adamantine

= unyielding, unable to be broken

The fragile body contrasted with unyielding rocks - or the other way around.

***

Limited edition of prints available <3

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 6100 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The rough diamonds seen here are from a Cretaceous-aged lamproite body at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Arkansas. At the site, diamondiferous lamproitic rocks of the Prairie Creek Lamproite are exposed (actually, it’s just a field of rocky dirt). Diamonds are found regularly by tourists. The Prairie Creek Lamproite is an ultramafic pipe that intruded Proterozoic-aged (Grenvillian) basement rocks. Prairie Creek rocks are Cretaceous in age and date to about 106 million years old.

A strange myth has emerged over the years that says Arkansas diamonds are harder than diamonds from elsewhere. This is not true. Diamonds have a hardness of 10 on the Mohs Scale, whether they're from Arkansas or not.

--------------------------------------------

From park signage:

THE “CRATER” PIPE

The “Crater” diamond deposits are the result of a series of volcanic eruptions that carried a diamond-bearing magma called peridotite to the surface. This molten rock slowly cooled, forming a solid, vertical shaft or pipe.

Later, secondary eruptions occurred that shattered much of the peridotite. The fragmented mixture left by the eruptions formed a volcanic breccia that comprises the majority of the searching area. The intrusive peridotite, and a tuff and fine-grained breccia, also formed by the eruptions, cover the remainder of the mine surface.

STRATIGRAPHIC PROFILE

The volcanic eruptions forming the “Crater’s” pipe had to force their way upward through the layers of rock and sediment formed during Paleozoic and Mesozoic times.

Diamonds are located throughout the pipe - from the surface to an undetermined depth (possibly several thousand meters). The mine is simply the exposed surface area of the pipe.

TOPOGRAPHY

Surface features at the “Crater” today reflect the depositional, erosional, and weathering processes which have occurred since the pipe’s formation. Erosional forces, such as wind and water, have erased the original surface features of the pipe and surrounding rock formations.

Most of the exposed volcanic rocks tend to weather rapidly forming soils of various colors. It is in these soils that we find diamonds today.

In 1948, Glen L. Martin leased property to build a diamond processing plant. Martin’s plant operation lasted only eight months after recovering less than 250 carats of diamonds. The original location of the Martin Plant has been preserved. Its location lies just south of the Visitor Center.

DAZZLING DIAMONDS FROM THE CRATER

Over 85,000 Crater diamonds have been found. Each year an average of 600 are found.

1924 - The Uncle Sam, 40.23 carats

1956 - The Star of Arkansas, 15.33 carats

1956 - The Eisenhower, 6.11 carats

1960 - The Gary Moore, 6.43 carats

Over 24,000 diamonds have been found since Crater of Diamonds State Park was established in 1972.

1975 - The Amarillo Starlight, 163.7 carats

1978 - The Lamle Diamond, 8.61 carats

1981 - The Star of Shreveport, 8.82 carats

1986 - The Conell Diamond, 7.95 carats

1990 - The Strawn-Wagner, 3.03 carats

1997 - The Cooper Diamonds, 6.72 & 6.0 carats

1998 - The Dickinson/Stevens, 7.28 carats

An end to a mystery

Since 1906, when John Huddleston discovered the first diamonds in this field, people have wondered what was beneath this green soil surface. Just how deep and how large is this diamond deposit?

From 1990 to 1997, Arkansas State Parks and several international commercial mining companies conducted tests to determine the underground size and shape of the diamond deposit, and to evaluate the grade of diamonds from the mine.

Phase I testing determined that this is the world’s 8th largest diamond deposit, in size and shape. It extends over 660 feet into the earth. In phase II, 210 diamonds totaling 45.7 carats were recovered. This verified that a significant number of diamonds occur within this large deposit. However, the grade was less than commercially profitable at the time and interest in further testing diminished.

--------------------------------------------

Geologic provenance: Prairie Creek Lamproite (Prairie Creek Pipe), mid-Albian Stage, late Early Cretaceous, ~106 Ma

Locality: Crater of Diamonds State Park, just south of the town of Murfreesboro, Pike County, southwestern Arkansas, USA (34° 01’ 55” to 34° 02’ 05” North latitude, 93° 40’ 18” to 93° 40’ 25” West longitude)

Kings of Pontus, Mithradates IV, circa 170/169 – 150. Tetradrachm, Sinope circa 169, AR 16.83 g. Diademed head r. Rev. ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΜΙΘΡΑΔΑΤΟΥ - ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤΟΡΟΣ / ΚΑΙ ΦΙΛΑΔΕΛΦΟΥ Perseus, naked but for cloak over his shoulders, standing facing and holding gorgoneion and harpa; in lower inner l. field, monogram. Jameson 2153 (this obverse die). SNG von Aulock 6674 (this coin). Kraay-Hirmer pl. 210, 771 (this coin).

Extremely rare and among the finest specimens known. An elegant portrait of

fine Hellenistic style struck in high relief on a very large flan.

Old cabinet tone and about extremely fine

Ex Leu sale 48, 1989, 209. From the von Aulock and Harald Salvesen collections.

The reverse of this tetradrachm, which may perhaps predate Mithradates IV’s marriage to his sister, Laodike, depicts the hero Perseus. According to Greek myth, Akrisios of Argos cast the infant Perseus and his mother Danae into the sea in a wooden box to escape an oracle that he would be killed by a son of Danae. When Perseus grew to manhood, he was sent by Polydektes of Seriphos to bring back the head of Medusa with the expectation that he would die in the attempt. Medusa had been a mortal woman, but a curse by Athena caused her hair to transform into a mass of writhing serpents and her appearance became so hideous that she turned all who looked upon her to stone. With the assistance of Athena, Perseus obtained from the Hesperides a magic sack, a helmet that rendered him invisible, and an adamantine sword (the harpa). Hermes also loaned him his winged sandals while Athena gave him a polished shield. By looking at Medusa only indirectly through her reflection in his shield, Perseus managed to behead the monster without being turned to stone. Then, after carefully packing the deadly head in his sack, Perseus made his way back to Seriphos. On the return journey, Perseus passed through Aethiopia, where he saved the princess Andromeda from being devoured by a sea monster (ketos) and took her as his wife. Once back in Seriphos, Perseus learned that Polydektes had attempted to rape his mother while he was gone. In repayment for this terrible insult, Perseus did not hand over the head of Medusa, safely in the sack, but pulled it out for Polydektes to see with is own eyes. In that instant the king of Seriphos was turned to stone. The hero then went on to become king of Argos after accidentally killing Akrisios. Perseus appears here, not so much because Mithradates IV wanted to recall the myth of the hero, but because of an old Greek folk etymology that made Perseus an ancestor of the Persians. The Persian Great King Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.) was already aware of this etymology at the time of his invasion of mainland Greece (480 B.C.) and tried to use it to convince the Argives to capitulate. The link between Perseus and the Persians was deeply entrenched by second century B.C. and Mithradates IV, who was himself of Iranian descent, used it to associate the Mithradatic dynasty of Pontus with the greatness of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. The irony of using a Greek hero to advertise a connection to an Iranian empire that was frequently in conflict with the states of Greece is palpable. This irony is further compounded by the otherwise conscious Hellenizing of the obverse type and legend: Mithradates IV wears the diadem of a Hellenistic king rather than the tiara of an Iranian ruler, and the reverse legend is entirely Greek in its use of titles like Philopator (”Father-loving”) and Philadelphos (”Brother-loving”). The combination of types and inscriptions on this tetradrachm is wonderfully schizophrenic in the desire to simultaneously tout Mithradates IV as an Iranian scion of the Persian Empire and as a Hellenistic king in emulation of Alexander the Great, the destroyer of that same empire.

NAC106, 246

London

Thank you to all the talented photographers whose lovely photos make up this mosaic.

All the these photographs are the property of the photographers listed and linked below. I hope you take the time to explore their photostreams because they are chock full of incredible photos. Enjoy.

1. Amethyst - Colorado, 2. Untitled, 3. Quilt top for V&S, 4. merry christmas & happy new year, 5. Katie's cool cake - back view, 6. balon, 7. soap, 8. Purple Dichroic Glass Earrings, 9. Untitled, 10. Merry Christmas!, 11. Purple Vase, 12. purple en masse, 13. sounds of laughter, shades of life..., 14. purple glass, 15. Coral Reef, 16. purplemixer2, 17. Urban Window, 18. Glass bottle lit by purple neon, 19. obligatory purple cat, 20. Strugurii Moldova, 21. Violet candlelight, 22. First draft of Diagon Alley, 23. Amethyst Starling, 24. Amethyst & White Gold, 25. Classic Car Purple 7353 Havana

Created with fd's Flickr Toys

Carte de visite by Simeon Bruckner of Yonkers, N.Y. The First Battle of Bull Run, fought in July 1861, resulted in serious losses in the 38th New York Infantry—128 officers and men became casualties, including the man pictured here, Edward Hastings Kellogg. Confederates captured him during the chaos and confusion of the battle.

