pigment loss), early menopause, smoking, copper deficiency... Greying hair is an illusion, however. There is no such thing as a grey hair. It is a mixture of coloured and white hairs. The proportion of white hairs on your head determines the impression of greyness. When all hairs have become white, you are white-haired. Unfortunately, the explanation to what happens when hair turns grey, and finally white - that the pigment-producing cells [melanocytes] are becoming fewer with increasing age, or that they are becoming less effective - is not conclusive and most probably completely wrong. That something is reduced in capacity or changing because of age is just an observation, no causal explanation. Currently no cause of this is known, and this greying cannot be stopped or reversed. That does not mean that it can never be done, just that the current level of knowledge does not admit it. But from where comes the grey, or the white? Is it just lack of pigment? Or is there a white pigment? No. White of human hair, animal fur and in most cases of flowers, are caused by scattering, where the particles are large enough to reflect all light. The particles consist of bubbles of air throughout the tissue. Thus this would make hair appear white. That pigment is lost is not correct. It is there, but cannot be seen because of the scattering. But why these scattering bubbles are gathering in the hairs is unknown. (The article is based on material previously published in Meriondho Leo, and in my e-booklet *“Human Hair, Homo Aquarius, & Feathered Crocodiles”*, 2019.) Copyright © 2019, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *Lead image by Engin Akyurt/Pixabay, CC0/Public Domain.* *Image in article: Modern Dreadlocks. Photo: Humphrey Muleba/Unsplash. CC0/Public Domain. The image has been digitally enhanced.* Here you can find my articles about History, and here are my articles about Health. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#history https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#health-amp-medicine-for-covid-19-see-covid-19 Interested in history, legends and myths, join my community History, Myths, Legends & Mysteries (be45). https://read.cash/c/history-myths-legends-mysteries-be45 Interested in Health & Medicine, join 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 12 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-12-d0297a78 Prompt: Favourite Quote https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prompt-favourite-quote-9b0c1fad Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/karkade-rooibos-red-teas-with-health-effects-5c61e9b6 Retrospection 13 (Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-13-518614d7 To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/to-do-or-not-to-do-the-golden-or-not-so-golden-rule-0c566891

@Mictorrani 11 December 2021

Suggested Reading 12 *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 This time we begin with Launched: Friday The 13th - The first magazine on the decentralized Web 3.0. This is not really an article, but an invitation to an interesting project. @nomadghada explains how to reach his new creation, the “Friday the 13th Magazine”. This is definitely worth a look. https://read.cash/@nomadghada/launched-friday-the-13th-the-first-magazine-on-the-decentralized-web-30-393ffd6d If you want to understand more what this really is about, read one of @nomadghada's previous posts. Launching Soon: Friday The 13th - The magazine on the Web 3.0. https://read.cash/@nomadghada https://read.cash/@nomadghada/launching-soon-friday-the-13th-the-magazine-on-the-web-30-a4161bb4 Then we have two articles by @Pantera: A Censorship-Resistant Internet in Demand and Metaverse Tokens: Yet Another Publicity Stunt. https://read.cash/@Pantera https://read.cash/@Pantera/a-censorship-resistant-internet-in-demand-1312674d https://read.cash/@Pantera/metaverse-tokens-yet-another-publicity-stunt-58e9beb6 @AlexD525 asks Could bitcoin cash replace the visa..?? and draws the conclusion that “***yes,*** it can”. In the article, she explains how she came to that conclusion. https://read.cash/@AlexD525 https://read.cash/@AlexD525/could-bitcoin-cash-replace-the-visa-7ecd01df There is no way how to evaluate the value of bitcoin, unlike evaluating company stocks, … or is there? @Jnavedan discusses that in his most recent post. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/there-is-no-way-how-to-evaluate-the-value-of-bitcoin-unlike-evaluating-company-stocks-1d618e79 @Geri tells us about Floppies and SD cards: The history of data storage. https://read.cash/@Geri https://read.cash/@Geri/floppies-and-sd-cards-the-history-of-data-storage-f762aa5d I want to mention two articles by @NakamotoBch: Are We Becoming Slaves of Modern Technology and, for the scientifically inclined, Dark Matter: The Mystery Of The Missing Mass. https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/are-we-becoming-slaves-of-modern-technology-30f3942d https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/dark-matter-the-mystery-of-the-missing-mass-6ad363b5 In Microchip Implants for Vaccine Passport!, @Debesh brings up one of the most serious dangers for future privacy, microchip implants. This is like a nightmare from a science fiction novel, but it is real and a lot of people actually agree (and like) to become the subject of so abusive surveillance methods. Comfortable? Perhaps. But ***comfort kills***, in more ways than one. https://read.cash/@Debesh/microchip-implants-for-vaccine-passport-0c187f9a @Bjread.cash recently published Climate Change – What can we do about it? It is not very advanced, but it serves as a good reminder about the catastrophe we are rapidly approaching. Unfortunately most things done to change this development are marginal. https://read.cash/@Bjread.cash https://read.cash/@Bjread.cash/climate-change-what-can-we-do-about-it-2d38f9a7 Another global problem is diminishing bio-diversity. @Laurenceuuu discusses that in The Relationship Of Genetic Engineering, Biodiversity, and Healthy Society. https://read.cash/@Laurenceuuu https://read.cash/@Laurenceuuu/the-relationship-of-genetic-engineering-biodiversity-and-healthy-society-2d7620e7 Have you ever heard about the Peter Pan Syndrome – that many “growing up” adults refuse to grow up and stay as some sort of overgrown children far up in the middle age? This is a quite pathetic phenomenon, but it has its explanations. @Loucy writes about this in The Peter Pan Syndrome: Forever Young, I want to be forever young https://read.cash/@Loucy https://read.cash/@Loucy/the-peter-pan-syndrome-forever-young-i-want-to-be-forever-young-e0a2cf44 Julian Assange - and how useless democracy is, a recent article by @JustMyRambles01, shows that an increasing number of people are beginning to see democracy for what it really is. For me, I have never had any illusions about that. I gave my view of it in Assorted Absurdities of Democracy, an article from May this year [2021]. https://read.cash/@JustMyRambles01/julian-assange-and-how-useless-democracy-is-8961a332 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/assorted-absurdities-of-democracy-ce00a359 How about a really private message app? I have not yet tried or evaluated this, but it looks interesting. @Gemstone writes about it in Session Messenger - The End Of Censorship and Espionage. https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/session-messenger-the-end-of-censorship-and-espionage-37ebf1cc Speaking of @Gemstone, who writes many good and interesting articles, I also want to mention Freewrite: Consistency, The Backbone Of Every Success and for those interested in historical places, 13th Century Slovakian Gemstone - Mysterious Church Of St. George. Finally also Freewrite: My Theory - Ending The Mind's Chatter, which is about the effects of staying silent, a very interesting experiment. https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/freewrite-consistency-the-backbone-of-every-success-db98c4c5 https://read.cash/@Gemstone/13th-century-slovakian-gemstone-mysterious-church-of-st-george-8fa49726 https://read.cash/@Gemstone/freewrite-my-theory-ending-the-minds-chatter-08d93c0b @Blogika explains Why are naked women angry? https://read.cash/@Blogika https://read.cash/@Blogika/why-are-naked-women-angry-0541992f Although I do not share the author's religious view, I think @Scotty17 is basically right in The Loss of Masculinity in Society. At least to a part, the reason can be what I described in The Feminisation of Nature. https://read.cash/@Scotty17 https://read.cash/@Scotty17/the-loss-of-masculinity-in-society-7d9d0e80 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-feminisation-of-nature-d9ba1e17 I have written much about colours lately, so the title Black and white world attracted my attention. It was not what I expected, but nevertheless read-worthy. Author @Musician also published Coffee as a way of life. Coffee is an often returning theme at Read.cash, and I have also contributed to that topic. But the most recent post by this author, My imagination invents everything expresses a universal truth: that ***imagination is the source of all creativity***. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#colour https://read.cash/@Musician/black-and-white-world-36acaa82 https://read.cash/@Musician/coffee-as-a-way-of-life-80e07087 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#coffee-health-amp-history https://read.cash/@Musician/my-imagination-invents-everything-8da8039b Another article ultimately discussing creativity is What should I eat and drink to become a dreamer! by @foryoubtc09. The title is somewhat misleading, this has nothing to do with “diet”in the conventional sense. https://read.cash/@foryoubtc09/what-should-i-eat-and-drink-to-become-a-dreamer-2742ddc4 To judge about a conflict, it is necessary to hear the points of both (or all) sides. This is what @Cogamedia claims and exemplifies in One side of a story is dangerous. https://read.cash/@Cogamedia https://read.cash/@Cogamedia/one-side-of-a-story-is-dangerous-15e51576 “***The benefit of not faking your life is that you are at ease all the time.****“* writes @Angelcash.BCH in Be wise. https://read.cash/@Angelcash.BCH https://read.cash/@Angelcash.BCH/be-wise-631bd63d I'll Tell You a Few Secrets, says @MarielB22. The article is about unreliable science and lies about covid-19 vaccine. https://read.cash/@MarielB22/ill-tell-you-a-few-secrets-7796f0e2 @PrincessHiba is a new member with potential. She writes and thinks well. Read How to achieve your goals. https://read.cash/@PrincessHiba https://read.cash/@PrincessHiba/how-to-achieve-your-goals-8c98a850 Another relatively new member with potential is @Rahabinte. Read How much peace we get in life for nature and Life for pleasure? Or the joyin the need of life?(My thoughts.) https://read.cash/@Rahabinte https://read.cash/@Rahabinte/how-much-peace-we-get-in-life-for-nature-96d177ab https://read.cash/@Rahabinte/life-for-pleasure-or-the-joyin-the-need-of-lifemy-thoughts-54db6a6e @Itsfarah wrote Let's appreciate little creatures. Then let us continue with nature's creatures. @Lawygany, another new member, writes about turtles, in A turtle; and @lutch writes about different animals: Interesting Facts About Dogs, Interesting Facts About Cats, and Information About Sharks. These posts are more lists of facts than articles, and not deep either, but read them if you are interested in these animals. https://read.cash/@Itsfarah https://read.cash/@Itsfarah/lets-appreciate-little-creatures-8fe620f7 https://read.cash/@Lawygany https://read.cash/@Lawygany/a-turtle-719416ac https://read.cash/@lutch https://read.cash/@lutch/interesting-facts-about-dogs-e549508c https://read.cash/@lutch/interesting-facts-about-cats-b357630d https://read.cash/@lutch/information-about-sharks-2f36653e @Ling01 wrote Mythology : Creation of the World and Living, and @Shounenbat wrote the well written and well researched Race: It Didn’t Matter to the Ancients and it Shouldn’t Matter Now. https://read.cash/@Ling01 https://read.cash/@Ling01/mythology-creation-of-the-world-and-living-78475853 https://read.cash/@Shounenbat https://read.cash/@Shounenbat/race-it-didnt-matter-to-the-ancients-and-it-shouldnt-matter-now-17a9be14 Some other read-worthy articles are Life lessons from @Abhay; My Favorite Superheroes (Marvel) by @Lucifan; and 5 Insanely Beautiful Places I want to Explore! by @Jijisaur. https://read.cash/@Abhay/life-lessons-464a021f https://read.cash/@Lucifan/my-favorite-superheroes-marvel-c90bfe66 https://read.cash/@Jijisaur/5-insanely-beautiful-places-i-want-to-explore-0859bd0e Just a few hours ago, always well writing @Librarian posted 7 Wonders of Antiquity. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/7-wonders-of-antiquity-f0d2b730 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: Prompt: Favourite Quote https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/prompt-favourite-quote-9b0c1fad Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/karkade-rooibos-red-teas-with-health-effects-5c61e9b6 Retrospection 13 (Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-13-518614d7 To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/to-do-or-not-to-do-the-golden-or-not-so-golden-rule-0c566891 Suggested Reading 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-11-7838570f

