#eastern arabic numerals

[yesthatsatumbler]

hey ill send you an ask! hows it going? post your favourite coin

Thanks!

Not much is happening TBH? Or at least to the extent that stuff is happening, in the short-to-medium term, I don't know what to say about it without some much more precise prompts on what exact kind of stuff you're interested in. I went to a beach today I guess? (And in the medium-to-long term things are too uncertain to say much about yet; too much depends on what would happen in places I don't really have influence over.)

I've moved to another country in 2022 because everyone was abandoning (and/or putting active sanctions on) my previous country due to a deeply unpopular war (that I didn't even vote for) and I was worried about being conscripted (and also for family reasons but the conscription thing was probably the main reason). Then in 2023 I saw my new country start its own (slightly less deeply) unpopular war that made approximately everyone abandon it, and I didn't really have any more places to go to... but at least I knew I didn't have to worry about being conscripted, and ongoing US support (and a long tradition of relative self-sufficiency, even if mostly for religious reasons) means that the sanctions are barely noticeable so far.

Not counting circulation finds, I had bought a grand total of about ten coins for my collection since October 2022. (I've received a few hundred more as gifts from friendly relatives.)

Favorite coin... it's a really hard question, you know! I don't recall your criteria/preferences for good coins offhand, and maybe if I knew them (I think I've seen them posted at some point...) I'd figure out which of my coins was the best fit for those. But also maybe that's not the right question to ask anyway.

For what it's worth, as of the moment I started writing this response, the first coin I thought of was that one silver coin I accidentally got for way under its true value because it was in such perfect condition that I thought it was probably made of aluminium (and accidentally confused it with a vaguely similar aluminium type while initially looking it up, though I don't recall whether that happened before or after I decided that it couldn't possibly be silver), and the dealer knew even less about those coins than I did, so he believed me and lowballed the price.

Then I figured out what went wrong and posted that on a forum, and it was a whole mess, and I eventually came clean to the dealer, and IIRC he basically said something to the effect of "I mean I didn't invest in it much either, happy that it's with someone who at least knows what it is". (Then I proceeded to buy a semi-key-date Barber quarter from him for under melt - and this time I did ask several times if he was sure about the price. I miss that guy.)

Yemen - North Mutawakkilite Kingdom (1918-62) Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din (r. 1918-48) AR 1/10 (Imadi) riyal 1362 or 1364 AH? = 1943 or 1945 AD? Y# 5.5, Numista 39981 (my coin is currently the page example)

"Wait, if the coin is in such great condition, then how could there be an uncertainty in the date?"

That's because it's an overdate! The 6 is engraved over a 4 (that is, ٦ over ٤ - you can see both shapes here, but the 4 is mostly obscured), and the last digit is either 4 over 2, or 2 over 4 - but both of the ٤ (4) and ٢ (2) shapes are strong enough that it's hard to tell which was there first, and of course both 1364/42 and 1362/44 are chronologically possible.

The references (i.e. Krause) include 1362/44 (though I've never seen an example labeled as such), but not 1364/42, as a possible option; they do, however, have 1364/43, for which the NGC World Coin Price Guide provides this example... an exact die match to my coin.

Unfortunately, a comparison of their coin and mine makes it clear that the supposed "3" is almost certainly a misreading; a combination of wear (flattening out the relevant area) and what appears to be a slight crack (?) gives the digit ٢ (2) a seeming extra bump at the top, making it look like ٣ (3). On my coin there is no bump and the digit can only be read as 2.

I've been uncertain over the years I've had this coin over whether it's actually dated 1364 (1945 AD) or 1362 (1943 AD), though I tended to default to the former. I thought that this is entirely unknowable, but now that I think about it, it might theoretically be possible to find a match to the pre-rework die, and see if it says 1342 or 1344? But there's not a lot of those 1/10 riyal coins depicted online in the first place, and none of the ones I could find seem to match this die - and of course there's no reason to assume that the die as originally made was used to mint coins at all, as opposed to being some kind of unneeded surplus that got reused two decades later.

...Comparing the styles, I think 1344 (and consequently 1362) is more plausible, but I can't be very sure. But at least now I've figured out at least a theoretical possibility for how it could eventually be known what it actually is?

Numismatics is complicated.

(Maybe some day I'll actually write up my extensive post on a possible reattribution of the monogram AE4 type traditionally attributed to the usurper Leontius... I was a good way in before I discovered that the question was treated in far more detail, with far more examined examples, in a Swiss article from 2020. Of course the article is [mostly] in Italian, and IIRC it did not raise some of the points I noticed, so maybe it is worth writing out my version as well. TL/DR: it's probably not Leontius, but it's hard to say who it might be, and the only other historical attribution for the type makes the Leontius option look sane.)

...Sorry for the long and rambling post. I think I had another point to make in here but if so I've completely forgotten what it was.

[theswatchest]

The Eastern Arabic numerals on this one make it one of my favorites. - HEKMAH (WISDOM) [S028Z10] (Gent)

#expo2020dubai

#arabic #wisdom #biosourced

#swatchoftheday #sotd #swatch

#swatchcollector #swatchclubmember #swatchwatch #swatchclub #swatchus #swatchswiss #swatchaholic #swatchwatches #swatchesfordays #swatchaddict

#myswatch #swatchthis #timeiswhatyoumakeofit

[mmmmalo]

[moneer-raed2005]

Palestine is a geographically significant region with great historical and religious importance, located in the heart of the Middle East.