Kellogg’s captors hauled him off to the Richmond and held him with other Union men in a tobacco warehouse later known as Libby Prison. He spent the next six months as a prisoner of war before being exchanged in January 1862.

Kellogg returned to his regiment in time to participated in the Peninsula Campaign. As he and his fellow Empire State men, and the rest of there Union Army of the Potomac, advanced toward Richmond, Kellogg told the story of his capture and imprisonment. His account was published in the New York Sunday Mercury on May 28, 1862:

Now that our forces are so near Richmond, a few incidents of prison life in the tobacco manufactories might be interesting to the reader in search of truth. After the Battle of Bull Run, on the 21st of July, 1861, among those captured I was marched to Manassas Junction, where we remained in the drizzling rain, which fell all night. Owing to the extreme fatigue of body attending on the heat of the day, forced marching, and the battle-field, I slept peaceably and sound, and for a moment on awakening the next morning, it was almost impossible for me to decide where I was; but gradually a vivid sense of my position forced itself upon me, and I realized that I was a prisoner. All day on the 22nd, following the battle, we remained standing in the slowly-falling rain, wetting us to the skin. Around us stood guards, close together, and beyond them a gaping multitude of idle gazers, looking at the "Yankees" – evidently, from the way they eyed us, supposing us to be some curious animal, and remarking: "Why, they look just like our folks!" "Lord, they're white folks just like we are." And asking us: "What made you come down here for?" All day long we were kept in this position, nothing given to us to eat, and-must I say it? – water could not be obtained, unless, thanks to God for the falling rain of that day, when caught in an India-rubber blanket, poured into a tin-cup. And bitter, brackish, sickish to the taste as was this water, 'twas like nectar to the half-famished men who, many of them, had not tasted a drop of water since the previous bloody day. About 5 o'clock, P.M., however, some hard biscuit and rancid bacon were divided among us, and we were marched to the railroad depot, and placed in baggage and freight cars, en route for Richmond. Here Fortune was propitious, for the rain dripping from the tops of the cars presented a rich harvest of pure water to the thirsty men. It was a perfect godsend. It was hard in the extreme to see the avidity with which the poor fellows sought to catch the falling drops, as their thirst was doubly increased by the salt meat just served out.

About six o'clock the next afternoon, we arrived in Richmond, and, well guarded, were marched through the streets, hooted, hissed, and blackguarded in a manner I could hardly have believed would have occurred in a city belonging to a civilized nation. But seeing what I have of them has changed my mind considerably. About dark, we reached one of the vile tobacco factories destined to receive us, and from whose doors many of the brave boys who entered them were never more to pass, until in a pine coffin, conveyed in a rickety cart, they should fill a grave in some distant portion of the negro burying-ground of the capital city of Virginia. Is it too much to ask one passing thought to those who thus died and still fill the humble tenement? In the building with myself were five hundred and thirty-eight souls-two hundred on one floor, and three hundred and thirty-eight on the floor above, these floors being some one hundred by thirty feet. Here, for some three or four weeks-if I may be allowed the expression-we were left to rot; and ere that time, vermin had made their appearance, and, notwithstanding all endeavors to the contrary, "reigned supreme." It was a fine specimen of close packing, at night, when we turned in, and it would have been difficult to one not accustomed to moving among a crowd to have made their way through the room with stepping on some part of the human mass that strewed the floor. Even in the day it was difficult navigation.

Lieutenant [David] Todd, of Kentucky, C. S. A., notorious for his cruelty, was in charge of us. Much has been already said of his treatment of our suffering prisoners of war. An incident, however, which I do not think has been in print, occurring at this time, and in which he was chief actor, will better prove his cruel treatment than any other I could mention.

One morning, in passing through one of the crowded rooms, stopped by the crowd who obstructed his passage, he bade them give way; they not obeying his order as quickly as he wished, he drew his sword, and making a step toward one of the nearest of the crowd, who belonged to the First Minnesota Regiment, passed it through the lower portion of the leg, and in withdrawing it he literally cut the piece of flesh to the bone. Remarking coolly, as he passed on: "Take care of the man and clear the road." This act was on par with his other cruelties while in charge. By his orders our prisoners were fired on in the windows, and no less than five wounded and three killed. Another day we were refused water for more than six hours in the day, for the mere crime of spilling some on the floor; and frequently our meals were not served until late in the day. Some four weeks after our arrival, the wounded from Bull Run arrived in Richmond, and some placed in the general hospital, and the remainder-by far the largest portion-conveyed to our prison, Hanwood's [Harwood’s] Tobacco Factory, on Main, corner of Twenty-sixth street, it being the most convenient of access and best adapted to hospital purposes.

After remaining in the prison hospital till the middle of November, I was removed to quarters, as they called the prison; here I remained until my return home. During my short existence in the den I saw hard scenes, as well as amusing ones; spent sad hours, and a few happy ones. In the room, here you'd see a sick man lying on the hard floor groaning; there, another who had lost his reason-several cases of this kind occurred; again, a party of bluff players appear busily engaged transferring from one to another Confederate shinplasters. In one corner is the bone manufactory, where from beef bones, rings, brooches, breast-pins, hair-pins, shawl-pins, and other trinkets are constructed by the workmen, and many were done in a masterly manner, and the proceeds devoted to obtaining the meal not furnished by the Confederacy, viz., dinner. At dinner, we had, bread, five ounces; beef boiled, five ounces; soup, one pint. No wonder many went hungry, and couldn't help it. In the centre of the room the stove, prison made (it is quite singular how many things a man can make if he will only take a hold and try), with a variety of different concoctions-quite as difficult it is to discover what they are made of as it is to understand how the pans are constructed in which they are cooking. Here, again, we have a grand drill of cripples we have been discharged as cured from the hospital, some minus a leg, some an arm, and others with a leg some three or four inches short. And as they go marching around the room, merrily going through the military drill, it looks comical in the extreme. I must say, the ones who seemed to have suffered the most pain seemed to be the merriest party of the lot. Some singing, others promenading, fill up the heterogeneous mass of prisoners of war.

On the 1st of January, we received news of our approaching freedom; and on the 3rd were marched to the steamer Northampton, on which we received one good meal-coffee, fried bacon and pork, chickens and turkey stew, and boiled corned beef. I suppose that they were trying to erase the impression of our former feeds from our mind, thinking that if we went home with full stomachs it would pay for our fasting the whole time we had boarded at the expense of the Southern Confederacy. That afternoon the old flag floated before us once more, and when it came upon us it was too much for us to bear. Our hearts overflowed, and every eye filled with tears, that had been long locked up in the adamantine chambers of our hearts. The stirring moment was deepened by the band on board the steam transport George Washington, which received us from the Confederate steam transport, striking up the old loved tune, "Home Sweet Home". And as the gentle strains floated over the quiet waters of the James River, and the Stars and Stripes waved above us, it seemed the happiest moment of my life. At Baltimore we were received by the Union Relief Associations, who treated us in good style. Our boys gave us a splendid reception in the regiment, and our colonel, a furlough. Since its expiration, I have been with the regiment. While passing through Williamsburg, a few days after the late battle, I was informed by two of my prison comrades, who were standing guard over the Secesh, that a number of the Fifth Georgia Regiment, who stood guard over us in Richmond last summer, were inside, and that they had recognized some of them, and been remembered by them in return. At this moment, I heard some one calling from the window, and discovered a Secesh, who said:

"Say, wasn't you the man who used to carry the bottles over after medicine from the place whar de sick Yankees was in?”

"Just so," said I.

"I reckoned you was. I stood guard over dem dare. Doesn't you remember me?”

"No, sir," I answered.

I thought his face familiar, but could not place him. As he belongs to the Fifth Georgia, I suppose he told the truth. It would be difficult for a person to have seen me passing across the Main street of Richmond with my armful of bottles, and a guard with musket and bayonet marching stiffly behind me, to have forgotten so novel a picture. Several of our regiment, also prisoners of war, recognized some of the Secesh soldiers, and conversed with them of Richmond. Sergeant C. W. Fairfield, captured while on picket last August at Munson's Hill, Va., saw the same party who captured him immediately. Other recognizances have been also made on both sides.

I hope I shall soon be able to write to you from Richmond, and I hope I may chronicle the delivery of our gallant major, James Decatur Potter, who has been a prisoner since the 21st of July last.

I remain yours, respectfully, E.H.K.

Kellogg went on to become and officer in the 17th and 39th New York infantries. He survived the war and worked as a journalist. He died in 1898 and was survived by three children.

This account of his capture at First Bull Run was published in the 2000 book, Writing & Fighting the Civil War: Soldier Correspondence to the New York Sunday Mercury, by William B. Styple. The transcription and annotations are copied from Civil War Richmond: www.civilwarrichmond.com/written-accounts/other-newspaper...