@Mictorrani 9 December 2021

Prompt: Favourite Quote This is inspired by @Theblackdoll's recent post: Favorite Quote – Prompt!!, where she writes: https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/favorite-quote-prompt-9bc92a3e “*[,,,] I wanna know "****Your favorite quote that you have ever heard.. your fav quote that inspired you so much so that you actually take it very seriously in your life and Live and swear by it??"*** Since I have been reading copiously since I was a child, and also taken notes from my reading – I have collected thousands of quotes that way – this question caught my attention. Since I have many quotes in my notes (long-time members are aware of some small collections I have previously published here), it is hard to pick out one or a few as absolute favourites. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#quotes-proverbs-sayings The most important quote in my life, has been the first four lines of Edgar Allan Poe's poem “Alone”: *From childhood's hour I have not been* *As others were; I have not seen* *As others saw; I could not bring* *My passions from a common spring.* I wrote about that in Poe: A Personal View: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/poe-a-personal-view-d1e75708 “*My strongest experience of Poe, however, was the first time I laid my eyes on a poem called “Alone”. It struck me as a thunderbolt, because it was about me. That is to say, of course it was not about me, it was about Poe himself, but it could have been about me. It expressed exactly what I did feel myself.”* The realization of that I was not the only one ever having had that feeling, made it somehow legitimate to be like that; I could suddenly appreciate to be an outsider, even actively choose to be one. (Read The Strength of Being an Outsider (by choice), for more details about what I mean with chosen outsidership.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-strength-of-being-an-outsider-by-choice-0afbebe4 Since I written about this quote before, I will bring up two other of my many favourite quotes, the first of which is: “*Know this and know it well: time is never wasted. Wherever we go, whatever we do, everything is an aspect of education. Even when we don't immediately grasp the lesson.”* This was written by author Robert Silverberg. The words did not really change my life, but it expressed exactly my own view on life, time and education. My life has been dramatic; I'd say that this approach has made it easier for me to deal with tragedies throughout it. Whatever happens, however bad I feel about it, I can never feel sorry for myself; I always find something in it that is interesting, something I can learn something from, something that can make me grow as a person. Every experience is valuable, and bad experiences are no exception; processed by the mind, they become the soil from which wisdom can grow. No experience is wasted. It also expresses another important point, namely that education doesn't equal schools – *“everything is an aspect of education”.* Schools can be a part of it, but it neither begins nor ends there. This leads us to another quote about how the hard times of life can be those from which we benefit the most. “*A tree may be bent by harsh winds, but it is no less beautiful than the tree that grows in a sheltered nook, and often it bears the richer fruit.”* (Dorothy Gilman) Adversity is necessary for growth, creativity and genuine beauty. A smooth, easy life is more comfortable, but, in my opinion, it is a life wasted. Comfort kills. Søren Kirkegaard, 1813-1855, Danish philosopher, expressed this in another way: “*To dare is to lose one's foothold for a moment.* *Not to dare is to lose oneself.”* It is necessary to take risks, to stick out the chin and challenge life, otherwise we wither and die. How about describing this in a more dramatic way? These are the final words of "La Voyage", by French poet Charles Baudelaire: *"Nous voulons tant ce feu nous brûle le cerveau,* *Plonger au fond du gouffre, Enfer ou Ciel, qu'importe?* *Au fond de l'Inconnu pour trouver du nouveau!"* *("This fire so scorches our brain, that we wish* *To plunge into the depth of the gulf, Hell or Heaven, who cares?* *To find something new in the depths of the Unknown!")* If we fear the "unknown", we will never grow, never find new knowledge. Related articles: Poe: A Personal View https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/poe-a-personal-view-d1e75708 Some Favourite Quotes https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/some-favourite-quotes-74e09ee3 With a Touch of Humour - More Quotes https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/with-a-touch-of-humour-more-quotes-fd81e97f Horror Quotes https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/horror-quotes-79e04800 Antibigbrotherism Quotes – and about Creating a New Word https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/antibigbrotherism-quotes-and-about-creating-a-new-word-f023a8f7 Crypto Quotes + Comments https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/crypto-quotes-comments-0acda416 Nietzsche: Selected Quotes & Brief Comments https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/nietzsche-selected-quotes-brief-comments-48384f44 Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved. *(Lead image by Pretty Sleepy Art/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: Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/karkade-rooibos-red-teas-with-health-effects-5c61e9b6 Retrospection 13 (Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-13-518614d7 To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/to-do-or-not-to-do-the-golden-or-not-so-golden-rule-0c566891 Suggested Reading 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-11-7838570f Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6

