Look What Algebra And Islamic Culture Hath Wrought!!

Look what algebra and Islamic culture hath wrought!!

photos by mohammad reza domiri ganji in iran of: (1) the dome of the seyyed mosque in isfahan; (2,8) the nasīr al mulk mosque, or pink mosque, in shiraz; (3,4) the vakil mosque in shiraz; (5) the ceiling of the fifth floor of ali qapu in isfahan; (6,10) the vakil bathhouse in shiraz; (7) the imam mosque in isfahan; (9) the jame mosque of yazd

THE GREAT UNFRIENDING #9

(2/15/14) A few notes…

1) Looking for new deletions has been unpleasant since I only started this as a way to clear strangers out from my news feed. Now that they are gone, combing my “friends list” for people to delete goes beyond my original purpose. So while I will continue to delete people from time-to-time, The Great Unfriending will now also contain thoughts like this and stories of how I came to friend those most important to me.

2) A friend of mine worried that my project may inadvertently hurt the feelings of the people I’m unfriending since my wall is public. Even though I have tried to praise these folks by explaining why I first friended them to begin with, all future TGU posts will be “friends only.” I declined my pal’s suggestion to use pseudonyms for all my un-friends though. The non-anonymity is important, I think.

3) I’ve already been de-friended by one over-reactive, charming, and hunky acquaintance who wanted to “spare himself the drama.” I wrote him saying that I was surprised that he’d run from something that made him feel uncomfortable. No response. I’ve also been surprised by the very few people who suggested that I merely hide people from appearing in my news feed rather than deleting them. Why would I do such a thing? To needlessly keep up the appearance of compulsory politeness? To ensure that they can keep receiving my updates in a weird sort of exhibitionism? To keep up my friend count? Odd.

THE GREAT UNFRIENDING #7

(2/8/14) Brooke Krystosek: I'm pretty sure she had some helpful administrative job at Columbia University's Writing Division (and for that I thank her... if she in fact did). But I haven't heard anything about her since. She's apparently in a relationship but doesn't say with who. Her last few updates have been relatively benign, uninteresting comments about birthdays and trips separated by months of silence.

It's weird. My first few deletions were easy. I just un-friended the people who I never chatted with but who nonetheless kept popping up on my chat list. For today's deletion (and from now on, I assume), I'll have to look at my actual list of friends and then decide whether or not to get rid of them based on their profile and my memory of our shared past.

In several instances, I have written prospective deletees and asked who they were, only to learn that they changed their names because of marriage or some new creative identity. In many instances, I have looked over someone's profile and felt sad that they seem to have such an awesome life (they do roller derby, dress up as Legend of Zelda characters for Halloween, work at interesting sounding media companies and post music I've never heard). I feel like I've been missing out. Like deleting them would be like throwing out a book, a book that had I taken the time, I would have gained some important insights or enjoyment from.

Making Your Own Survival Tin

Here are the specific items I recommend placing in your Altoids or similar sized tin:

Ritter Mk5 CRKT Knife (comes with an Altoids size storage tin): Perhaps the most important item in your kit. This excellent little knife can be used for constructing a shelter, hunting, skinning, a ferro rod striker, and for self-defense.

Nano LED Mini-Flashlight: A great little flashlight. LEDs provide more light and consume less power than traditional lights. Can also be used for signaling. 

Emergency Water Bag (1 Quart): Water is critical as you can only live three days without it. Yes, this item takes up a lot of room in your tin, but it provides an effective way to collect water from natural sources like lakes and streams.

Water Purification Pills (4 ea):  Each pill sterilizes 1 liter of water. Remember to wait the required amount of time for the bacteria to be killed. 

Compass, Button Size: Navigational aid for those who are directionally challenged and for those who are in bad weather and/or poor visibility.

Matches, waterproof (6 ea): Fire is absolutely vital in a survival situation. It can keep you warm, cook your food, sterilize your drinking water, and can be used as another source for light at night. Having a fire is also good for morale and if you’re in a survival situation, that can be pretty important.

Match Striker: Needed to light your matches.  

Cotton Tinder (3 ea): A great fire starting aid. 

Spark-Lite Firestarter (Orange): Another great source for starting fires. Can start 1,000 fires.

Vargo Titanium Whistle:  A durable signaling device to call for help. 

P-38/51 Can Opener: Can also be used as a small cutting tool, ferro rod striker, or flat-bladed screw driver. 

Tin Foil: Can be used in cooking, for signaling, for collecting water, or as a drinking cup.

Duct Tape: A multipurpose gem and a MacGyver favorite. Duct tape can be used for repairs, restraining, affixing, and attaching. It’s use is limited only by your imagination.

Fishing Kit: Small assortment of hooks and sinkers. You gotta eat and being able to fish may help with the boredom, too.

Fishing Line, 20ft (bobbin): Can be used not only for fishing, but also for clothing repairs, and for stitching up deep cuts.  

Alcohol Wipes (1 ea): For cleaning wounds and as a fire starting aid. 

Band Aid (1 ea): For cuts, abrasions, and blisters.

Butterfly sutures (1 ea): For closing up cuts and wounds. 

Needle: For digging out deep splinters and along with a little fishing line can be used to stitch up wounds and repair clothing.  

Benadryl (2 ea): Allergy season can be rough! Also great for allergic reactions to stings. 

Imodium AD (1 ea): For when you get a bad case of the runs from bad food or water. 

Aleve (2 ea): Pain Killer and Relaxer. 

Safety Pin: Perfect for securing items to your clothing, removing deep splinters, and for making temporary repairs to clothing.

Ranger Band: Essentially a giant rubber band cut from an old bicycle inner-tube and used to secure the tin. Can be used as a small tourniquet or as part of a sling-shot. 

Baby animals are too fucking cute!! BRAIN EXPLODES