It stretches along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, bordered by Lebanon and Syria to the north, Jordan to the east, and Egypt to the south. Among its most notable cities is Jerusalem, a city sacred to Muslims, Christians, and Jews, housing landmarks such as Al-Aqsa Mosque, Dome of the Rock, and Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

Palestine boasts a rich history spanning thousands of years, having witnessed the rise of numerous civilizations like the Canaanites and Phoenicians. In modern times, it endured British occupation in the early 20th century, followed by Israeli occupation since 1948, leading to the displacement of millions of Palestinians and the intensification of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Despite ongoing challenges, Palestine maintains its cultural and historical identity 🌍. It is renowned for its natural diversity, including plains, mountains, and valleys 🌿⛰️. Most importantly, its resilient people continue to strive for freedom and justice ✊🇵���.

Our Story: A Family's Journey Through War

My name is Mounir, and I am part of a family of seven.

We used to live a simple life in Gaza, before the war changed everything. My father, Raed (47), my mother, Amani (39), my older sisters, Rasha (22), who is married, and Rana (21), who is also married, my brother Mohamed (16), and my little sister Sham (4), we all dreamed of a safe and stable life.

When the war began, we were forced to leave our home due to heavy shelling nearby. We took shelter in the shop that was our only source of income— a sanitary supplies shop where my father, brother, and I worked. We could only stay one night before leaflets were dropped from airplanes ordering a full evacuation of the area.

We had no choice but to move to Al-Shifa Medical Complex, where we lived in a tent for a week. Then, another evacuation order came, and we were told to head south of Gaza.

With no relatives to take us in, we ended up in an unfinished school building in the central area. The 90 days we spent there were the hardest of our lives— no water, no food, and nothing fit for human life. We had to walk more than 1.5 kilometers just to buy a small amount of food to keep us alive. After this long ordeal, another evacuation order came, but before we could leave, the school was bombed. It was terrifying— we narrowly escaped death, leaving everything behind.

We fled to Rafah, a place that seemed safer at first, but there too, we found no shelter. We had to live in a tent, in the freezing winter cold. We had no way to keep warm, and we nearly froze to death.

My mother, who suffers from chronic asthma, was in a dire situation because we couldn’t find her medications. She ran out of the medicine that helps her breathe, and she started having painful attacks. The smoke from the fire we used for cooking and the terrible smell from the lack of sanitation in the school made her condition worse.

My little sister Sham is also suffering from skin rashes due to the unsanitary conditions, and she has diarrhea and vomiting because the drinking water is contaminated. We are living in inhumane conditions, and we don’t even have the clothes we need to survive the coming winter.

My brother Mohamed and I carry a heavy burden— we fetch water from faraway places, and we search for food to ease our hunger. My married sisters and their small children are also in desperate need of baby formula, clothes, and diapers. Even the food that reaches us in the school from charity kitchens is barely edible due to poor cooking.

This is our life… fear, hunger, cold, and bombing.

We live in constant terror and uncertainty.

We desperately need your help and support— any donation can help save our lives and ease our suffering.

[batmanlovesnirvana]

— Absentee Empires: The Absence of Ottoman Influence in the Grishaverse and Its Potential Depth and Complexity

@aleksanderscult @siriuslyobsessedwithfiction @stromuprisahat @black-rose-writings Please share your thoughts on this—I’d love to hear your opinions!

One aspect of the Grishaverse that truly frustrates me is the absence of a nation inspired by the Ottoman Empire and the Arab world.

We have six well-defined nations—Ravka influenced by Imperial Russia, Fjerda drawing from Scandinavia, Shu Han reflecting elements of China and Mongolia, Kerch resembling the Netherlands, Novyi Zem based on the Americas, and the Wandering Isle inspired by Celtic cultures. But somehow, there’s no representation of the Ottoman Empire? It feels like a significant oversight, especially considering the empire's substantial power during the 16th century and its enduring influence into the 18th and 19th centuries, even amidst its decline.

While the Grishaverse hints at other “colonies” beyond the main nations, that doesn’t quite make up for the lack of an Ottoman-inspired culture. Just think about the richness it could have added! An Ottoman-inspired nation could have been filled with intricate politics, vibrant culture, and a fascinating history of diplomacy—especially with Ravka as a neighbor. The Ottomans had a complex and often contentious relationship with Imperial Russia, which included both trade and warfare. Imagining Ravka’s brooding intensity interacting with a nation influenced by Ottoman culture could have created such a thrilling dynamic, rich in both conflict and collaboration.

At first, I thought maybe some elements of Ottoman culture were reflected in Shu Han. But it’s pretty clear that Shu Han is primarily inspired by Mongolian and Chinese influences, making that connection a bit of a stretch. This feels like a missed opportunity, considering the Ottoman Empire was vast and influential, controlling significant parts of Southeast Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. At its height, it was one of the world’s most powerful empires, playing a crucial role in European and Middle Eastern politics.

The potential for conflict between Ravka and an Ottoman-inspired nation would have been especially compelling. The 18th and 19th centuries saw numerous wars between the Ottoman Empire and Russia, primarily over territory in Eastern Europe and the Black Sea. These Russo-Turkish Wars significantly shaped the geopolitical landscape of the region. Instead of a straightforward narrative, we could have seen intricate power dynamics where alliances constantly shifted, leading to moments of both tension and unexpected cooperation. Imagine the political intrigue and skirmishes we could’ve witnessed…Instead of a simple “Good vs. Evil” narrative, we could have had layers of complexity, like “Who’s backstabbing whom today?” or “Are we trading grain or are we going to war?!”

But despite their military conflicts, the Ottoman Empire and Imperial Russia maintained a complex relationship that involved significant trade. As neighbors with intertwined economies, they exchanged goods like grain and textiles while competing for influence. A similar relationship in the Grishaverse could have added depth, showcasing how economic interdependence can exist alongside rivalry.