@Mictorrani 7 December 2021

Karkadé & Rooibos: Red Teas with Health Effects *This is about two blood red beverages: karkadé (hibiscus tea) and rooibos (redbush tea)- and their effects on health.* Karkadé Something I have encountered in many corners of the world but learned to really appreciate first in Egypt, is hibiscus tea - also called karkady or karkadé - a blood-red beverage. Cooled, it is a delicious cooling drink, which is also healthy. They say it was the favorite beverage of the old Egyptian Pharaohs. I have not been able to verify that, but my own relationship with this tea has developed into a passion. I drink it daily. Hibiscus, *Hibiscus sabdariffa,* gives a blood-red tea - also called ***karkadé***, ***Arhul ka phool***, ***sorrel, roselle***, or some other of a number of different local names - which has been used around the world for a long time. It contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), citric acid, maleic acid, tartaric acid, the glycosid *hibiscin*, plus a number of other compounds. The colour comes from the anthocyanins delphinidin and cyanidin, two biologically very potent bioflavonoids. In addition to being a good and cooling drink, hibiscus has several medical properties. The major effects are found in the cardiovascular system. It has the ability to repair injured arteries, a benefit whose value can hardly be overestimated and which positively affects all organs and tissues of the body. In traditional medicine, it is used against various conditions, even cancer. The part of the plant normally used for tea, is the calyces of the flower, but all parts of the plant are edible and can be eaten or made tea of. The plant originally came from Southeast Asia, but is grown in Upper Egypt and Fayoum, as well as in many other countries. Hibiscus from Egypt and Sudan is considered to provide the best tea. In Sudan it is sometimes cold brewed, it is tedious and takes some time, but it provides a superior quality. Both flavour and nutrients are damaged by heating, which is not needed to dissolve the active substances from the plant parts. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-sacred-crocodiles-of-egypt-635185a8#ii-sobek-crocodilopolis-amp-the-sacred-crocodiles Unfortunately, the locals of these countries, especially in Egypt, destroys karkadé by adding a lot of sugar. Needless to say, that reduces it's health value. Personally, I drink it pure, as it is, as I do with everything. Rooibos Another red beverage is so-called red tea, redbush tea, or ***rooibos***. It is derived from a plant growing in South Africa, ***Aspalathus linearis.*** It contains various polyphenols, plus benzoic and cinnamic acids. Rooibos is rich in antioxidants. Research on the health effects of rooibos is relatively limited, but results indicate that it is beneficial for cardiovascular health and that it improves the ratio between bad (LDL) and good (HDL) cholesterol. It might also slightly lower the blood pressure. It is antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory. One study indicated that rooibos stops the formation of new fat cells. There are also signs suggesting that rooibos is anti-allergenic by reducing the release of histamine. Unfortunately, there are also some negative effects to consider. Rooibos contains substances imitating estrogens. There is also a risk for liver damage; however, it is still uncertain if this is a result of rooibos itself or of contamination. Appendix Read more about the dangers of estrogen and substances imitating estrogen in The Feminisation of Nature. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-feminisation-of-nature-d9ba1e17 As for the red colours of those teas, they come from ***Anthocyanins*****, which, as most strong colour pigments in nature, are very biochemically substances. I write about anthocyanins in** **Colours V: Colours Of Plants****:** https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-v-colours-of-plants-4d631074 *“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.”* *Copyright © 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.* *(Lead image: Hibiscus & hummingbird. Photo by* finix8*/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: Retrospection 13 (Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/retrospection-13-518614d7 To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/to-do-or-not-to-do-the-golden-or-not-so-golden-rule-0c566891 Suggested Reading 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-11-7838570f Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198