I encourage you to use this image for educational purposes only. However, please ask for permission.

General

Category: Molybdate mineral

Formula (repeating unit): PbMoO4

Strunz classification: 7.GA.05

Crystal system: Tetragonal

Crystal class: Dipyramidal (4/m) H-M symbol: (4/m)

Space group: I41/a

Unit cell: a = 5.433, c = 12.110 [Å]; Z = 4

Identification

Color: yellow, honey-yellow, Orange-yellow, reddish-orange, rarely colorless, grey, brown, olive-green and black.

Crystal habit: Thin tabular to pyramidal

Twinning: Twins on the [001] common

Cleavage: On {011}, distinct; on {001}, {013}, indistinct

Fracture: Irregular to sub-conchoidal

Tenacity: Brittle

Mohs scale hardness: 3

Luster: Adamantine, resinous

Streak: White

Diaphaneity: Transparent to opaque

Specific gravity: 6.5-7.0

Optical properties: Uniaxial (-), may be anomalously biaxial

Refractive index: nω = 2.405 nε = 2.283

Birefringence: δ = 0.122

Pleochroism: Weak; orange and yellow

Ultraviolet fluorescence: None

Other characteristics: Specimens may be piezoelectric

Early descriptions

The earliest mention of the Vajra is in the Rigveda, a part of four Vedas. It is described as the weapon of Indra, the god of heaven and the chief deity of the Rigvedic pantheon. Indra is described as using the Vajra to kill sinners and ignorant persons. The Rigveda states that the weapon was made for Indra by Tvastar, the maker of divine instruments. The associated story describes Indra using the Vajra, which he held in his hand, to slay the Asura Vritra, who took the form of a serpent.

On account of his skill in wielding the Vajra, some epithets used for Indra in the Rigveda were Vajrabhrit (bearing the bolt), Vajrivat or Vajrin (armed with the bolt), Vajradaksina (holding the bolt in his right hand), and Vajrabahu or Vajrahasta (holding the Vajra in his hand). The association of the Vajra with Indra was continued with some modifications in the later Puranic literature, and in Buddhist works. Buddhaghosa, a major figure of Theravada Buddhism in the 5th century, identified the Bodhisattva Vajrapani with Indra.

Vajra in Vajrayana Buddhism

In Buddhism the vajra is the symbol of Vajrayana, one of the three major branches of Buddhism. Vajrayana is translated as "Thunderbolt Way" or "Diamond Way" and can imply the thunderbolt experience of Buddhist enlightenment or bodhi. It also implies indestructibility,jus t as diamonds are harder than other gemstones.

In Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana) the vajra and ghanta (bell) are used in many rites by a lama or any Vajrayana practitioner of sadhanas. The dorje is a male polysemic symbol that represents many things for the tantrika. The vajra is representative of upaya whereas its companion tool, the bell which is a female symbol, denotes prajna. Some deities are shown holding each the vajra and bell in separate hands, symbolizing the union of the forces of compassion and wisdom, respectively.

Vajrasattva holds the vajra in his right hand and a bell in his left hand.

In the tantric traditions of Buddhism, the vajra is a symbol for the nature of reality, or sunyata, indicating endless creativity, potency, and skillful activity. The term is employed extensively in tantric literature: the term for the spiritual teacher is the vajracarya; instead of bodhisattva, we have vajrasattva, and so on. The practice of prefixing terms, names, places, and so on by vajra represents the conscious attempt to recognize the transcendental aspect of all phenomena; it became part of the process of "sacramentalizing" the activities of the spiritual practitioner and encouraged him to engage all his psychophysical energies in the spiritual life.

An instrument symbolizing vajra is also extensively used in the rituals of the tantra. It consists of a spherical central section, with two symmetrical sets of five prongs, which arc out from lotus blooms on either side of the sphere and come to a point at two points equidistant from the centre, thus giving it the appearance of a "diamond sceptre", which is how the term is sometimes translated.

Various figures in Tantric iconography are represented holding or wielding the vajra. Three of the most famous of these are Vajrasattva, Vajrapani, and Padmasambhava. Vajrasattva (lit. vajra-being) holds the vajra, in his right hand, to his heart. The figure of the Wrathful Vajrapani (lit. vajra in the hand) brandishes the vajra, in his right hand, above his head. Padmasambhava holds the vajra above his right knee in his right hand.

Symbolism

The vajra is made up of several parts. In the center is a sphere which represents Sunyata, (Emptiness) the primordial nature of the universe, the underlying unity of all things. Emerging from the sphere are two eight petaled lotus flowers. One represents the phenomenal world (or in Buddhist terms Samsara), the other represents the noumenal world (or Nirvana). This is one of the fundamental dichotomies which are perceived by the unenlightened.

Arranged equally around the mouth of the lotus are two, four, or eight creatures which are called makaras. These are mythological half-fish, half-crocodile creaturesmade up of two or more animals, often representing the union of opposites, (or a harmonisation of qualities that transcend our usual experience). From the mouths of the makaras come tongues which come together in a point.

The five pronged vajra (with four makaras, plus a central prong) is the most commonly seen vajra. There is an elaborate system of correspondences between the five elements of the noumenal side of the vajra, and the phenomenal side. One important correspondence is between the five "poisons" with the five wisdoms. The five poisons are the mental states that obscure the original purity of a being's mind, while the five wisdoms are the five most important aspects of the enlightened mind. Each of the five wisdoms is also associated with a Buddha figure. (see also Five Wisdom Buddhas).

From: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra

(scorcio della chiesetta vecchia.....)

___________________

"Noi saremo"

di Paul Verlaine

Noi saremo, a dispetto di stolti e di cattivi

che certo guarderanno male la nostra gioia,

talvolta, fieri e sempre indulgenti, è vero?

Andremo allegri e lenti sulla strada modesta

che la speranza addita, senza badare affatto

che qualcuno ci ignori o ci veda, è vero?

Nell'amore isolati come in un bosco nero,

i nostri cuori insieme, con quieta tenerezza,

saranno due usignoli che cantan nella sera.

Quanto al mondo, che sia con noi dolce o irascibile,

non ha molta importanza. Se vuole, esso può bene

accarezzarci o prenderci di mira a suo bersaglio.

Uniti dal più forte, dal più caro legame,

e inoltre ricoperti di una dura corazza,

sorrideremo a tutti senza paura alcuna.

Noi ci preoccuperemo di quello che il destino

per noi ha stabilito, cammineremo insieme

la mano nella mano, con l'anima infantile

di quelli che si amano in modo puro, vero?

-------------------------------

"N'est-ce pas ? en dépit des sots et des méchants "

-Paul Verlaine

N'est-ce pas ? en dépit des sots et des méchants

Qui ne manqueront pas d'envier notre joie,

Nous serons fiers parfois et toujours indulgents.

N'est-ce pas ? nous irons, gais et lents, dans la voie

Modeste que nous montre en souriant l'Espoir,

Peu soucieux qu'on nous ignore ou qu'on nous voie.

Isolés dans l'amour ainsi qu'en un bois noir,

Nos deux coeurs, exhalant leur tendresse paisible,

Seront deux rossignols qui chantent dans le soir.

Quant au Monde, qu'il soit envers nous irascible

Ou doux, que nous feront ses gestes ? Il peut bien,

S'il veut, nous caresser ou nous prendre pour cible.

Unis par le plus fort et le plus cher lien,

Et d'ailleurs, possédant l'armure adamantine,

Nous sourirons à tous et n'aurons peur de rien.

Sans nous préoccuper de ce que nous destine

Le Sort, nous marcherons pourtant du même pas,

Et la main dans la main, avec l'âme enfantine

De ceux qui s'aiment saris mélange, n'est-ce pas ?

russellmoreton.blogspot.com/

Alternative Photography

Documents from research archive

Tracing Light : Petworth House, West Sussex 2000

David Alan Mellor, Garry Fabian Miller.

Light And The Genius Loci

For Derrida, the sun not only marks the beginning of metaphoricity but it is also an inescapable reminder of the solar system and oscillations, hidings and occultrations, inherent in 'a certain history of the relationships; earth/sun inthe system of perception'.

Mutations Of Light

Petworth Window, 6 July 1999

Light's Windows And Rooms

Passing towards the Invisible.

The prospect of some metaphysical realm beyond the blue end of the spectrum and beyond material things illuminated to carnal sight, was a recurrent theme in William Henry Fox Talbot's early speculations.

CATCHING THE LIGHT

The entangled history of light and mind

Arthur Zajonc

BROUGHT TO LIGHT

PHOTOGRAPHY AND THE INVISIBLE 1840-1900

Sight Unseen

Picturing The Universe

Corey Keller

Invisible objects, penciled by nature's own hand.

In his introduction to the exhibition catalogue Iconoclash: Beyond the Image Wars in Science, Religion, and Art, the historian of science Bruno Latour argues that scientific pictures are powerfully affective because they more than mere images; they are, as he puts it, the 'world itself'.