Additionally, the relationship between the Ottoman Empire and Fjerda could have been more diplomatic and friendly, especially given the historical context of increased interactions between the Ottomans and Scandinavian powers. The Danish and Swedish crowns sought to establish formal relations to protect their trade interests and gain support against regional rivals like Russia and Poland. For example, during the Great Northern War, Sweden sought support from the Ottomans against Russia. Although no significant military alliance was formed, the prospect of cooperation was explored. Diplomatic missions often resulted in the exchange of knowledge about military tactics, geography, and culture, enriching both sides’ understanding of each other. The relationship between the Ottoman Empire and Scandinavian countries was multifaceted, involving trade, diplomacy, and cultural exchange that could have deepened the tension between Ravka and the Ottoman-inspired nation. You know the saying, "the enemy of my enemy is my friend"? The Ottoman nation would have taken that to heart!

Finally, an Ottoman-inspired nation might have treated Grisha in a way that reflects the Ottoman Empire’s approach to its minorities, offering some autonomy under a millet-like system but with enough restrictions to keep everyone on their toes. You know, like “You can have your own laws, but only if you don’t annoy us.”

In conclusion, the absence of an Ottoman Empire or Arab-inspired nation in the Grishaverse represents a missed opportunity to enrich the narrative with the complex dynamics and vibrant cultures that characterized these historical realms. The interplay between an Ottoman-inspired nation and Ravka could have introduced captivating political intrigues, cultural exchanges, and historical rivalries that would elevate the storytelling. The rich history of the Ottoman Empire—its intricate relationships with neighboring powers, its approach to trade, and its treatment of minorities—offers a wealth of material that could have added depth and complexity to the Grishaverse.

Ultimately, incorporating such a nation could have not only enhanced the world-building but also provided a platform to explore themes of power, identity, and coexistence in a compelling way, making the Grishaverse an even more engaging and multifaceted universe.

Any comments or opinions are appreciated it !!!

[eye-in-hand]

Alexander, 27 (18+), ✡ autistic bisexual trans man, married to my platonic companion and in love with a gorgeous man, thank fuck they get along lmfao ✡ Deep in the depths of Jewish conversion.

Feel free to message in English, Russian, Spanish or Italian!

Art blog: @sova-dozhd

Fandom blog: @flut-flut

Book blog: @look-books

Header Image: Fanny Baron Rouah (fannybaron1 on insta)

I do not have anons on, if I can show my face while talking about politics you can show yours. Stand behind what you say proudly or don't say it at all.

And I have a lot of political opinions, but since I post about these the most and it's gonna give me the most shit lmfao:

All indigenous peoples have a right to self determination in their indigenous lands. All of them.

On Israel and Palestine: Note: These are not up for "debate". I am not spending any more time arguing with fascist hamasniks on tumblr dot com.

I am not qualified to have an opinion on how to end the centuries old conflicts in the Middle East. I urge people to listen to those in the region who support Peace and coexistence, whatever that may end up looking like.

Jews are indigenous to the Levant. You can not settle or colonize your native land. Israel is a land back movement.

The far-right of Israel speaks for Jews about as much as Trump speaks for me as an American. Which is to say he fucking doesn't.

While the conflict centers around Jews and Arabs, there are other groups of people in Israel and Palestine that also deserve safety.

Hamas is using Palestinians as human shields. Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist proxies of the Iranian regime, and Arab colonialism is just as awful as European colonialism and has resulted in numerous native cultures being erased.

To actually care about Palestinian lives you must condemn Hamas.

The UN and UNRWA are arms of Hamas and the Iranian regime.

I will not engage with historical revisionism, propaganda, or Nazi rhetoric on any topic, but especially Israel/Palestine. I will not engage with terrorist sympathizers. And I will not engage with anyone who claims Israel is committing Genocide when that is not a proven fact and everything says the opposite of that (like the Palestinian population actually growing. Which you know, doesn't happen during a genocide.). I will not engage with anyone who refuses to accept that Jews are indigenous to the Levant, and Arabs are indigenous to Arabia. This does not mean I support killing Arabs in the Levant, as I believe anyone should have the right to live where they want. I just support Native rights to self determination in their indigenous lands, no matter how long they've been forced into exile. My position on Israel is not founded by Religion or the Torah, it's founded on archeological fact. If you ignore these facts, I am not engaging with you.

I will not engage with Kahanists either btw. Equating all Palestinians with Hamas is racist.

On Ukraine and Eastern Europe:

Слава Україні! Героям слава!

Westerners really need to get a grip on not supporting the USSR/Russia or Russian supremacy.

Communists are not the opposite of Nazis - the USSR did not fight the Nazis because they cared about human rights.

Here at home (the US):

Trump is a fascist.

You do not get to not exercise your right and responsibility to vote and then bitch and whine that you don't get what you want.

America has a real problem with the alt-right and the rad-left. The average person is incredibly radicalized.

Russia interfered with our election because Trump owes Putin's friends money (or government secrets, take your pick).

Misc:

I'm neither a capitalist nor a communist because we need an entire re-hauling of human society and the only way it'll ever get better is to demolish the economic system all together. However this is an idealized world view and not the reality we live in right now.

I support unions, a 4 day work week, paid maternity and paternity leave, and not having to work when you're sick!

Anyone or any movement that tries to get you to hate an entire group of people for traits they were born w is trying to sell you something.

Trans people exist, deal with it. Someone else's identity is none of your business.

Support victims regardless of gender

Whiteness is a western social construct but that doesn't mean it doesn't affect people in different ways. We need to be open to talking about race if we want to take a stand against racism.

To truly be anti-imperialism, we have to stand against it regardless who is doing it.