@Mictorrani 5 December 2021

Retrospection 13 *Reading, Literature & History of Literature, Authors & Books, Horror, Science Fiction, Classics, & more...* I am a compulsive reader, and have been so since I was 3 years old. I told about that in “Learning Languages - How I do”. I further described the valuable ability to learn from reading in “Acquiring Knowledge: Experience and Reading”. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/learning-languages-how-i-do-a576f6c9 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/acquiring-knowledge-experience-and-reading-a4f8d51d With reading being such an important part of my life, it is natural that I have written articles about literature, and I'm sure there will be more of them in the future. Poe, a writer that has followed me over the years, is best known for his horror stories, but he wrote so much more. I wrote about him and his place in my life in "Poe: A Personal View ". https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/poe-a-personal-view-d1e75708 Another classic is Alexandre Dumas, père. Initially a famous playwright, he later wrote prose that possibly became even more successful. Just think of “The Three Musketeers”, “The Count of Monte Cristo” and other timeless classics. His importance for the development of the historical novel as a form is enormous. He is one of the most successful writers in history. I wrote about Dumas in "In a Black Velvet Mask", where I bring up the historical background to his novel "The Man in the Iron Mask". https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/in-a-black-velvet-mask-1c8055da For most people nowadays, Frankenstein is a fictitious character in a number of movies. They are not even aware of the novel, which is the original story - a story that is so much more than what is conveyed by the movies. If judging by views, “Frankenstein, Religion & Creativity“ is my most read literary article. It is not only about literature in a limited sense, it is also a serious philosophical and moral discussion - derived from Mary Shelley's great masterpiece, the novel about Frankenstein. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/frankenstein-religion-creativity-9286e9e3 “When Moscow was Invaded - Two Empires: The French & The Swedish“ is about history, but also about literature - namely the author Zacharias Topelius, a northern correspondence to Alexandre Dumas, père. The Swedish Empire, mentioned in the title, is not so well-known outside Europe, but it was the dominant power in Protestant Europe 1611 and 1721. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/when-moscow-was-invaded-two-empires-the-french-the-swedish-15770755 Aleisteir Crowley & Egypt: The Stele of Revealing & The Book of the Law is about “The Book of Law” by the notorious Aleisteir Crowley, self-styled as “666, the Great Beast”. (It is beyond the topic here, but if you want to read more about the number and its origin, read also The Number 666 & The Essence of the Beast.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/aleisteir-crowley-egypt-the-stele-of-revealing-the-book-of-the-law-1e4b3b16 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-number-666-the-essence-of-the-beast-f6de601b With its connection to Egypt, it also inspired me to Egyptomania & Horror Literature, which primarily is about mummy stories, which have become a remaining part of modern horror in literature and film. (If you want to read about real mummies and how they were made, read Egyptian Mummies & Mummification.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/egyptomania-horror-literature-cc49c8bc https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/egyptian-mummies-mummification-27386004 Byron & Shelley: Egyptomania & Shelley's Funeral also connects to Egyptomania, but, in addition to that, it is about some peculiar details around the death of the poet Shelley (whose wife, Mary, wrote Frankenstein) as well. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/byron-shelley-egyptomania-shelleys-funeral-30d3c429 When I look at this now, it occurs to me that Lord Byron would deserve an article in himself. He said about himself that *“I am such a strange mélange of good and evil that it would be difficult to describe me.”* No doubt, he was a dubious, amoral character, but his influence was monumental. Then, of course, there is his end; as a volunteer in Greece, fighting the Ottoman rule there, he died. The Greeks gave him the honorific “*megalos kai kalos*“, although his contribution to the war in essence was a failure. Obviously, horror is a popular genre at Read.cash, so why not get acquainted with one of the most influential and interesting writers of horror (beside Poe): Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Read Lovecraft was More than Horror. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/lovecraft-was-more-than-horror-dcfc3d13 Vampires are another ingredient in popular horror. They also have a long history, but the prototype for all modern vampires in literature and movies must be Bram Stoker's Dracula. Admittedly, the vampires of contemporary works are more complex than Dracula, and by that more interesting, but I dare say that they all evolved from him. The historical character who is said to have inspired Bram Stoker, is Vlad Tepes (1431–1476). I don't think one should exaggerate that comparison, but it is likely that it was from Vlad Tepes Bram Stoker got the name of his Vampire. Read about Bram Stoker, Vlad Tepes, and how Dracula got his name in The Ultimate Vampire. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-ultimate-vampire-aed59cec I'm sure of that most of you have heard about “The Phantom of the Opera”. For a contemporary audience, the best known version is the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. However, the musical is based on a novel from 1910: “Le Fantôme de l'Opéra“ by Gaston Leroux. In Palais Garnier, the Phantom & a Detective with a Bullet-shaped Head, you can read more about “The Phantom”, Gaston Leroux, and the fantastic building in which the novel takes place, Palais Garnier. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/palais-garnier-the-phantom-a-detective-with-a-bullet-shaped-head-9f459691 Good science fiction is thought-provoking. I think that holds for works by Frank Herbert, who wrote the (in my opinion) best science fiction novel of all times, Dune. Read more in How I Discovered Science Fiction: A Green Brain & Dune. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/how-i-discovered-science-fiction-a-green-brain-dune-29a4c492 The Kreutzer Sonata: How Art Inspires to Art, which Inspires to Art... is about how different forms of art inspire one another. We have Ludwig van Beethoven, Leo Tolstoy and René-Xavier Prinet; music, literature, and painting. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-kreutzer-sonata-how-art-inspires-to-art-which-inspires-to-art-3dced6f6 Finally two articles only touching literature: Magic Mirror on the Wall, which is about mirrors. There are many occurrences of mirrors in literature though, so I think the article can be read as part of this topic. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/magic-mirror-on-the-wall-8d437cb3 The Magic of Sesame: Password, Health & Etymology is also a little off topic, but the classical ”Arabian Nights” plays a role here, without a doubt it has a place in world literature. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-magic-of-sesame-password-health-etymology-2be0231f 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. 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: To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/to-do-or-not-to-do-the-golden-or-not-so-golden-rule-0c566891 Suggested Reading 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-11-7838570f Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 Colours X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-x-yellow-gold-orange-in-focus-imperial-courage-creativity-0ca9529a

@Mictorrani 2 December 2021

To Do or Not To Do – The Golden (or Not so Golden) Rule Rabbi Hillel (c.30 BC-10 AD) was almost contemporary with Jesus Christ. He came to Palestine from Babylonia and founded a school there, Beth Hillel. He is well known for his formulation of Judaism. *"What is hateful to you, do not to your fellow man.* *This is the law: all the rest is commentary."* (Talmud, Shabbat 31a) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ said something similar: *"And as ye would that men should do to you,* *do ye also to them likewise."* (Luke 6:31, King James Bible) There are similar rules in other religions. Mahabharata (Hinduism) says: *"Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you."* Udanavarga (Buddhism) says: *"Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful."* Confucius said: *"Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you."* All these appear to express the same idea, but if we examine them closely, they don't. Of those cited above, Jesus' statement is fundamentally different, and this difference is - in my opinion - a major problem with Christian ethics and with its modern secular applications - such as the Welfare State. It paves the way for the *Tyranny of Benevolence*. Let us examine the essence of what Jesus said: *"Do to others what you want others to do unto you."* This implies: *"What is good for you is good for others."* Extended it implies: *"What is good for you is good for others, whether they understand (or want) it or not."* You take it on yourself to judge of what is good for another person, because "perfect as you are" what is good for you MUST be good for others. Isn't that the ultimate hubris? If we extend this further, you take the right to define other people's problems and to devise their solutions; indeed, without even knowing if what you think is a problem is really a problem for them!! I am sure most of you have encountered individuals with this mentality. Meddlers who try to arrange things for you without knowing if you want them arranged that way, because they KNOW what is best for you. They judge you by their own standards. Yet this is much worse when institutionalised, as in politics. We find it at the heart of the Welfare State; and in international politics it characterises the relation between the so-called "first" world on one side, and the "second" and "third" on the other. A colonial remnant. It is even worse: Jesus' statement legitimises conformity. Since it assumes the existence of a one and single "best" for everyone (it must be the same as what is best for you, so there can be only one "best"), it follows that conformity is a goal; and that working, pushing, or forcing matters in that direction is not only acceptable, but praiseworthy! Thus it legitimises tyranny. If we look at the other expressions: Hillel, Confucius, etc., the essence is ***"do NOT do unto others what you do NOT want others to do unto you."*** This is no exhortation to do something, to take action, to meddle, just to refrain from doing what you would not like done to you by others. You dislike meddlers, then do not meddle yourself. It is that simple. You want to arrange your life as you want it, so let others arrange theirs as they want them. This is not an encouragement to be uncharitable, you can still be a loving and helpful neighbour, just do not take on yourself to judge when a neighbour needs help or how. People must be allowed to define their own problems and to find their own solutions; to determine what is important in life, and what is not; to live by their own standards. ***"Do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you"*** is no encouragement of selfishness or inactivity, just of respect for the integrity of others. This has been a well established principle since a very long time, in Judaism and most old cultures. Did Jesus really turn it upside down? We can never know what he said, but I doubt it. His words can very well have been distorted by those handling them after him. And we should not forget the other place where his statement is related: Matthew 7:12. In its entirety it states: *"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets."* This might very well give us a clue. As it happens, I cannot find any place where the law and the prophets express this principle in terms of ***"do"***. In my opinion, it looks very much like Jesus has been misquoted. There is another example of this *"golden rule"* stated in the positive, active, and dangerous way: Plato said: *"May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me."* But his mentor and teacher Socrates said: *"Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you."* This, in my opinion, well reflects the difference between the two of them. Plato was a sharp thinker, but a monster, Socrates was a genuine human. “*Do not do unto others as you would that they should do unto you.* *Their tastes may not be the same.”* (George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman) Ralph: *When she put two potatoes on the table, one big one and one small one, you immediately took the big one without asking me what I wanted.* Norton: *What would you have done?* Ralph: *I would have taken the small one, of course.* Norton: *You would?* Ralph: *Yes, I would.* Norton: *So, what are you complaining about? You got the small one!* (The Honeymooners) (This article is based on material previously published in TMA/Meriondho Leo, 2008.) Copyright © 2008, 2015, 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 11 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-11-7838570f Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 Colours X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-x-yellow-gold-orange-in-focus-imperial-courage-creativity-0ca9529a Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540