The Social

Photographic Eye

Jennifer Tucker

Nineteenth century science was characterized by both the appeal to visual evidence and the need for confirmation by the testimony of eyewitnesses. The latter explains why scientists pursued public viewings of their photographs by means of illustrated slide lectures, exhibitions, and reproduction in newspapers and magazines.

An understanding of the social boundaries of nineteenth century science helps make sense of a certain paradox within contemporary attitudes towards photography of the invisible. The ideal of mechanical objectivity in documenting visual knowledge demanded the elimination of the artist-observer and all of the subjectivity implicit in drawing by hand.

Invisible Worlds

Visible Media

Tom Gunning

William Henry Fox Talbot, Slice of horse chestnut, seen through the solar microscope, 1840, salt print 18.6x22.5 cm.

Techniques Of The Observer

On Vision And Modernity In The Nineteenth Century

Jonathan Crary

The Camera Obscura and its Subject

Above all it indicates the appearance of a new model of subjectivity, the hegemony of a new subject-effect. First of all the camera obscura performs an operation of individuation; that is, it necessarily defines an observer as isolated, enclosed, and autonomous within its dark confines. It impels a kind of askesis, or withdrawal from the world, in order to regulate and purify one's relation to the manifold contents of the now 'exterior' world.

UNDER THE SUN

By The Light Of The Fertile Observer

Metaphors of illumination in the photography of Christopher Bucklow, Susan Derges, Garry Fabian Miller, and Adam Fuss.

An Epiphany Of Light

David Alan Mellor

Christopher Bucklow , Guests

Jeanette Winterson, Gut Symmetries

Matter is provisional and that includes me. If the physics is correct then we are neither alive or dead as we commonly understand it, but in different states of potentiality.

From The Adamantine Land

Variations on the art of Christopher Bucklow

David Alan Mellor

Etienne-Jules Marey

A Passion For The Trace

Francois Dagognet

Painting, Photography, Film

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy

A Bauhaus Book

L. MOHOLY-NAGY:

DYNAMIC OF THE METROPOLIS

SKETCH FOR A FILM

ALSO TYPOPHOTO

OSKAR SCHLEMMER

MAN

Interaction of Color

Josef Albers

The Elements of Color

Johannes Itten

Pedagogical Sketchbook

Paul Klee

The New Landscape in art and science

Gyorgy Kepes

The Colour of Time

Garry Fabian Miller

The Majesty of Darkness

Adam Nicolson

The Unmade

The Pregnant

The Half Erotically Unmade

Camera Obscura of Ideology

Sarah Kofman

An optical instrument, which used in drawing, allows one to see at the same time the objects being drawn and the paper.

I Am Not This Body

Barbara Ess

j.Sokuji-in Shokuchi-in 触地印 Sk.Bhumisparsha

Also read sokuji-in ( Sk: bhusparsa-mudra). Also gouma-in 降魔印. Earth-touchting mudra. A type of hand gesture (Jp: *in 印, Sk: mudra) found on Buddhist images. The right hand is placed on the right knee with the palm turned down and the forefinger, pointing downward, almost touching the pedestal *daiza 台座 on which the image is sitting. This mudra is based on the tradition that when the historical Buddha *Shaka 釈迦, meditating on the adamantine seat *kongou houza 金剛宝座, (Sk:Vajrasana) at Buddhagaya in India, was tempted by demons, he summoned the earth goddess, Sthavara, Kenroujishin 堅牢地神 by touching the earth with his right hand. With the help of the goddess, the Buddha dispersed the demons and then retained enlightenment gouma joudou 降魔成道 (see *Shaka hassou 釈迦八相). Hence this mudra is also called gouma-in (mudra for subjugating demons). As a symbol of the Buddha's subjugation of evil and his enlightenment, the shokuchi-in was often used in Indian Buddhist images of Shaka. After the establishment of Esoteric Buddhism mikkyou 密教 it became the mudra for the Buddha *Ashuku 阿しゅく. In Esoteric teachings, Ashuku is considered to be the head bushu 部主 (Sk: kulesa) of the kongoubu 金剛部 (Sk: Vajrakula ; Adamantine Family) of deities who subjugate enemies of Buddhism. Although Shaka images with the shokuchi-in are found in Asia, including the principal image *honzon 本尊 attended by the sixteen arhats *juuroku rakan 十六羅漢 at Sokkulam (Jp: Sekkutsuan 石窟庵) in Kyongju 慶州, Korea (751), very few examples have been found in Japan. The few extant examples seem to have been introduced from abroad, such as Buddha statues imported from Ming and Qing China. Other gilt-bronze images influenced by Tibetan Buddhism were brought to Japan from Manchuria and Inner Mongolia before World War II. In Japan, the shokuchi-in is known as the mudra of Esoteric Buddhas, such as Ashuku in the Kongoukai 金剛界 (see *Kongoukai mandara 金剛界曼荼羅) and Tenkuraion 天鼓雷音 in the Taizoukai 胎蔵界 (see *Taizoukai mandara 胎蔵界曼荼羅). The earliest example of Ashuku with shokuchi-in was the principal of the Koudou 講堂 (presently Kondou 金堂) on Mt. Kouya 高野, a temple　which was founded by *Kuukai 空海（774-835), but this was lost when the building was burnt down in 1926. Having been kept as a secret Buddha *hibutsu 秘仏, no photograph was taken, and so there is no way of verifying whether or not it was the original image.

www.aisf.or.jp/~jaanus/deta/s/shokuchiin.htm

Unused stock certificate for the Long Dock Company of New Jersey. Builders of the Bergen railroad Tunnel (AKA Long Dock Tunnel) in New Jersey.

Tunnel is still in use today.

New York Times article on opening of tunnel in 1861:

OPENING OF THE BERGEN TUNNEL.; Journey into the Bowels of New-Jersey.

Published: February 8, 1861

The completion of the Bergen tunnel, one of the most important public works of New-Jersey, and a triumph of engineering skill of which any State might be proud, was duly celebrated Wednesday, when the tunnel was formally opened and the first train of cars passed through it. This work was built by a corporation known as the Long Dock Company, mainly for the benefit of the Erie Railroad Company, who are understood to have advanced a large share of the money for its construction, and who hold a lease of the improvement. By means of it, the business of the Erie Railroad is brought to tide-water mark, and to immediate contact with this City, thus saving the great expense and delay of shipping their freight to Piermont. The tunnel is 4,000 feet, or upwards of three-quarters of a mile in length, running the whole distance through a solid rock of the most adamantine species, and from fifty to two hundred feet beneath the surface of the earth. It has been five years in process of construction, and its cost has been a fraction less than two millions of dollars. From the commencement of the work there have been from 1,000 to 1,400 men employed on it, and the loss of life by accident has been about two dozen persons.

The opening celebration yesterday was under the auspices of the Directors of the Long Dock Company, headed by the President, Mr. BERDELL. At 12 1/2 o'clock, about 250 of the solid men of this City embarked on board the steamboat New-Haven, from the foot of Duane-street, and in a few moments were landed on the spacious pier of the Long Dock Company, on the opposite side of the river. Here they were obliged to wait a full hour for the arrival of the New Jersey dignitaries, from Trenton and elsewhere, which had the effect to draw forth the usual complimentary remarks about New-Jersey, in which New-Yorkers are wont to indulge. At length, however, they came, and were greeted with just as much cordiality as if they had not been roundly cursed for an hours previous. Among them were deputations from both houses of the New-Jersey Legislature, judges, lawyers, editors and plain Jersey Blues. The ten cars in waiting immediately started on their journey, and in less than ten minutes the whole party were in the heart of the tunnel. To the astonishment of every one, the tunnel was found to be lined the whole length with Wide Awakes holding lighted torches in their hands, but whether they were placed there to illuminate the Stygian darkness of the elongated dungeon, or whether they had run in there to escape the wrath and indignation of South Carolina at their acts last November, could not be ascertained. The only signal they gave was an unearthly yell of "Wide Awake" as the cars whizzed past their blazing lanterns. After passing through the tunnel, the cars stopped a few moments on the other side, to give the guests a view of the stupendous rock excavations near the Western entrance, and then returned to the depot on the end of the Long Dock. Here the party partook of a liberal collation, freely moistened with the dew of "Mumm" and "Otard."

Mr. BERDELL, President of the Long Dock Company, responded to a toast, complimentary to the Company, and gave the statistics of the building of the tunnel mentioned above.

Speeches were also made by Hon. N. PERRY, member of Congress from New-Jersey; Hon. Mr. TEESE, Speaker of the Assembly; Judge NAAR, of the State Gazette, and others, after which the party returned to New-York.

Unedited photos taken with Alchemy viewer.