Pro choice. Abortion saves women's lives.

Sex positive. Sex work is real work.

Waiting for a revolution is not going to save you. The "revolution" is not going to save you. To protect each other we need to engage with positive social change!

Politics are not sports, you don't have to choose a "team"

Being safe from bigotry is not conditional. I don't care how much you disagree with someone. You can disagree/hate someone without being discriminatory.

Most Importantly:

Value human life. Value companionship. Value peace. Value understanding. Value communication. It's harder to be radicalized by hate groups when you put loving human beings over ideologies.

[skullbowz]

what exactly did i do that makes you believe i'm a dream kinnie lmao. that's not based on my behavior that's just you trying to insult me in a socially acceptable way, just like with the tags that mention fourchan.

also yes, your friend definitely had 0 ill intent when saying arabs are just always assholes because of how they're raised. that was definitely not racist at all. me quoting them is racist tho, because i'm an adult and theyre a neurodivergent minor. cuz that's obviously how that works.

1) dream kinnie thing was a joke and yah im just tryna insult u, u find kids amusing brah and said weird shit about celeste ofc I’m gonna make insulting jokes

2) and I already explained this idk my friend was referring to my fucking SELF not all Arabs lawwwwdddd. I talked about my experience as a middle eastern person who was raised in a toxic and violent household to Jane ! Arabs being assholes and aggressive is a STEREOTYPE. One that people have often placed me under in real life and online.

And I wasn’t targeting u for quoting my friend. I’m more concerned about these 😭😭

I don’t even know what happened. I was sleeping. I woke up to a bunch of dms and pings and I was being accused of some deadnaming bullshittery from months ago when me deadnaming was not even ADDRESSED!

you called me an asshole and then when I stated numerous of times in the ticket w celeste and dms that i wasn’t doing it purposely + I didn’t know and I’ve NEVER talked to u + u held a one sided grudge and beefed and targeted me for no reason and u implied that u didn’t believe us/Celeste 🔥🔥

Can’t be woke on a culture, esp if it’s not ur own, esp if you’re WHITE and have NO clue what ur on about :pp

^ Jane !

[mariacallous]

tumbr.com/blog/mariacallous/post/765157871483813888

Yeah related to this and the whole "how to win Michigan" thing is that I know I'm a broken record on this as a Michigander who actually personally knows Arab-Americans in Detroit, but I feel like people not from here talk about it like everyone in that voting bloc is a Palestinian American who personally has family members dying in Gaza. It's a very diverse group of people that has NEVER been a unified voting bloc for either party, but it's people from all over the Middle East, that are not all Muslim, and many whose families came to the U.S. in the early 20th century to work for the auto factories (just like the rest of us descendants-of-immigrants from Detroit!) and so don't have any family members they know who are still there! This includes some Palestinian-Americans. Other Palestinian-Americans came over right after the Nakba in 1948, over 75 years ago... while I'm sure some still have family connections there, many many others do not. But it's just weird that people don't even recognize that huge chunks of Michigan's Arab-American population aren't Palestinian? And obviously, a lot of Arab and Muslim Americans still feel a very close connection to this issue and see parallels to broader Islamophobia and anti-Arab racism in how people discuss this, but that doesn't mean they're one-issue voters. Even plenty of Palestinian Michiganders are not. It just feels incredibly ignorant and condescending - and ironically speaking to how much these people fall into these "angry Arab" stereotypes even when they're "leftists" who are supposedly speaking on their behalves. It just makes me mad. What do you fucking know? And also, why do so many people talk about Arab-Americans in Michigan like they wouldn't somehow be counted in the polls that keep showing Harris ahead in Michigan???

My feeling is just that if you're not going to assume that an American purely being of Eastern European descent automatically means they're going to vote based on Ukraine, you should not assume the same of someone about Gaza purely for being of Arab descent. Like Harris was right during the debate that plenty of us Polish-Americans are concerned that if Ukraine falls Poland is next, and how little Trump seems to care about that, but I don't see anyone suggesting that Poles whose families have been in the U.S. for generations are one-issue Ukraine voters... and yet they seem to think that's true with anyone of Arab descent re: Gaza. And point to interviews with activists and students as though they speak for every single person in a group so numerous in the Detroit area that they have theme nights for them at the Major League Sports stadiums there.

Like, when a journalist starts going into random Lebanese or Yemeni delis in Dearborn and interviews the people who work there and the patrons about their politics - doing what they do with Trump voters in white rural areas - then call me. Of course activists are going to fixate on the issue they've dedicated their lives to fighting for. But I'm so tired of people who aren't listening to any other Arab-Americans telling me what my neighbors and friends think.

.

[talonabraxas]

Shirdal 'Lion-Eagle' Talon Abraxas

Ancient origins of the griffin

A legendary creature with the body, tail, and back legs of a lion, the head and wings of an eagle, and, sometimes, an eagle's talons as its front feet first appears in ancient Iranian and Egyptian art dating back to before 3000 BCE. In Egypt, a griffin-like animal can be seen on a cosmetic palette from Hierakonpolis, known as the "Two Dog Palette", dated to 3300–3100 BCE. The divine storm-bird, Anzu, half man and half bird, associated with the chief sky god Enlil was revered by the ancient Sumerians and Akkadians. The Lamassu, a similar hybrid deity depicted with the body of a bull or lion, eagle's wings, and a human head, was a common guardian figure in Assyrian palaces.

In Iranian mythology, the griffin is called Shirdal, which means "Lion-Eagle." Shirdals appeared on cylinder seals from Susa as early as 3000 BCE. Shirdals also are common motifs in the art of Luristan, the North and North West region of Iran in the Iron Age, and Achaemenid art. The 15th century BCE frescoes in the Throne Room of the Bronze Age Palace of Knossos are among the earliest depictions of the mythical creatures in ancient Greek art. In Central Asia, the griffin image was later included in Scythian "animal style" artifacts of the 6th–4th centuries BCE.