@Mictorrani 28 November 2021

Suggested Reading 11 *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 We start with something that might be of interest to those it concerns: TangoSwap - the First Publicly Doxxed DEX on SmartBCH, by @MoreGainStrategies. The use of the term “doxxed” here made @Pantera protests in a comment. He correctly claims that the term Doxx denotes... https://read.cash/@MoreGainStrategies/tangoswap-the-first-publicly-doxxed-dex-on-smartbch-798f730f https://read.cash/@Pantera *“a malicious act to expose the identity and private information of someone without the subject's approval. Doxx is a term used always as negative. Can't promote a project saying it is Doxxed.“* Here some suggestions from @adereign: Things I can do to help bitcoin cash become generally adopted. https://read.cash/@adereign https://read.cash/@adereign/things-i-can-do-to-help-bitcoin-cash-become-generally-adopted-d201bf6b @Jnavedan asks Who will rule in the metaverse? It's a well written discussion on metaverse, realities, privacy and freedom. Another article about metaverse is Metaverse Also Known As “The Internet Of Virtual Reality" by @NakamotoBch. https://read.cash/@Jnavedan https://read.cash/@Jnavedan/who-will-rule-in-the-metaverse-af7ac564 https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/metaverse-also-known-as-the-internet-of-virtual-reality-c8abf96d The crypto market wears a red dress again, but, BCH users has no worry by @Fexonice1 sounds like just another article on a theme chewed here almost every day. In a way it is, but still this is slightly different and unusually well expressed. But it is just what to expect of hard-working, veteran member @Fexonice1. https://read.cash/@Fexonice1/the-crypto-market-wears-a-red-dress-again-but-bch-users-has-no-worry-53ac475f @Gemstone wrote several good articles lately; I want to point out three: https://read.cash/@Gemstone Freewrite: Freedom Is Utopian Concept, in which the author claims that most people are slaves in practice, mostly without even realizing it. But do we really desire total freedom? https://read.cash/@Gemstone/freewrite-freedom-is-utopian-concept-2e45f869 I think not, because total freedom would become total unfreedom. One would have to live isolated from other living beings. Otherwise there comes responsibility, and that is always a limitation of freedom. If you want a friend, a marriage partner, a child... it obliges. Your freedom becomes limited. If you take a job,you sell your freedom, you'll have responsibilities to your employer. If you enter any form of contractual agreement, it's a limitation of your freedom. I don't think the point is to live totally free, but to be free to choose how to limit one's freedom in order to gain something else. A job gives money, a friend or a partner or a child gives something else (we don't need to try to define exactly **what** here and now). But you don't get anything without giving something, and ultimately you pay with parts of your freedom. Two health articles by @Gemstone also deserve to be mentioned: The Miraculous Lemon Water and What Fasting Does To The Human Brain? https://read.cash/@Gemstone https://read.cash/@Gemstone/the-miraculous-lemon-water-7f9ec05e https://read.cash/@Gemstone/what-fasting-does-to-the-human-brain-13e51cb1 @VoluntaryJapan recently published an article with thoughts about diet: Current Thoughts on Veganism — Wrestling With My Diet (Voluntaryist Perspective). https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan https://read.cash/@VoluntaryJapan/current-thoughts-on-veganism-wrestling-with-my-diet-voluntaryist-perspective-7ce3c991 Above I mentioned @NakamotoBch, and I would like to include three more posts by the same author: Existence Of Genetic Variation Is Not Enough To Explain Evolution By Natural Selection; and then one about mythology: Ancient Goddess Of Sexuality And Fertility Mylitta; and finally, Is Life More Complicated Than It Needs To Be? https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/existence-of-genetic-variation-is-not-enough-to-explain-evolution-by-natural-selection-8a670ff3 https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/ancient-goddess-of-sexuality-and-fertility-mylitta-7aa9e0ea https://read.cash/@NakamotoBch/is-life-more-complicated-than-it-needs-to-be-c40d4962 @Shounenbat wrote about Ebony: The Million Dollar Tree! https://read.cash/@Shounenbat https://read.cash/@Shounenbat/ebony-the-million-dollar-tree-43a8af7e What about old times? Here are two articles which may instil some nostalgia in those being old enough to have experienced this for real: Film cameras are not dead by @valo, and Gone are the greeting cards by @zolabundance2. https://read.cash/@valo/film-cameras-are-not-dead-5be6dc1e https://read.cash/@zolabundance2/gone-are-the-greeting-cards-f81742ea @Librarian writes about his 50 Articles Milestone. This is an author in my taste, not too limited in mind and topics. https://read.cash/@Librarian https://read.cash/@Librarian/50-articles-milestone-8f94d345 In a previous edition of “Suggested Reading”, I brought up articles about dragons. I was not then aware of @Librarian's Encyclopaedia Draconnica. This is an attempt to cover the topic from many different perspectives, indeed to create an Encyclopedia about Dragons. I like the idea and it is well done. If you are interested in dragons, this is a must read. The author also refers to other articles about dragons. https://read.cash/@Librarian/encyclopaedia-draconnica-6482cd20 Have you ever heard about the five laws of stupidity? If not, read A 'stupid' article. by @aniruddhasen. It is not stupid at all. https://read.cash/@aniruddhasen/a-stupid-article-a60c135f @AlexD525 is a new member whose first post was Happiness Always Better Then Money. https://read.cash/@AlexD525 https://read.cash/@AlexD525/happiness-always-better-then-money-dabe0fb5 @Probinsyana, another new member, wrote about Excess Baggage, and @Argent wrote The artist, the medium, and the masterpiece https://read.cash/@Probinsyana https://read.cash/@Probinsyana/excess-baggage-70321d69 https://read.cash/@Argent https://read.cash/@Argent/the-artist-the-medium-and-the-masterpiece-f7b10a32 Is maturity a reason for a sudden change of preferences?, asks @Lhes. In my opinion it is a reason for changing preferences - but that is probably a gradual process, not “sudden” as the title suggests. https://read.cash/@Lhes/is-maturity-a-reason-for-a-sudden-change-of-preferences-224229f3 @Blogika writes about Good mood without stuff, which explains some facts about brain and nervous system in connection with negative emotions. https://read.cash/@Blogika https://read.cash/@Blogika/good-mood-without-stuff-39f2b7a0 Would you like to have the ability to be invisible, or to read people's mind? @Lucifer01 plays with the idea of super powers in Super Powers I Want!!! https://read.cash/@Lucifer01 https://read.cash/@Lucifer01/super-powers-i-want-457405d5 Change your mindset, and life will be better, claims @Oikawa; and @Theblackdoll writes that Punctuality, It matters!!!! Myself punctual to a fault, I certainly agree. If I have an appointment, I arrive exact on time and I never wait long for anyone. If they haven't come after 10 minutes, I leave again. They are free to waste their own time, but don't waste mine. https://read.cash/@Oikawa/change-your-mindset-and-life-will-be-better-d081da74 https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll https://read.cash/@Theblackdoll/punctuality-it-matters-f7e5f21d In When to keep your mouth shut, @Freedom007 lists a number of situations when it is best to remain silent. I agree with this; there are situations when talking would be destructive. https://read.cash/@Freedom007/when-to-keep-your-mouth-shut-096b28e5 Veteran member @wakeupkitty writes Good news about polarisation; and @Musician explains how he/she sees The power of the circle. https://read.cash/@wakeupkitty https://read.cash/@wakeupkitty/good-news-about-polarisation-ce336a15 https://read.cash/@Musician https://read.cash/@Musician/the-power-of-the-circle-dc902c6f @G_lenahhh, gives us Books recommendation! and @B.Mac expresses his reference for fantasy in Don't You Just Love Your Fantasy Novels!!! https://read.cash/@G_lenahhh https://read.cash/@G_lenahhh/books-recommendation-c8f40a6c https://read.cash/@B.Mac https://read.cash/@B.Mac/dont-you-just-love-your-fantasy-novels-db7b5349 Finally some fiction by @gertu13: Do you write predicting?; and by @Pearlkel: King Arthur. https://read.cash/@gertu13 https://read.cash/@gertu13/do-you-write-predicting-98bea224 https://read.cash/@Pearlkel https://read.cash/@Pearlkel/king-arthur-c3b6df45 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: Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 Colours X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-x-yellow-gold-orange-in-focus-imperial-courage-creativity-0ca9529a Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540 Suggested Reading 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-10-40d45889