✦ You can also view this on Primfeed: lachrymose.nightwish

✦ Credits:

+ Aii & Ego's Hair Hell - Serenity Hair

+ REBIS - Kintsugi Scars in gold

+ Toksik - Bloom Hairpin

+ Toksik - Vortex Top & Sleeves

+ Toksik - Qiyue Harness (modified)

+ Insomnia Angel - Scarlet Long Skirt

+ STOIC - Manicured Claws

+ Gloom - Felicis Collection in blind (right eye) and red (left eye)

<3 Lachrymose

A single diamond crystal with exceptional skeletal octahedral/dodecahedral form and clarity rests in the foreground of this picture. A partly-cut diamond is out of focus in the background. The uncut diamond is only about 1/10 of an inch in diameter and is glued to the head of a pin - thank goodness for macro lenses!

I broke down and paid for some professional photographs of me in my costumes this year; in this one I'm Governor-General James Howlett - an alternative universe version of Wolverine (think Wolverine combined with Teddy Roosevelt yet still Canadian). I think the photographer knocked it out of the park with these in terms of mood, background, and lighting.

Photographer: Bryan Humphrey

Diamond crystal in kimberlite matrix. (public display, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5800 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The above specimen is a very rare, ultramafic igneous rock called kimberlite, which is the ultimate host rock for most diamonds. Kimberlites are unusual igneous bodies having overall pipe-shaped geometries. Their mode of formation is only moderately understood because they have not been observed forming. Kimberlites are known from scattered localities throughout the world - only some are significantly diamondiferous. Classic localities for diamonds are India and Brazil. Africa was also discovered to have many kimberlites and is world-famous for producing large numbers of diamonds. Other notable diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences include Russia, China, and northwestern Canada.

Kimberlites are named for the town of Kimberley, South Africa. Several kimberlite pipes occur in the Kimberley area. Kimberlites have a gently tapering-downward, pipe-shaped cross-section, somewhat like a carrot.

Fluorescing diamonds from Zaire ("D.R. Congo"). (crystals are ~1 to 1.5 millimeters in size)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are about 5600 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known. Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The African diamonds shown above are yellow under white light. This photo was taken under ultraviolet (UV) light - "black light". The greenish and magenta colors are from the diamonds. The bright blue specks are fibers (not geologic objects).

Why do some minerals fluoresce under UV light? When short-wavelength UV radiation, long-wavelength UV radiation, or x-rays bombard atoms, electron excitation occurs. But the electrons do not remain in an energetically excited state. They quickly give off energy and resume their normal energy levels. If the electron energy release is in the visible spectrum of light, a mineral glows, or fluoresces.

Done in Ai, Finalized in Photoshop.

A close-up of a Mawborn voidfighter deployed from the Eclipse Requiem, Dread-Class flagship of Xal’Zareth Nyrr’Kael. Forged in the maw-forges of Vyr’Kos, its adamantine hull bears fractal glyphs that shimmer in response to the Queen’s commands. Sleek and predatory, the vessel bristles with folded ion lances and arc-plasma nodes, its design both elegant and merciless. A faint ultraviolet glow traces its flight path—evidence of gravitic drives tearing spacetime with every thrust. Behind its obsidian canopy, a biomechanically fused pilot gazes through cascading data-streams, consciousness meshed with machine and monarch. Spires of the Eclipse Requiem loom in the background like the thrones of executioners, etched against the ruins of forgotten stars.

Say first, for Heav'n hides nothing from thy view

Nor the deep Tract of Hell, say first what cause

Mov'd our Grand Parents in that happy State,

Favour'd of Heav'n so highly, to fall off

From thir Creator, and transgress his Will

For one restraint, Lords of the World besides?

Who first seduc'd them to that foul revolt?

Th' infernal Serpent; he it was, whose guile

Stird up with Envy and Revenge, deceiv'd

The Mother of Mankind, what time his Pride

Had cast him out from Heav'n, with all his Host

Of Rebel Angels, by whose aid aspiring

To set himself in Glory above his Peers,

He trusted to have equal'd the most High,

If he oppos'd; and with ambitious aim

Against the Throne and Monarchy of God

Rais'd impious War in Heav'n and Battel proud

With vain attempt. Him the Almighty Power

Hurld headlong flaming from th' Ethereal Skie

With hideous ruine and combustion down

To bottomless perdition, there to dwell

In Adamantine Chains and penal Fire,

Who durst defie th' Omnipotent to Arms.

John Milton - Paradise Lost

Narra tu prima (poiché nulla il cielo,

Nulla l'inferno agli occhi tuoi nasconde),

Narra qual mai cagion gli antichi nostri

Padri, sì cari al cielo e in sì felice

Stato locati, a ribellarsi mosse

Da lui che gli creò. Mentre signori

Eran del mondo, un suo leggier divieto

Come romper fur osi? Al turpe eccesso

Chi sedusse gl'ingrati? Il Serpe reo

D'inferno fu. Mastro di frodi e punto

Da livore e vendetta egli l'antica

Nostra madre ingannò, quando l'insano

Orgoglio suo dal ciel cacciato l'ebbe

Con tutta l'oste de' rubelli Spirti.

Su lor coll'armi loro alto a levarsi

Ambìa l'iniquo e d'agguagliarsi a Dio

Pensò, se a Dio si fosse opposto. Il folle

Pensier superbo rivolgendo in mente,

Incontro al soglio del Monarca eterno

Mosse empia guerra e a temeraria pugna

Venne, ma invan. L'onnipossente braccio

Tra incendio immenso e orribile ruina

Fuor lo scagliò dalle superne sedi

Giù capovolto e divampante in nero,

Privo di fondo disperato abisso;

Ove in catene d'adamante stretto

A starsi fu dannato e in fiamme ultrici

Qual tracotato sfidator di Dio.

John Milton - Il Paradiso perduto

Lindisfarne castle, sat atop its adamantine crag, is one of England’s photographic icons. It is located at the southern end of Holy Island which is cut off from the mainland twice a day as the incoming tide inundates the low lying causeway that intermittently connects this remote community to the rest of Northumberland.

On my first visit to Lindisfarne, in the autumn of 2009, I decided to stay on the island for the duration of a high tide, effectively marooning myself for six hours. I knew that the light would only be photographically conducive towards the end of that period, but there was a cafe and a few other attractions to entertain me in the meantime. Or so I naively believed. Because, based upon my experience of that day, the custom appears to be that every business owner follows the majority of the tourists and makes a mad, last-minute dash for the mainland – leaving just a swirl of dust and a rash of “closed” signs! So, no afternoon tea and cake on that occasion. Nevertheless, it’s still a fabulous location to be stranded.

This image comes from a more recent visit, in the summer of 2015.

Sphalerit crystals over quartz

Sample: Provided by Mr. Claudio Canut de Bon

Location: La Serena, IV Region - Chile

Sphalerite ((Zn,Fe)S) is a mineral that is the chief ore of zinc. It consists largely of zinc sulfide in crystalline form but almost always contains variable iron. When iron content is high it is an opaque black variety, marmatite. It is usually found in association with galena, pyrite, and other sulfides along with calcite, dolomite, and fluorite. Miners have also been known to refer to sphalerite as zinc blende, black-jack, and ruby jack.

Its color is usually yellow, brown, or gray to gray-black, and it may be shiny or dull. Its luster is adamantine, resinous to submetallic for high iron varieties. It has a yellow or light brown streak, a Mohs hardness of 3.5–4, and a specific gravity of 3.9–4.1. Some specimens have a red iridescence within the gray-black crystals; these are called "ruby sphalerite." The pale yellow and red varieties have very little iron and are translucent. The darker, more opaque varieties contain more iron. Some specimens are also fluorescent in ultraviolet light. The refractive index of sphalerite (as measured via sodium light, 589.3 nm) is 2.37. Sphalerite crystallizes in the isometric crystal system and possesses perfect dodecahedral cleavage. Gemmy, pale specimens from Franklin, New Jersey (see Franklin Furnace), are highly fluorescent orange and/or blue under longwave ultraviolet light and are known as cleiophane, an almost pure ZnS variety.

Can you repeat... vintage? This is another kit from about 20 years ago which I salvaged as a true wreck from the basement. Even though it is a Dougram model (originally from Doyusha and later Takara), my specimen was actually released in 1985 or 1986 by Revell under their hodgepodge Robotech label as "Dromedin". Battletech nerds will know this mecha as "Goliath".

The first time I built it it was OOB in the Revell livery (overall steel grey with white and dark grey stripes), and in my second "mecha phase" in the 90ies I modified it to look like a catalogue picture of Revell's "Commando" version of the huge 1/48th scale Tequilagunner kit: in a pale sand, mid brown and bluish grey livery, and with the typical "balconies" on the vehicle's flanks. This converted kit was also experimentally weathered with coloured plaster, and the result was... horrible! Consequently, the kit disappeared from the “public collection”. Forgotten, until now - for a third build!