In his Histories, Herodotus relates travelers' reports of a land in the northeast where griffins guard gold and where the North Wind issues from a mountain cave. Scholars have speculated that this location may be referring to the Dzungarian Gate, a mountain pass between China and Central Asia. Some modern scholars including Adrienne Mayor have theorized that the legend of the griffin was derived from numerous fossilized remains of Protoceratops found in conjunction with gold mining in the mountains of Scythia, present day eastern Kazakhstan. Recent linguistic and archaeological studies confirm that Greek and Roman trade with Saka-Scythian nomads flourished in that region from the 7th century BCE, when the semi-legendary Greek poet Aristeas wrote of his travels in the far north, to about 300 CE when Aelian reported details about the griffin - exactly the period during which griffins were most prominently featured in Greco-Roman art and literature. Mayor argues that over-repeated retelling and drawing or recopying its bony neck frill (which is rather fragile and may have been frequently broken or entirely weathered away) may have been thought to be large mammal-type external ears, and its beak treated as evidence of a part-bird nature that lead to bird-type wings being added. Others argue fragments of the neck frill may have been mistook for remnants of wings.

Lucius Flavius Philostratus (170 – 247/250 CE), a Greek sophist who lived during the reign of the Roman emperor Philip the Arab, in his "Life of Apollonius of Tyana" also writes about griffins that quarried gold because of the strength of their beak. He describes them as having the strength to overcome lions, elephants, and even dragons, although he notes they had no great power of flying long distances because their wings were not attached the same way as birds. He also described their feet webbed with red membranes. Philostratus says the creatures were found in India and venerated there as sacred to the sun. He observed that griffins were often drawn by Indian artists as yoked four abreast to represent the sun.

[rapha-reads]

To those of you wondering (aka no one), I finished both The Vampire Armand and Merrick and I have a lot of thoughts and feels. I'm skipping Blood and Gold for now to go directly to Blackwood Farm (I'll read B&G later), but first I'm going to read something else, just to take a break.

TVA thoughts: man, Armand is messed up. And extremely compelling. But so messed up. As always, the theme of faith crisis, which seriously reaches new heights with these bitchy vampires, is not something I can fully immerse myself in, but it was fascinating to see his numerous metamorphosis. I liked how he bridges Western and Eastern Christianisme, especially through art. Now I'm thinking that if Rolin Jones makes him originally Muslim in the show, that could expand even more the conversation on how faith, and especially Abrahamic faith, has been in conversation for thousands of years and could be such a rich, diverse and spiritual, intellectual and artistic theme. I can already imagine some fascinating discussions comparing (not in a superior way but in a complementary way) coming from Muslim faith to Roman Catholic faith, the way book!Armand talks about the richness of his life in Kiev Rus despite the poverty and ascetism, and the richness of his life in Venecia despite the luxury and abundance.

As for Benamin and Sybille... I don't have much thoughts about them. Sybille is one of those female characters AR seemingly favors, not so much human as a nymph or a dryad, "perfectly splendid". And Benji is a caricature of an Arab child. Nuance? 401 not found.

Merrick thoughts: David for the love if everything, shut. The. Fuck. Up. Holy moly. I like David, I do, but damn the entire recollection of his history with Merrick was looooooong. I'm here to see Louis haunted by Claudia and haunting Lestat's coma, not how hard you're pining for the kid you practically raised! Also. ALSO. You're just going to leave that whole thing with the Olmec or possibly another more ancient Mesoamerican civilisation without ever giving us more? That was the most interesting part of it all! The vodoo history, the connection between Louisiana and Caribbean vodoo and old Native South-American religions! More about this, less about Merrick's perfect breasts, I am begging you. (It is at this point that the reader of this post realises OP is 100% definitely ace and more interested in books and witchcraft than breasts and whether a 70yo man can still get it up - also, hey, Anne Rice's vampires are practically asexual and their lust and pleasure is mostly derivated from blood, with some notable exceptions like Armand and Marius, and a love relationship between two vampires is then based on romantic love and blood sharing, so can I hear a hell yeah for some ace representation or are we still conflating eroticism with sex)

Another thing I kept thinking about throughout the book is how Louis is perceived by his fellow vampires. Since basically the second book, since we've lost his own POV, everybody who's ever said anything about him (so Lestat, Armand and David) have insisted on two points: how very weak and meek Louis is, and also how irresistible, beautiful and charming. Granted, I've known Louis first through his portrayal on the show (hi Jacob you're so fiiiiiiine), and then through his own narration in the first book, but I've never had the impression that he was weak. Beautiful and seductive, yes. Weak? I see a human man going through tragedies and still enduring, going through vampiric transformation and then suffering for decades the loss of his humanity, struggling with reconciliating both sides of himself, but mostly I see a vampire who rebuilt himself after losing everything without sacrificing his sense of self. I see Louis as very strong actually (up to the point where resilience breaks, because resilience cannot be sustained on a long term, but that's another debate). He knows who he is, and don't you know how hard that is? He doesn't cling to faith or pride. He knows he's doomed, he knows he's monstrous, he knows there's nothing he can do to change that, and instead of railing against his fate, he goes on about his undead life. He gets his books and he reads them, he surrounds himself with literature and what little comforts he thinks in his shattered self-esteem he deserves (his ragged sweaters and soft trousers); let's not lie to ourselves tho, Louis doesn't like himself, or more exactly he doesn't care about his corporeal body - what matters to him is his mind, and once again, this author is extremely ace and also very aro and very nonbinary, so Louis to me is very much ace and agender coded, though really not aro, because his love for Lestat (and sometimes his fondness, shall we say, for Armand) is the only thing that can rouse him up from his literary slumber.