@Mictorrani 25 November 2021

Colour & Cosmology II - Religions *In this article, we will look at the three major monotheistic religions and their relation to colour. This is the second part of the essay on colour and cosmology. The first part was* Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 Islam The role of colours in Islam deserves its own description. There is a system of three colours, and a system of four; combined they give a system of seven. Then there is the third level [three and four being the two first], which consists of 28 colours. This is based on Arabian and Persian Alchemy and is very metaphysical and symbolic. There was a rudimentary colour symbolism before this developed, during the prophet Mohammed's own time; more on that below. The seven colours express the old magic number seven, as a combination of number three, the number of the divine (or spiritual), and number four, the number of the material world. Thus seven represents everything in total, the spiritual and the material. (More on that in Number Magic 1: Three & Four.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/number-magic-1-three-four-e4689164 The three colours are white, black, and sandalwood. White is light, the divine power. Black is divine emanation, "God hides in his own radiance". Sandalwood is "earth", as the material counterpart of the divine. The four colours are red, yellow, green, and blue. They correspond to the four elements of metaphysics: fire, air, water, and earth. These are then combined to different qualities or associated with various correspondences in the usual way. The seven colours [black, yellow, green, red, blue, sandalwood, white] are also associated with the seven celestial bodies (those being visible to the naked eye): [Saturn, Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus], with seven metals: [lead, gold, silver, iron, mercury, tin, copper], and with the seven prophets: [Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, Jesus, Mohammed]. This is entirely in accordance with the principles of Alchemy, where, especially, the correspondence between celestial bodies and metals is central. The third level, the 28 colours, can be arranged to symbolise Moon's movement through the Zodiac, and thus a closed system, a picture of both macrocosm and microcosm. A more detailed analysis of this model is beyond the scope of this essay. In the times of the prophet Mohammed, there was little use of colour symbolism, mainly limited to black, white, and green, sometimes red. The flag of Quraish, the tribe of Mohammed, was black, with an eagle; and the prophet himself is said to have preferred a one-coloured black flag, "Al-Uqaab". In addition to that, different other one-coloured flags were used in various military campaigns. (For more on this, see Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism.) https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b The green, which more than any other colour is associated with Islam, 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] 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 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 Hebrews & Christians *"In the change of this highest principle of form which breaks forth out of the darkness and out of the ether, ten forms and colour patterns will arise which are reflected within each other, and multiply from ten to a hundred and, in the course of their increasing potency, will finally return to their original unity".* (Gershom Scholem) For the old Hebrews, colour was a surprisingly subordinate concept, although one can find some of the ordinary correspondences. Of course there are colours, but compared to the obsession with numbers and letters, and many forms of correspondences, they play a small role. And the role they play is not always clear, since the complexity of the material gives room for many different interpretations. Colours are also in one sense relative. What we have is especially two things, one is the rainbow. Scholem writes: "*the harmony of the rainbow colours is partly related to the concentration and unification of the active, creative forces of the Sepiroth*". [Sepiroth is "the ten original numbers", a concept not possible to understand without an introduction in Cabbalism.] In Pontifex Maximus & The Imperial Purple of Rome, I wrote: https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/pontifex-maximus-the-imperial-purple-of-rome-1bd0c336 Another idea is to base a system on the tabernacle and its colours: blue, purple, red, white. They relate to the four elements: air, fire, water, earth. Black and green are added too, standing for "total negation" and "non-perfection". These four; blue, purple, red, white; can be followed from the Hebrews into Christianity, and its art as far ahead as the Renaissance. Joannes Richter, in "Another Etymology for Purple" (2010), identifies "purple" as a pair: the red being a woman, the blue a man, interwoven they would make purple. He relates how icons were painted mainly in red and blue, and how Medieval art used mainly these three colours. This would, he suggests, with good justification, be derived from Exodus 39, whose five first verses I quote from the Jewish Tanach (also part of the Bible), Jewish Publication translation, 1917: *1. And of the blue, and purple, and scarlet, they made plaited garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron, as the Lord commanded Moses.* *2. And he made the ephod of gold, blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.* *3. And they did beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into threads, to work it in the blue, and in the purple, and in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skillful workman.* *4. They made shoulder pieces for it, joined together; at the two ends was it joined together.* *5. And the skillfully woven band, that was upon it, wherewith to gird it on, was of the same piece and like the work thereof: of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, as the Lord commanded Moses.* Twined linen was interpreted as white, which some translators of the Bible actually wrote. Richter takes this even further and interprets purple as androgynous, as being mixed red and blue - even the androgynous Adam, before he was divided into a male and a female being - or a creator god. Ultimately, he also sees it as symbolic for a married couple. He also wants to prove that purple was known before the later so expensive pigment was used to produce it - but that it was obtained by weaving thin threads of red and blue together. His proof consists in garments of a Celtic king from about 530 BC. Richter's thoughts are a bit off the mainstream, but they are interesting and well worthy of serious consideration. Speaking about the Bible, there is another place where two of these colours turn up: The Book of Revelation describes "The Whore of Babylon" (which probably means Rome) as this: *"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication [...]* Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), in his living myths, held himself with a female companion called the Scarlet Woman, quite obviously referring to the The Book of Revelation. He called himself the Great Beast. In his mythology, the role of the Scarlet Woman varies a little; in real life it was an office held by a number of women throughout Crowley's life. The same book of the Bible has another concept referring to colours, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. There were four; horses: a white, a red, a black, a pale; and they came with everything evil [quoted from King James Bible]: *And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.* *[...]* *And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.* *[...]* *And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine. [Famine]* *[...]* *And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him.* Read also part I, Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy; https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 about colours in Heraldry: Vexillology & Heraldry; https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267 about colours of Muslim Flags, Muslim & Arab Flags and their Symbolism; https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/muslim-arab-flags-and-their-symbolism-07f8945b about Purple; https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/index-over-my-articles-at-read-cash-5f7c1e34#purple and about Al-Khidr, The Green Man II: Al-Khidr, Teacher of Moses. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/the-green-man-ii-al-khidr-teacher-of-moses-a5569ab3 Here you can find all my articles about colour, and about symbols. 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#symbols *Copyright © 2011, 2021 Meleonymica/Mictorrani. All Rights Reserved.* *(Lead image: Photo by* Marybeth*/Pixabay, CC0/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 ***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: Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-i-cultures-alchemy-ae1e6198 Colours X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-x-yellow-gold-orange-in-focus-imperial-courage-creativity-0ca9529a Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540 Suggested Reading 10 https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/suggested-reading-10-40d45889 Dragon's Blood https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/dragons-blood-f3859f85

