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Total number of comments: 5 (since 2013-11-28 16:44:34)

Eli Skenandore

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  • The Absolute State and the Star Chamber are Back (Chomsky)
    • Eli Skenandore 07/23/2012 at 10:44 am

      "That was the position that had been strongly advocated by Roger Williams, the founder of the first free society in what is now the state of Rhode Island. His heretical views influenced Milton and Locke, though Williams went much farther, founding the modern doctrine of separation of church and state, still much contested even in the liberal democracies."

      I'd argue that Williams, Milton, and Locke were all directly influenced by the living, contemporary examples of American Indian liberty intrinsic to the (Native)Indian political,social and religious structures. It also speaks to the American Indian contributions and subsequent evolvement of the American Constitution in formative influence and model. See William's "A Key into the Language of America" (London, 1643)of the role its publication played in both Milton and William's influence under King Charles II.

  • Jimmy Carter's Greatest Victory: Guinea Worm on Verge of Extinction
    • Eli Skenandore 07/16/2012 at 9:47 am

      I was told by an M.D. PhD epidemiologist employed by the World Health Organization that the origin of the medical symbol "The Staff of Asclepius" (the AMA symbol that has the snake spiraling the staff) likely came from this very problem. It represents rolling a stick to apply slow tension while pulling out the parasite.
      Said WHO physician was mostly involved in working up a plan to eradicate Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, and also known as snail fever, a big, big problem in the Nile River and environs. (120+ million affected) Carter truly is a hero in every sense of the world. See:
      link to cartercenter.org

  • Omar Khayyam (170) "For a hand ... which always grips a wine glass"
    • Eli Skenandore 07/04/2012 at 1:30 pm with 1 replies

      You know, I have a rather high-minded (heh) question for you regarding the translations -- maybe you know. Considering Omar Khayyam's over-arching background in algebraic language, have you noticed, or are aware of a mathematical cohesion in the Rubaiyat? In Cynewulf's Old English poems, which slightly predate Omar's, there seems to be a structure pointed out by a D. R. Howlett (via Daniel G. Calder's book "Cynewulf" of UCLA) based on Golden Section. Regarding Cynewulf's poem "The Fates of the Apostles" Calder writes:

      "In a work which conforms to the Golden Section the minor part relates to the major part as the major part relates to the whole: m/M=(m+M)= .618. In a poem 122 lines long the minor part should occupy 46.6 lines and the major part 75.4 lines. Sections II and III, dealing with the martyrdoms of the twelve apostles, occupy 76 lines. Sections I, IV, and V-VII, containing the prologue, epilogue, runic signature, and Cynewulf's requests for our prayers, occupy 46 lines."

      I'm simply wondering if there truly is another dimension to Omar's poetry - if like Cynewulf he used the mathematical structure to organize and breathe the deepest meaning into the form. (sorry, I don't have the correct fonts) Think of their co-exposure to Euclid.

      Hwaet! Icpsysne sang sigeomor fand
      on seocum sefan, samnode wide
      hu pa aepe;omgas ellen cyodon,
      torhte ond tireadige.

      Lo! I wrought this song travel-weary, sick at heart, gathered from far and wide how the nobles showed bravery, bright and glorious.

      Though this opening excerpt is small, it's indicative of the whole. There's a mathematical harmony in the entire poem, in its original structure, in the complete text. It effects to transcend mere words on a page to liven the experience of comprehending his message- so, I just had to ask if this is also a known trait of Omar Khayyam, as it would seem to me given his mathematic background, it even more likely he used, possibly more artfully, a like matrix? It seems so unlikely a poet-mathmetian of his caliber wouldn't. That said, I wonder how much is truly lost in the translation if the original stress, diction, meter and form simply do not have the right combined effect of creating a symmetry of the whole.

  • Low Life Expectancy tracks with Opposition to Obamacare (Map)
    • Eli Skenandore 06/29/2012 at 12:14 pm

      Just wish to point out that actually, the lowest U.S life span expectancy is the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation (some other reservations are similar, if not worse) with end of life averaging "Men 56.5 years, Women 66 years. "

      Though I certainly don't speak for other Indians, my personal perception is that Obama has been a great friend to us in this area, both with Indian Health Service budgets and by making permanent the Indian Health Care Improvement act. It speaks in part to Björn Lindgren's comment above regarding equal societies, which these laws and deeds, like the Affordable Health Care act, seek to improve.

  • Supreme Courts and Democracy in Egypt, Pakistan and the United States
    • Eli Skenandore 06/29/2012 at 12:43 pm

      Chief Justice Chaudhry’s independent streak had become evident soon after his appointment in Islamabad. ... "Under him, the Supreme Court took action on its own initiative to question the government on the role of the military and apparent instances of injustices."

      Do you know if this inquiry was from a perspective of the Supreme Court that the military and Government were essentially the same body?

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