...

Oh, man, I have a lot to say about Louis, for how little he appears in the books so far. Still have BF, BC and the PL trilogy to devour. So I guess you can say, for as much as Lestat is occupying my entire brain, very much like him, my favorite is Louis? Yeah, that tracks. Melancholy, quiet, dark-haired green-eyed monster with more humanity than humans, preferring his solitude and the company of books to anyone else, hopelessly and helplessly devoted to one person, expert in brooding and grieving, literature specialist, not very attached to his physical self. Yeah. I'm not surprised.

[shymaashsqqura]

Hello, Dear Doners

I'm Sami, one of the members of the family who used to cherish the lives of others wherever they go. My family and I lived in a warm house full of love. A home where each of us had a life filled with happiness, passion, and love for our community with a sense of responsibility for contributing to improve it. Let me take you on a small tour of the lives of my family members, just a glimpse of our life before this war.

Rifat: My father and the eldest in this warm family. He worked as an English language teacher and aimed to serve the community by providing English language lessons. It didn’t matter whether free or paid, his focus was on improving people's proficiency in English and helping them to pass academic exams and job interviews for international organizations. Rifat worked hard and devoted himself for over 25 years by teaching thousands of youth seeking a better future, providing training courses on how to teach the English language, and making it easy for non-native speakers.

Naeema: She graduated long ago with a degree in Arabic language but she chose not to work as a teacher. Instead, she devoted her life to maintaining her family, and ours, and providing all the needs to ensure a cohesive and lively environment for us. She was also dedicated to helping others with no expectations for anything in return. She always aimed to share her expertise with those in need to help them change their life for the better.

Rawan: She graduated with a degree in social psychology. She had worked with numerous international and local organizations in mental support, child protection, women's protection against GBV, and g initial psychological first aid. She carried a noble message about maintaining social solidarity and protecting the most vulnerable categories in Eastern societies, such as people with disabilities, women, and children.

Sami: This is me. I completed my studies in two departments. I majored in law in the English language, and also in information technology. I worked in various fields, starting with youth empowerment training to ensure a better future. Then, I became a trainer in gender equality, training journalists on press rights, and social media influencers on women and child violence protection. Later, I coordinated training sessions related to writing entrepreneurial projects related to technology and the green economy. Eventually, I formed a team called "Haya Team," and we began creating digital content discussing youth and societal issues. For example, we started a podcast called "Haya Podcast". We were visible on all social media platforms to raise awareness among young people and to contribute to improving prevailing social ideas. I helped my team set up a fully equipped podcast studio to make it a platform and a wide space for young people to express their opinions and aspirations.

Shaimaa: She graduated from high school with high grades and high hopes to work in the humanitarian field where she can benefit herself and others. She chose to study nursing and attended many courses to be highly responsible and knowledgeable in her field to assist herself in her study preparing for job opportunities that are no longer available in Gaza.

Mohammed: He had recently graduated from high school and aimed to study a vital field. He was energetic and loved to stay active and busy. He was between two choices to study law or nursing. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the chance to choose as the war had just stolen his dreams. He didn’t start his university life yet.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-a-palestinain-activist-from-gaza-save-his-familys-life?utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet-first-launch&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer

Ahmed: Ahmed completed his studies to qualify for the final academic year. Last September, he became an official Tawjihi student, the last year of high school. He was studying hard and dreaming of his university life a few months from now. He was determined from the beginning to intensify his studies to achieve a high GPA for studying dentistry. He didn’t know that the next month, October, would be the end of all his innocent dreams of a better life.

Abdullah: Abdullah excelled in everything, whether in his studies, intelligence, or compassion. Despite his young age, he always ranked first in everything.

Lana: The youngest middle schooler and the spoiled child of the family. She had often neglected her studies due to excessive pampering. However, she managed to get high marks. She was the most indulgent and spendthrift among us all.

As you have noticed, I narrated our stories in the past tense because we lost everything. When I say everything, I'm not exaggerating. We lost all our material and intangible things—the spirit that gives our life meaning and a purpose. When I say we lost our home, I mean we lost the idea of home, the idea of one family gathering around and sharing the same space. I am now with some of my friends in a displacement tent in Rafah, while my brother Mohammed is in the northern area of the Gaza Strip living on the top of the rubble of what was called “our home”. The rest of the family is in a displacement tent in the Al-Mawasi area. We find it extremely difficult to stay in touch due to the very poor communication and the lack of internet in most areas of the Gaza Strip. We are now trying to reunite and live in a safer place, but this costs a real sum of money. The money that we lost a big part of it after bombing our house, and with the harsh conditions of war, we spent the rest. We are still stuck in Gaza, a place we love but has turned into a mass grave. Help us, help me and my family to unite again to share one meal as one. We had a good life in Gaza and the war has come and erased all of our hopes and dreams. By helping us evacuate Gaza you will give us hope of having a new beginning. It feels heavy on my heart, but it’s our last attempt to stay alive, to live like any ordinary human on this planet.

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Chuck Ross

An imam linked to prominent Michigan Democrats like Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Rep. Rashida Tlaib said in a sermon this month that pro-Israel members of Congress were "stooges" of the Jewish state who should be charged with "treason."FreeBeacon

On May 3, Hassan Qazwini, the imam of the Islamic Institute of America, railed against lawmakers who days earlier voted for the Anti-Semitism Awareness Act. The measure, which passed with a vote of 320-91, would require the Department of Education to adopt a widely accepted definition of anti-Semitism for investigations into anti-Semitic incidents on college campuses.