@Mictorrani 24 November 2021

Colour & Cosmology I – Cultures & Alchemy *"I am as curious about colour as one would be visiting a new country,[...]" , said Henri Matisse, and I can just agree. I have spent years exploring every aspect of colour, and I still discover new things all the time. In this two-part article, we will take a brief look at colour in various cosmologies. In part one I discuss different cultures and alchemy; in* *part two* *, I bring up the role of colour in the three major monotheistic religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.* https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Introduction Since the dawn of history, colours have been used as symbols of a certain quality, a family, a god, a sacred ceremony, a nationality, etc. The meaning of a certain colour can shift from time to time and from culture to culture, even from individual to individual, although some seem universally human. Sometimes colours are part of a cosmology, alchemy, an all-encompassing system to model reality, material and spiritual. Then we have correspondences: numbers, cardinal points, zodiacal signs, gods, elements, colours - and any other modality filling up its own space - all knit together in a web of correspondences in order to understand reality as one, and all its parts as interconnected by analogies. The most consistent examples of this way of thinking are old Chinese philosophy and Alchemy. None of them should be understood as factual, or at least not only as factual; in their ultimate forms both work and express themselves with models and symbols. Of course, correspondences can be arranged in different ways, after all we deal with models. That is why, for instance, colour correspondences to zodiacal signs are not always the same. If we leave the genuine colours for a moment, let us look at a very simple example to illustrate what I mean. Say that we have a pack of cards. There are four "colours": Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Cloves. Let us say that they correspond to the Pythagorean quaternary of reality, and most specifically to the Cardinal points, North, South, East, and West. Now, if we let different people arrange the correspondences, some would let Spades stand for North, while others might choose South instead, or East or West - and put everything in another order. There would still be four "colours" and four Cardinal points, one of each corresponding to one of the other, but the view on which corresponds to which would differ. This is not really important, the structure of the analogy is intact; however we choose to make the mutual correspondences pairwise, it is still essentially the same model. But when we try to list various symbolic correspondences, as I will do below, we encounter different particular versions. So, when, below, I give more than one zodiacal sign [for instance] for a colour, they represent different systems, and I have not always taken the time and space to define them all here. On the whole, my choice of what to elaborate on or treat briefly is entirely subjective. Different Cultures All ancient cultures had a developed colour code. In old Egypt, not knowing "someone's or something's colours", was not to know that person's or thing's true nature. [Compare English, "to show one's true colours".] In India, possibly the most colourful place in the world, several colour codes developed, and it is still the place where they are given the most importance in everyday life. China, as we have already mentioned, had colour systems intertwined with metaphysics and cosmology. So had Arabian and Western Alchemy, which contain a large number of systems, sometimes created by individuals known by name. India & China Indian mainstream philosophy has correspondences based on chakras, energetic centres of the body. Of them, seven are of major importance in Hinduism, and to them are assigned various correspondences - colours too. They are: red, yellow, blue, orange, green, indigo, and violet. Describing this or other Indian systems further would require a long explanation of Indian philosophy, which is beyond the scope of this text. This is also true for Chinese philosophy, so let us just very briefly look at how some of their major systems relate to colour: In Taoism, the universe is sometimes said to be created from three colours, green or blue [no proper distinction is made between the two], red, and yellow. Chinese Buddhism, however, claims "Colour is empty. Emptiness is colour". A contradiction? Judge for yourself. Contradictions are sometimes illusive. Chinese Alchemy counted five elements [fire, water, wood, metal, earth], as opposed to the traditional four of the West, even if the latter was completed with the "quintessence" and practically changed to five. Thus Chinese metaphysics added a "centre" to the four Cardinal points, actually making them five, as everything was five, even their music was pentatonic; and the colour system was made of five colours: red, green, black, white, and yellow. I Ching represents another, older Chinese tradition, and colour there has a different meaning, with orange as Yin and azure as Yang - and then a complicated teaching based on 8 groups of three, called "pa kua", 2 groups of three, and 64 cosmic archetypes. The 8 groups of three [trigrams] can be interpreted as 8 different colours: white, black, yellow, red, blue, green, purple, violet. A third old Chinese system is Feng Shui. It is aesthetic-metaphysical-astronomical, and shares many concepts with other schools of Chinese philosophy. The trigrams of I Ching, and Pa Kua, for instance, appear here in scripts older than I Ching. East is associated with Green Dragon and Spring, South with Red Phoenix and Summer, West with White Tiger and Autumn, and North with Dark Turtle and Winter. Alchemy, Anthroposophy, Etc. *"A beautiful forest in India is found,* *Wherein two birds together are bound.* *One is snow-white, the other red.* *They bite each other until both are dead."* (D. Stolcius von Stolcenberg, Viridarium chymicum, Frankfurt 1624) Many systems exist, often created by a specific individual. I am not going to bring them all up here. Just a few examples. Alchemy is not a field with a sharp borderline separating it from other disciplines, so it is not always clear what it comprises. But alchemists explored colours, trying to explain them. There are many forms of colour circles, where one tried to make a closed system containing all colours, and there were correspondences in the usual way, creating metaphysical connections between colours and other systems of elements. There were also attempts to explain the nature of colours in a more scientific sense. Representatives of this activity span over many centuries, and include for instance Ramon Lull (1235-1316), Giordano Bruno (1548-1600), Athanasius Kircher (1602-1680), Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716), Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727), and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832). In Alchemy, a quite general correspondence between seven colours, gems, metals, and "planets" [in reality the seven celestial bodies being visible to a naked eye] was: gold/yellow: topaz, Sun, gold; silver/white: pearl, Moon, silver; red: ruby, Mars, iron: blue: sapphire, Jupiter, tin; black: diamond, Saturn, lead; green: emerald, Venus, copper; purple: amethyst, Mercury, quicksilver. Physika kai mystika [Of natural and mystical things], by some scholars considered as the oldest text on Alchemy [which just depends on how to define Alchemy, a not so simple question], attributed either to Democritus (around 400 BC) or Bolos of Mende (third century BC), describes the alchemical Opus Magnum as consisting of four phases: 1. blackening (nigredo) 2. whitening (albedo) 3. yellowing (citrinitas) 4. reddening (rubedo) Jakob Böhme (1575-1624), mystic, Christian, and in some sense an alchemist - originally a shoemaker who came to become one of Europe's most influential thinkers - had his own specific ideas of colours and their meanings: blue - entity red - father in the brilliance of fire green - life yellow - son white - brilliance of God's majesty as a quintessence Philip Otto Runge (1777-1810), who was strongly influenced by Böhme, interpreted colours as the Trinity: blue - God the father red - the son yellow - the holy spirit These were the only colours he recognised as existing. He wrote to Goethe in 1806: *"As is known, there are only three colours, yellow, red, and blue."* All others, and the whole universe, would be possible to create from these, he claimed. Runge was a painter himself. Alexandre Saint-Yves d'Alveydre (1842-1909), hardly counted amongst the alchemists although he belonged to that tradition, created a system he called "L'Archéomètre", a very complex system of symbolism, including many traditions and colours, planets, zodiacal signs, letters, numbers, and musical notes. He built this up with "concentric zones of equivalents" in a very complex way. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), the founder of Anthroposophy, created a specific colour system, based on black, white, green and "peach blossom". He wrote "*Green is the dead image of the living, peach blossom the living image of the soul, white or light the soul's image of the mind, and black is the mind's image of death*". He elaborates further on this and adds red, yellow, and blue as "radiant" colours, each with its own specific properties. Then a whole philosophy is built on this. *"Colours are light's suffering and joy."* (Goethe) Part II of this essay: Colour & Cosmology II - Religions https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colour-cosmology-ii-religions-78bb5ae6 Read also about colours in Heraldry: Vexillology & Heraldry https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/vexillology-heraldry-e8be6267 and my articles about colour, and about symbols. 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#symbols *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 ***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 X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-x-yellow-gold-orange-in-focus-imperial-courage-creativity-0ca9529a Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540 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