I originally planned to scrape the plaster off of the kit, do just some detail work and use its last paint coat with new weathering, just like the recently revived Desertgunner. But the old plaster was so thick and adamantine, the paint so poor and the plastic proved to have become surprisingly brittle with age, that more thorough work became necessary. For example, two hip joints broke off and needed firm replacements, the balconies (these are still the hand-made “things” from 20 years ago…) needed completely (and better) new rails, a nozzle brake from a WWII tank was transplanted and two extra rocket launchers had to be added, too.

Lots of polystyrene plates and profiles went into this project, as well as figures from a 1:72 scale modern tank crew set from Preiser, a mortar crew, plus various scratch-built small stuff like stowage boxes, the sun roof, cammo nets, the telescope, dust protectors on the legs and feet, sand bags, etc.. Every piece is just a tiny bit, but in a sum they add up to a lively look of the kit, and they are important in order to create small, plausible scenes.

The camouflage scheme is nothing specific, although I admit that I was not certain until I finally painted the kit. One plan was a sand base with olive drab and tan stripes, but after I applied the basic sand tone, I left it that way, because weathering and the details on the balconies were supposed to remain the main attraction. As a side effect, the single color livery is also an authentic choice for the F44B.

Painting was done with simple rattle cans - I do not own an air brush (and do not miss it). Main color is a reddish sand tone, RAL 1011 “Brown Beige”, but it was shaded with darker and lighter rattle can colors for light effects and weathering. A total of 3 other tones were used: RAL 8023 "Orange Brown" for undersides (the darkest tone, only little of this tone can be actually seen), then an acryllic hobby paint called "Sand" (very close tothe RAL 1011, slightly more reddish, for the sides, and finally a vintage VW car color called "Mexico Beige" which was applied onto the RAL 1011 on top sides, to mimic sun-bleached paint. Some pictures of the "making of" series for this kit show some painting steps as well as the colors.

After that, details like the sand protectors were painted with acryllic paint (in dark brown). Since I lack original decals, the few which went onto the kit came from the spare parts box:

- the red "2" roundels come from a British Mk. IV WWI tank from EMHAR (1:35 scale)

- the yellow registry numbers come from a modern US Army tank

- the round, red badges (depicting an armored rider/knight) are actually German Luftwaffe squadron markings from WWII, also from an aftermarket sheet

- The small red "eyes" on the Tequilagunner's middle section come from a Ma.K. aftermarket decal sheet.

I wanted the marking to complement the few red contrasts on the Tequilagunner, like the rocket launchers, so that a few details were added, but the overall impression limited to only a few basic colors, reducing distractions.

Next, an ink wash with a mix of black, sepia, ochre and raw umber was applied, and then lots of dry painting created shading, weathering and detail enhancement. For dry painting, I used Humbrol colors 84 (Mid Stone), 64 (Light Grey) and 121 (Light Stone), mixing the colors for varying shades. This treatment already broke up the very uniform RAL 1011 finish, but further work with dry paint e. g. with silver for blank metal or raw umber and burnt sienna for some subtle rust and oil stains, plus some rubbing with grinded, soft pencil mine, enhanced the looks even further. On a camouflage pattern, all these treatments would not have looked that impressive, so I think my decision to keep the kit "simple" was just right, esp. with the diorama (see below)! You can easily over-do such a thing. Finally, everything was sealed under a matte varnish coat, and dust and sand in the diroama' colors were added with grinded artist chalks.

Like its mate, the re-revived Desertgunner kit, this self-made Tequilagunner derivate (hence the “Mk.II” suffix…) would also receive a small diorama for display. In this case it would be a small and generic sand desert scene, where the F44B strides over a sandy dune with a rippled surface, with only little vegetation. The whole diorama is just 20x20cm in size, large enough to house the walking tank on its dune, with little distraction.

The diorama is pretty simple, made from an MDF base with balsa side panels. The landscape’s profile was sculpted with Styrofoam, and then three coats of thin plaster and finally some fine concrete dust was applied and fixated.

Water-based colors, some dry painting and few vegetation details round the thing up. The palm trees were completely hand-made, bay the way, another experiment which turned out to be VERY effective and cheap (pls. see separate picture series in this set for a step-by-step documentation).

The diorama surface was painted with the same colors as the kit, and then also lightly dry-painted. The rest of the vegetation came from the scrap box and consists of various moss variants, model railraod scale grass bushels and bristle, glued to the base and fixated with hair spray. This stuff also received some dry painting to blend with the other diorama elements.

Finally, the F44B was positioned on the diorama and details added, like the motorcycle scout on top of the dune.

Compared with the Desertgunner in snow livery, this modified Crabgunner is not as "good" (the kit was just in bad shape), but it is an interesting and impressive model which was and is IMHO worth "saving". But considering that it was not a newly-built kit, rather a kind of youth heritage wreck, I am quite happy with the result.

Diamond crystal from Russia.

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5200 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The diamond shown here is a 1.29 carat octahedral crystal, modified by trigons (small triangular-shaped structures). It comes from a kimberlite body in eastern Siberia. Kimberlites are intrusive igneous rocks typically having pipe-shaped geometries. The host kimberlite is Paleozoic in age, but the diamonds date to the Precambrian, based on inclusion dating.

Geologic unit & age: Mir Kimberlite, Malo-Botuoba Kimberlite Field, erupted in the Devonian of Mississippian, 324 to 403 Ma (dates cluster around 354 to 360 Ma)

Locality: unrecorded locality in the Mir Kimberlite Pipe, town of Mirnyy, Yakutia (a.k.a. "Sakha"), eastern Siberia, Russia (~62° 31' 43.93" North latitude, ~113° 59' 38.60" East longitude)

A massive titan of metal and smoke and steam.

I broke down and paid for some professional photographs of me in my costumes this year; in this one I'm Governor-General James Howlett - an alternative universe version of Wolverine. I think the photographer knocked it out of the park with these in terms of mood, background, and lighting.

Photographer: Bryan Humphrey

Fluorescing diamonds from an undisclosed locality. (each crystal is on the order of 0.5 millimeters in size)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are about 5600 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known. Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The diamonds shown above are clear/colorless under white light. This photo was taken under ultraviolet (UV) light - "black light", which makes the diamonds fluoresce various shades of blues, magenta, green, and other colors.

Why do some minerals fluoresce under UV light? When short-wavelength UV radiation, long-wavelength UV radiation, or x-rays bombard atoms, electron excitation occurs. But the electrons do not remain in an energetically excited state. They quickly give off energy and resume their normal energy levels. If the electron energy release is in the visible spectrum of light, a mineral glows, or fluoresces.

Diamond crystal in kimberlite from the mid-Paleozoic of Siberia, Russia. (Stan & Pris Woollams collection)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 6000 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The above specimen is a very rare, ultramafic igneous rock called kimberlite, which is the ultimate host rock for most diamonds. Kimberlites are unusual igneous bodies having overall pipe-shaped geometries. Their mode of formation is only moderately understood because they have not been observed forming. Kimberlites are known from scattered localities throughout the world - only some are significantly diamondiferous. Classic localities for diamonds are India and Brazil. Africa was also discovered to have many kimberlites and is world-famous for producing large numbers of diamonds. Other notable diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences include Russia, China, and northwestern Canada.

Kimberlites are named for the town of Kimberley, South Africa. Several kimberlite pipes occur in the Kimberley area. Kimberlites have a gently tapering-downward, pipe-shaped cross-section, somewhat like a carrot.

This sample of diamondiferous kimberlite is from Siberia’s Mir Diamond Mine. Identifiable large fragments in the matrix of this rock include serpentinized olivine (greenish) and garnet (very dark red). The Mir Kimberlite Pipe was the first diamondiferous kimberlite found in Siberia and one of the most important diamond mines on Earth (see: lumq.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/mir_mine_5.jpg). The Mir Kimberlite is one of several ultramafic pipes in the Malo-Botuoba Kimberlite Field of the Siberian Platform. Additional diamondiferous kimberlite fields have been found elsewhere in Siberia.

Geochronologic studies on rocks and minerals from the Mir Kimberlite Pipe have given dates ranging from the Archean to the Phanerozoic. Ages from small inclusions in diamond crystals date well into the Precambrian, although Mir diamonds appear to have crystallized not long before eruption of the pipe in the Devonian (there is mounting evidence indicating diamond inclusion dates don’t necessary reliably indicate diamond crystallization dates).

Available evidence indicates that the Mir Pipe erupted some time in the Devonian or Mississippian (Early Carboniferous). Devonian to Mississippian ages have also been obtained from other pipes in the Malo-Botuoba Kimberlite Field. Published eruption dates for the Mir Pipe range from 403 to 324 million years. Many studies report dates clustering around 354 to 360 Ma (~latest Devonian to Early Mississippian). These dates roughly correspond to a time of intraplate basalt volcanism in Siberia.

The Mir Kimberlite’s geometry is that of a gently tapering-downward pipe, as are most other kimberlite bodies. The pipe intrudes Cambrian and Ordovician carbonate rocks, which occur throughout the Siberian Platform.