"If there was justice in this country, those congressmen and women would be indicted and convicted of treason," said the Iraq-born Qazwini, whose remarks were first reported by the Middle Eastern Media Research Institute. He asserted lawmakers who voted for the bill "do not work for the interest of the United States, rather for the interests of a foreign country."

"Nothing but stooges of Israel," he said.

Two months before the fiery sermon, Tlaib and Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud, a rising star in the anti-Israel movement, attended a fundraiser with Qazwini for the Islamic Institute of America, based in Dearborn Heights. Qazwini honored Tlaib and Hammoud at the banquet for their "courage and outspokenness against American biases towards Israel." The trio posed for a photo at the ceremony, attended by a number of Dearborn city officials and Arab-American community leaders.

Whitmer, considered a potential Democratic presidential candidate, appeared at a fundraiser for the mosque in 2022 and was photographed with Qazwini.

Qazwini’s anti-Semitic views are nothing new, raising questions for Tlaib and Hammoud about their affiliation with the cleric. In 2020, Qazwini came under fire for his remarks several years earlier that the terrorist group ISIS "somehow is connected to Israel." In a 2016 sermon, Qazwini said that Israel has used the United States as a "cash cow" and that President Barack Obama was "bowing to the pro-Israeli lobby." He referred to Sen. Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), who Qazwini later endorsed for president, as "an honorable man, even though he is a Jew."

Tlaib’s office and Hammoud’s office did not respond to requests for comment about their recent contact with Qazwini.

Tlaib’s affiliation with anti-Israel and pro-terrorist elements are well known. She has met with and attended fundraisers hosted by numerous Hamas supporters. Qazwini contributed $500 to her congressional campaign in 2021, according to campaign finance records. The House of Representatives censured her for circulating the statement, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free," a call for the eradication of Israel.

While Tlaib has been somewhat marginalized within the Democratic Party, Hammoud has emerged as a darling of the pro-Palestinian cause. In a glowing profile last month, the Washington Post praised Hammoud for leading the anti-Israel movement while balancing the duties of mayor of a medium-sized city. The Post, which said Hammoud has gone from  "little-known mayor to national figure," touted Hammoud’s refusal to meet with Biden campaign officials earlier this year over opposition to President Joe Biden’s military support for Israel in its war against Hamas.

Unmentioned in the positive press coverage is Hammoud’s alliance with Dearborn-based activists who endorse Hamas’s violence. Osama Siblani, the publisher of the Arab-American News, introduced Hammoud at an event in 2022 with a speech in which Siblani called on the United States to provide Palestinians with "military aid to fight Israelis." Siblani has called Hamas and other terrorist groups "freedom fighters" and urged Islamic militants to fight Israel with "stones" and "guns."

Hours after the Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion, in which 1,200 Israelis were murdered, Hammoud said the attack should be viewed in the "context" of Israel’s "illegal military occupation" of Gaza.

Dearborn has emerged as a hotbed of anti-Israel activity under Hammoud’s watch, with the Wall Street Journal dubbing the city "America's Jihad Capital."

Hammoud and Tlaib decried the moniker. Weeks later, attendees at a rally outside Dearborn City Hall chanted, "Death to America" and "Death to Israel."

[todaysjewishholiday]

17 Menachem Av 5784 (20-21 August 2024)

Many people are familiar with the stories of Ashkenazi Jewish mass migration to the United States, seeking refuge from pogroms, economic hardship, and drafts into the czar’s army. What is less well known is the story of extensive migration from the same Eastern European shtetls to the plains of Argentina.

That story begins on the seventeenth of Av in 5649, when 824 Russian Jews landed in Buenos Aires, eager to start a new life together free from the constant threat of violence they’d lived with in the pale of settlement. They had been given a fabulous vision of the wonders of life in the Argentine countryside by the Argentine immigration bureau in Paris. The reality proved rather less rosy, but the new arrivals were determined. Since the entire Jewish population of Argentina had been under 2000 persons at the time of their arrival, that initial group of 824 was a significant increase to the nation’s Jewish community.

Denied their first homesteading location when the landowner they’d purchased it from decided he could get a better price, and finding the second property they were promised utterly lacking in any of the housing or farm goods they’d been told it would have, the settlers reached out to the French Jewish railroad magnate and philanthropist Baron Maurice Moshe Hirsch for financial aid for their settlement.

Hirsch was not only happy to assist, he thought the idea of Russian Jewish immigration to Argentina was brilliant and created an expansive plan to fund Jewish emigrants seeking to establish new lives in agricultural communes in the Argentine grasslands. To this end, Hirsch established the Jewish Colonization Agency, which funded land purchases and the costs of emigration and farming equipment for Russian Jews seeking to follow in the footsteps of that initial group of 824 settlers. Within 30 years, the Jewish population of Argentina had swollen from under 2000 to over 150000.

The initial group named their farming settlement Moïsesville in honor of the Baron. The cooperative structure of the Jewish settlements, who pooled resources for purchases of seeds and farm equipment, made them resilient in the face of the challenges of rural living. They learned from the surrounding gentile farmers and ranchers, adopting to the gaucho lifestyle but with distinctly Jewish touches. It is this legacy of successful rural agricultural communities that differentiated Jewish immigration to Argentina from Jewish migration elsewhere in the Americas.