@Mictorrani 20 November 2021

Colours X: Yellow, Gold & Orange in Focus – Imperial, Courage, Creativity... *This time we will look at Yellow, Gold & Orange, and also on the special relation between Yellow and the Human Eye.* Yellow & Gold In China, a specific hue of yellow was an imperial colour, corresponding to purple in Rome. It was manufactured from gingko berries. In the West it signifies joy and happiness, but sometimes also falsity and betrayal, intelligence and learning, imagination and creativity, as well as jealousy, illness and laziness. In heraldry, yellow/gold is one of the enamels, and it stands for "faith". For the Indians it is associated with merchants, but also with sensuality and chastity (just as red). It also keeps evil away, and it is the colour of the god Vishnu, but also Ganesha and Krishna wore this colour. It represents knowledge. In Mecaru, yellow means west and left. It also symbolises the god Mahadewa and the holy number 7. For the Japanese, yellow is associated with courage. In old Egypt, yellow ["khenet"] stood for perfection - it was the colour of the sun. Gold was indestructible and eternal, it was used for a god's skin. A sarcophagus, for instance, might sometimes show this quite clearly. The divine Pharaoh had golden flesh and skin; he had become the new Osiris. The major yellow pigments were limonite and ochre. An orange colour, realgar, was made from arsenic sulphide. Another form of the toxic arsenic sulphide was orpiment, a bright yellow pigment. Yellowing, "citrinitas", is the third of the four phases of the alchemical Opus magnum, according to "Physika kai Mystika". According to Böhme, yellow stands for "son". In other esoteric systems it is toned light, air/ether, medium sweet, angel; the Sun, sometimes Mercury; and with the constellations Gemini and Leo, in some traditions with Taurus. For Runge's trinity, it is the holy spirit. It is associated with Wednesday. Gold symbolises male energy, conscious mind, activity, the Sun, Sunday, and the constellation Leo. For the Chinese it is Yang, just as is yellow. In Chinese philosophy, yellow is special; it is one of the five basic colours, associated with the element earth, but also the centre and source of everything in our world. Yellow is sometimes claimed to cause irritation and tension. If it is a very strong shade, it can trigger aggressiveness. Yellow food, however, is appetising; think of bananas, maize, physalis, etc. Suitable shades used moderately trigger mental activity and attention. Saffron, a specific yellow shade, is sacred and auspicious in India; so is Turmeric. The colour means fire and purity. Amber, a yellow-orange colour, symbolises energy and also Zoroastrianism, where it represents the spiritual energy of Ahura Mazda, manifested in fire. Yellow & The Human Eye Yellow is the colour best perceived by the human eye, and the greatest contrast is the one between black and yellow. This seems counter-intuitive, because optically black's polar opposite is white, and in theory that might be the strongest contrast. Our eyes and our visual system, however, are parts of our nervous system, which has a special relation to yellow. In our vision, the contrast between black and yellow is the one we best perceive. Why it is so, is hard to say; perhaps it has to do with the presence in nature of so-called blue light, which is harmful for us, and that yellow pigments protect us from damage related to blue light – so evolution brought our eyes and its nerves in that direction. You can read more about blue and yellow light in Blue Light, Blindness, Sleep Disorder & Cancer. The understanding of this dichotomy is important for health, especially in our age, when life is filled with devices emitting artificially generated blue light. https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/blue-light-blindness-sleep-disorder-cancer-c2c94afb Orange Orange stands for creativity and autumn, balance and attraction, warning and danger; the celestial bodies Mercury, Mars, and the Sun; the constellation Sagittarius, and in Chinese tradition it is Yang. This colour stimulates the appetite almost as well as red. Just imagine orange fruits! 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 Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540 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: Colours IX: White, Black & Grey in Focus – Purity, Death, Boredom... https://read.cash/@Mictorrani/colours-ix-white-black-grey-in-focus-purity-death-boredom-98650540 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