Reported xenoliths in the Mir Pipe include Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, Paleozoic igneous rocks, Precambrian basement rocks, and mantle rocks (eclogites & several types of peridotites).

Location: Mirnyy, Yakutia/Sakha, Siberia, Russia (62˚ 31’ 43.93” North, 113˚ 59’ 38.60” East)

Early descriptions

The earliest mention of the Vajra is in the Rigveda, a part of four Vedas. It is described as the weapon of Indra, the god of heaven and the chief deity of the Rigvedic pantheon. Indra is described as using the Vajra to kill sinners and ignorant persons. The Rigveda states that the weapon was made for Indra by Tvastar, the maker of divine instruments. The associated story describes Indra using the Vajra, which he held in his hand, to slay the Asura Vritra, who took the form of a serpent.

On account of his skill in wielding the Vajra, some epithets used for Indra in the Rigveda were Vajrabhrit (bearing the bolt), Vajrivat or Vajrin (armed with the bolt), Vajradaksina (holding the bolt in his right hand), and Vajrabahu or Vajrahasta (holding the Vajra in his hand). The association of the Vajra with Indra was continued with some modifications in the later Puranic literature, and in Buddhist works. Buddhaghosa, a major figure of Theravada Buddhism in the 5th century, identified the Bodhisattva Vajrapani with Indra.

Vajra in Vajrayana Buddhism

In Buddhism the vajra is the symbol of Vajrayana, one of the three major branches of Buddhism. Vajrayana is translated as "Thunderbolt Way"[12] or "Diamond Way" and can imply the thunderbolt experience of Buddhist enlightenment or bodhi. It also implies indestructibility,[13] just as diamonds are harder than other gemstones.

In Tantric Buddhism (Vajrayana) the vajra and ghanta (bell) are used in many rites by a lama or any Vajrayana practitioner of sadhanas. The dorje is a male polysemic symbol that represents many things for the tantrika. The vajra is representative of upaya whereas its companion tool, the bell which is a female symbol, denotes prajna. Some deities are shown holding each the vajra and bell in separate hands, symbolizing the union of the forces of compassion and wisdom, respectively.

Vajrasattva holds the vajra in his right hand and a bell in his left hand.

In the tantric traditions of Buddhism, the vajra is a symbol for the nature of reality, or sunyata, indicating endless creativity, potency, and skillful activity. The term is employed extensively in tantric literature: the term for the spiritual teacher is the vajracarya; instead of bodhisattva, we have vajrasattva, and so on. The practice of prefixing terms, names, places, and so on by vajra represents the conscious attempt to recognize the transcendental aspect of all phenomena; it became part of the process of "sacramentalizing" the activities of the spiritual practitioner and encouraged him to engage all his psychophysical energies in the spiritual life.

An instrument symbolizing vajra is also extensively used in the rituals of the tantra. It consists of a spherical central section, with two symmetrical sets of five prongs, which arc out from lotus blooms on either side of the sphere and come to a point at two points equidistant from the centre, thus giving it the appearance of a "diamond sceptre", which is how the term is sometimes translated.

Various figures in Tantric iconography are represented holding or wielding the vajra. Three of the most famous of these are Vajrasattva,[4] Vajrapani, and Padmasambhava. Vajrasattva (lit. vajra-being) holds the vajra, in his right hand, to his heart. The figure of the Wrathful Vajrapani (lit. vajra in the hand) brandishes the vajra, in his right hand, above his head. Padmasambhava holds the vajra above his right knee in his right hand.

Symbolism

The vajra is made up of several parts. In the center is a sphere which represents Sunyata, (Emptiness) the primordial nature of the universe, the underlying unity of all things. Emerging from the sphere are two eight petaled lotus flowers. One represents the phenomenal world (or in Buddhist terms Samsara), the other represents the noumenal world (or Nirvana). This is one of the fundamental dichotomies which are perceived by the unenlightened.

Arranged equally around the mouth of the lotus are two, four, or eight creatures which are called makaras. These are mythological half-fish, half-crocodile creaturesmade up of two or more animals, often representing the union of opposites, (or a harmonisation of qualities that transcend our usual experience). From the mouths of the makaras come tongues which come together in a point.

The five pronged vajra (with four makaras, plus a central prong) is the most commonly seen vajra. There is an elaborate system of correspondences between the five elements of the noumenal side of the vajra, and the phenomenal side. One important correspondence is between the five "poisons" with the five wisdoms. The five poisons are the mental states that obscure the original purity of a being's mind, while the five wisdoms are the five most important aspects of the enlightened mind. Each of the five wisdoms is also associated with a Buddha figure. (see also Five Wisdom Buddhas).

From: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajra

Diamond from Sierra Leone, West Africa. (public display, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5200 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

Vajrapāṇi (Sanskrit, "Vajra in [his] hand") is one of the earliest-appearing bodhisattvas in Mahayana Buddhism. He is the protector and guide of Gautama Buddha and rose to symbolize the Buddha's power.

Vajrapani is extensively represented in Buddhist iconography as one of the three protective deities surrounding the Buddha. Each of them symbolizes one of the Buddha's virtues: Mañjuśrī manifests all the Buddhas' wisdom, Avalokiteśvara manifests all the Buddhas' compassion and Vajrapani manifests all the Buddhas' power as well as the power of all five tathāgatas.

Vajrapani is one of the earliest Dharmapalas and the only Buddhist deity to be mentioned in the Pāli Canon as well as be worshiped in the Shaolin Monastery, in Tibetan Buddhism and in Pure Land Buddhism (where he is known as Mahasthamaprapta and forms a triad with Amitābha and Avalokiteśvara). Manifestations of Vajrapani can also be found in many Buddhist temples in Japan as dharma protectors called Nio. Vajrapani is also associated with Acala, who is venerated as Fudo-Myō in Japan, where he is serenaded as the holder of the vajra.

The Buddhist Vajrapani is distinct from the entity mentioned in the Vedas as Indra, king of the gods and the most widely-mentioned deity in Hindu scriptures.

NAMES

In Sanskrit, Vajrapani is also known as Vajrasattva. The Golden Light Sutra titles him "great general of the yakshas".

Other name-forms are as follows.

Bengali: Bojropani (বজ্রপাণি)

Indonesian: Wajrapani

Japanese: Kongō shu bosatsu (金剛手菩薩), Wairaoneisa (和夷羅洹閱叉) or Bajarahaji (跋闍羅波膩)[3]

Korean: Geumgang su bosal (금강수보살) or Balsarapani (발사라파니)

Malay: Bajrapani

Mandarin: Jīngāng shǒu púsà (金剛手菩薩), Héyíluóhuányuèchā (和夷羅洹閱叉) or Báshéluóbōnì (跋闍羅波膩)

Mongolian: Ochirvaani (Очирваань) or Bazarvaani (Базарваань)

Tibetan: Chagna Dorje (ཕྱག་ན་རྡོ་རྗེ་ Wylie: phyag na rdo rje)

Vietnamese: Kim cương thủ bồ tát, Hoà di la hoàn duyệt xoa or Bạt xà la ba nị

ICONOGRAPHY

Vajrapani's image contains several key elements:

Vajrapani's expression is wrathful, often symbolized as a yaksha, to generate "fear in the individual to loosen up his dogmatism"

Vajrapani's taut posture is the active warrior pose (pratayalidha), based on an archer's stance;

His loin cloth is made up of the skin of a tiger, whose head can be seen on his left knee;

His outstretched right hand brandishes a vajra, "symbolizing analytical knowledge (ñana-vajira) that disintegrates the grasping of consciousness (vinnananam-pariggaha)";

His left hand deftly holds a lasso, with which he binds demons;

Around his neck is a serpent necklace;

Although he wears a skull crown in a few depictions, in most depictions he wears a five-pointed Bodhisattva crown to depict the power of the five tathāgathas;

He has a third eye.

MANTRAS

The mantra oṃ vajrapāṇi hūṃ phaṭ is associated with Vajrapani. His Seed Syllable is hūṃ.

MEANING

On the popular level, Vajrapani, Holder of the Thunderbolt Scepter (symbolizing the power of compassion), is the Bodhisattva who represents the power of all the Buddhas, just as Avalokitesvara represents their great compassion, Manjusri their wisdom, and Tara their miraculous deeds.

For the yogi, Vajrapani is a means of accomplishing fierce determination and symbolizes unrelenting effectiveness in the conquest of negativity.

According to the Pancavimsatisahasrika and Astasahasrika Prajnaparamita any Bodhisattva on the path to Buddhahood is eligible for Vajrapani's protection, making them invincible to any attacks "by either men or ghosts".

APPEARANCES & IDENTIFICATIONS

His first representations in India were identified with the thunder deity. Buddhaghosa associated Vajrapani with the Hindu god Indra, As Buddhism expanded in Central Asia, and fused with Hellenistic influences into Greco-Buddhism, the Greek hero Heracles was adopted to represent Vajrapani. He was then typically depicted as a hairy, muscular athlete, wielding a short "diamond" club.