The success of Jewish settlement in the hinterlands also swelled the urban Jewish population, and Buenos Aires soon became a major hub of global Jewish life and literature, with three separate Yiddish language daily newspapers, numerous Yiddish publishers, and an active Yiddish theatrical scene. In addition to the large influx of Ashkenazim, Sephardi Jews from Morocco and the Ottoman Empire also came in large numbers, which meant that in addition to Yiddish a visitor to a synagogue in Buenos Aires in the late 5600s might also hear Haketia, Ladino, or Judeo-Arabic. Over time, the children and grandchildren of these immigrants became primarily Spanish speakers. Argentina now has the largest Jewish population in South America and the seventh largest in the world, but is no larger now than it was a hundred years ago and is approximately half the size of the Argentine Jewish population’s peak. For the most part, the Jewish gauchos are a thing of nostalgic memory rather than a contemporary reality, but the migration they spearheaded has grown into a community with deep roots in Argentine soil.

[ancientegyptdaily]

“The Arabic name Medinet Habu (“City of Habu”) was thought to reflect the site's more ancient connection with Amenhotep, the son of Hapu, a respected sage of the 14th century BCE, later deified, whose memorial temple was immediately to the north. No trace of this association has come down from ancient times, however, as the site's formal name in Egyptian was either Djeme, “Males and Mothers”— originally with reference to the eight primeval deities, or Ogdoad, whom the ancients believed to be buried there — although the name continued to be used by the site's later Christian inhabitants.

Medinet Habu's most conspicuous standing monument is the great memorial temple of Ramesses III (reign 1198–1166 BCE). On the grounds of this complex, however, are numerous other structures, most notably the so-called small temple (built in stages, from the mid 18th Dynasty until the second century CE) and the memorial chapels of the divine votaresses of Amun (25th Dynasty and 26th). 

Among other ancient buildings at the site, but less well preserved, is the memorial temple of King Horemheb (reign 1343–1315 BCE), usurped from his predecessor Ay (reign 1346–1343 BCE), which abuts Ramesses III's enclosure on its northern side. To its east are a number of tomb chapels made for high officials of the later New Kingdom.

Most abundantly on the enclosure wall of Ramesses III's temple are the remnants of later mud-brick houses — from the town that engulfed the site beginning in the 11th century BCE until the site was abandoned in the 9th century CE. Reuse of Ramesses III's temple was made especially apparent by the decorated doorways that were cut into its northern outer wall during early Christian times, when the Holy Church of Djeme occupied the building's second court.

The great temple of Ramesses III was called the Mansion of Millions of Years of King Usermare-Maiamun; ‘United with Eternity in the Estate of Amun on the West of Thebes.’  The precinct, 210m × 315m, was entered by two stone gates in the mud-brick enclosure wall, on the eastern and the western sides. The western gate — presumably the normal entrance for employees who lived outside the precinct — was destroyed when the temple was besieged in a civil war, during the reign of Ramesses XI (c. 1096 BCE). The eastern entrance, approached by a canal, terminated in a harbour, from which important visitors and statues could enter the temple.”

SOURCE: William J. Murnane, The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt (2001)

[gemsofgreece]

the other day someone told me that greece was actually turkish and that greece stole all turkish food from them and i am shaken to the core and still quite confused ahahahahahahahahah

Oh I have the meme for this

Having said that, Turkish and Greek cuisine also share numerous elements with Balkan and Middle Eastern and Arabic cuisines so it’s not at all an only Turkey vs Greece in fact.

In general the cuisine of this region comes from the Ottoman Empire which simply made modifications over the Byzantine Empire’s cuisine. The specific locality of each dish is usually not known because all these different peoples lived in the same empires and dishes were getting popularised within their broad borders. Most ingredients Turks use are indigenous in the Mediterranean and although they certainly like to think that, it is a little unlikely that they came last in the region only to teach Greeks, Arabs and Slavs entirely how to eat, because apparently we all ate cardboard before the Turks came. Thanks for the rice and coffee tho

It is always beneficial to us how Ancient and Byzantine Greeks recorded all but their daily dookie size, because there is knowledge available. I think you will like this series of three posts about the History of the Greek cuisine. I have added the first part, in which you will also find the links to the second and third part.

[ethnic-qarsherskiyan-people]

The Ethnic Qarsherskiyan people are a Creole group residing primarily in Eastern North America, with a rich cultural heritage shaped by their mixed race ancestry. Their identity is deeply rooted in their connection to the forests and coastal swamps and Appalachian Mountains, which has been their home for generations. Despite facing threats from logging and urban development, they have maintained their resilience and determination to preserve their way of life. Their culture is characterized by a strong spiritual connection to the land, which is reflected in their traditional practices, such as foraging, hunting, and gathering. They have a profound respect for the natural world and believe in living in harmony with the environment. Their social organization is based on a communal system, with a strong emphasis on family and community ties. The Ethnic Qarsherskiyan people have a unique linguistic and cultural identity, shaped by their history and interactions with other groups. They have developed a distinct dialect, which is a blend of Arabic, English, French, Yoruba, indigenous languages, and influences from other cultures. Their cultural practices, such as music, dance, and art, are deeply rooted in their connection to the land and their ancestors. Despite facing numerous challenges, including displacement, marginalization, and cultural erasure, the Ethnic Qarsherskiyan people have maintained their cultural identity and continue to fight for their rights to their ancestral lands. Their resilience and determination are a testament to their strength and commitment to preserving their way of life. In recent years, the Ethnic Qarsherskiyan people have formed alliances with environmental groups and activists to protect their lands and way of life. They have also established initiatives to preserve their cultural heritage, including language and cultural programs, and have sought recognition and support from local and national authorities. Overall, the Ethnic Qarsherskiyan people are a vibrant and resilient people, whose cultural identity is deeply rooted in their connection to the land and their ancestors. Their determination to preserve their way of life is a testament to their strength and commitment to their cultural heritage.