In Japan, Vajrapani is known as Shukongōshin (執金剛神, "Diamond rod-wielding god"), and has been the inspiration for the Niō, the wrath-filled and muscular guardian god of the Buddha, standing today at the entrance of many Buddhist temples under the appearance of frightening wrestler-like statues. He is also associated with Fudo-Myo, an incarnation of Acala and the prayer mantra for Fudo-Myo references him as the powerful wielder of the vajra.

Some suggest that the war deity Kartikeya, who bears the title Skanda is also a manifestation of Vajrapani, who bears some resemblance to Skanda because they both wield the vajra and are portrayed with flaming halos. He is also connected through Vajrapani through a theory to his connection to Greco-Buddhism, as Wei Tuo's image is reminiscent of the Heracles depiction of Vajrapani.

STORIES

CONVERSION OF AMBATTHA

The Pali Canon's Ambattha Suttanta, which challenges the caste system, tells of one instance of him appearing as a sign of the Buddha's power. At the behest of his teacher, a young Brahmin named Ambatha visited the Buddha. Knowing the Buddha's family to be the Shakya clan who are Kshatriya caste, Ambatha failed to show him the respect he would a fellow Brahmin. When the Buddha questioned his lack of respect, Ambatha replied it was because the Buddha belongs to a "menial" caste. The Buddha then asked the Brahmin if his family was descended from a “Shakya slave girl”. Knowing this to be true, Ambatha refused to answer the question. Upon refusing to answer the question for a second time, the Buddha warned him that his head would be smashed to bits if he failed to do so a third time. Ambatha was frightened when he saw Vajrapani manifest above the Buddha's head ready to strike the Brahmin down with his thunderbolt. He quickly confirmed the truth and a lesson on caste ensues.

VAJRAPANI & MAHESWARA

A popular story tells how Vajrapani kills Maheswara, a manifestation of Shiva depicted as an evil being. The story occurs in several scriptures, most notably the Sarvatathagatatattvasamgraha and the Vajrapany-abhiseka-mahatantra. The story begins with the transformation of the Bodhisattva Samantabhadra into Vajrapani by Vairocana, the cosmic Buddha, receiving a vajra and the name "Vajrapani". Vairocana then requests Vajrapani to generate his adamantine family, to establish a mandala. Vajrapani refuses, because Maheswara (Shiva) "is deluding beings with his deceitfull religious doctrines and engaging in all kinds of violent criminal conduct". Mahesvara and his entourage are dragged to Mount Sumeru, and all but Mahesvara submit. Vajrapani and Mahesvara engage in a magical combat, which is won by Vajrapani. Maheswara's retinue become part of Vairocana's mandala, except for Maheswara, who is killed, and his life transferred to another realm where he becomes a Buddha named Bhasmesvara-nirghosa, the "Soundless Lord of Ashes".

According to Kalupahana, the story "echoes" the story of the conversion of Ambattha. It is to be understood in the context of the competition between Buddhist institutions and Shaivism.

PATRON SAINT OF SHAOLIN MONASTERY

In his book The Shaolin Monastery (2008), Prof. Meir Shahar notes Vajrapani is the patron saint of the Shaolin Monastery. A short story appearing in Zhang Zhuo's (660-741) Tang anthology shows how the deity had been venerated in the Monastery from at least the eighth century. It is an anecdotal story of how the Shaolin monk Sengchou (480-560) gained supernatural strength and fighting ability by praying to the Vajrapani and being force-fed raw meat. Shaolin abbot Zuduan (1115–1167) erected a stele in his honor during the Song Dynasty. It reads:

According to the scripture [Lotus Sutra], this deity (Narayana) is a manifestation of Avalokitesvara (Guanyin). If a person who compassionately nourishes all living beings employs this [deity's] charm, it will increase his body's strength (zengzhang shen li). It fulfills all vows, being most efficacious. ... Therefore those who study Narayana's hand-symbolism (mudra), those who seek his spell (mantra), and those who search for his image are numerous. Thus we have erected this stele to spread this transmission.

— Stele re-erected (chong shang) by Shaolin's abbot Zuduan

Instead of being considered a stand alone deity, Shaolin believes Vajrapani to be an emanation of the Bodhisattva Guanyin. The Chinese scholar A'De noted this was because the Lotus Sutra says Guanyin takes on the visage of whatever being that would best help pervade the dharma. The exact Lotus Sutra passage reads: “To those who can be conveyed to deliverance by the body of the spirit who grasps the vajra (Vajrapani) he preaches Dharma by displaying the body of the spirit who grasps the vajra.”

He was historically worshiped as the progenitor of their famous staff method by the monks themselves. A stele erected by Shaolin abbot Wenzai in 1517 shows the deity's vajra-club had by then been changed to a Chinese staff, which originally "served as the emblem of the monk". Vajrapani's yaksha-like Narayana form was eventually equated with one of the four staff-wielding "Kinnara Kings" from the Lotus Sutra in 1575. His name was thus changed from Narayana to "Kinnara King". One of the many versions of a certain tale regarding his creation of the staff method takes place during the Yuan Dynasty's Red Turban Rebellion. Bandits lay siege to the monastery, but it is saved by a lowly kitchen worker wielding a long fire poker as a makeshift staff. He leaps into the oven and emerges as a monstrous giant big enough to stand astride both Mount Song and the imperial fort atop Mount Shaoshi (which are five miles apart). The bandits flee when they behold this staff-wielding titan. The Shaolin monks later realize that the kitchen worker was none other than the Kinnara King in disguise. Shahar notes the part of the kitchen worker might have been based on the actual life of the monk Huineng (638-713). In addition, he suggests the mythical elements of the tale were based on the fictional adventures of Sun Wukong from the Chinese epic Journey to the West. He compares the worker's transformation in the stove with Sun's time in Laozi's crucible, their use of the staff, and the fact that Sun and his weapon can both grow to gigantic proportions.

Statues and paintings of kinnaras were commissioned in various halls throughout Shaolin in honor of his defeat of the Red Turban army. A wicker statue woven by the monks and featured in the center of the "Kinnara Hall" was mentioned in Cheng Zongyou's seventeenth century training manual Shaolin Staff Method. However, a century later, it was claimed that the Kinnara King had himself woven the statue. It was destroyed when the monastery was set aflame by the KMT General Shi Yousan in 1928. A "rejuvenated religious cult" arose around kinnaras in the late twentieth century. Shaolin re-erected the shrine to him in 1984 and improved it in 2004.

WIKIPEDIA

Diamonds from South Africa. (specimen at top is 13 millimeters along its long axis)

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A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5700 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known. Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

The four South African rough diamonds seen here somewhat resemble framesite diamondites (= diamond rocks), but I don't think they are. I think the best geologic label is "aggregate diamonds" - they're all polycrystalline masses.

Locality: unrecorded/undisclosed locality in South Africa

Zircons - dark brown pseudo-octahedral crystals. (each is ~5 to 7 millimeters across)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 6100 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

The silicates are the most abundant and chemically complex group of minerals. All silicates have silica as the basis for their chemistry. "Silica" refers to SiO2 chemistry. The fundamental molecular unit of silica is one small silicon atom surrounded by four large oxygen atoms in the shape of a triangular pyramid - this is the silica tetrahedron - SiO4. Each oxygen atom is shared by two silicon atoms, so only half of the four oxygens "belong" to each silicon. The resulting formula for silica is thus SiO2, not SiO4.

The simplest & most abundant silicate mineral in the Earth's crust is quartz (SiO2). All other silicates have silica + impurities. Many silicates have a significant percentage of aluminum (the aluminosilicates).

Zircon is a zirconium silicate mineral (ZrSiO4). It is very hard (H=7.5), has an nonmetallic, adamantine luster, and varies in color from brownish to grayish to greenish to reddish to clearish. Most zircon crystals are very tiny. Well-developed crystals show that they have four-sided prisms capped at both ends with pyramidal terminations. The five zircon crystals shown above lack the prism portion of the crystal, and only have the two pyramidal terminations, resulting in pseudo-octahedral crystals.

Other elements often take the place of Zr in this mineral. For example, all zircons contain some Hf (hafnium). Iron (Fe), thorium (Th), and uranium (U) also commonly substitute in place of zirconium. As a consequence, zircons are radioactive. Zircons are hard and chemically resistant, but many crystals (= metamict zircons) are found destroyed by radiation from included Th & U.

Microscopic zircons are present in practically all igneous rocks and metamorphic rocks. Many modern sands and ancient siliciclastic sedimentary rocks contain detrital zircons. Zircon is used as a gemstone, sometimes masquerading as diamond. Zircon is also used as a source of zirconium metal (some Florida sands have up to 1% zircon, and are mined for Zr). The most significant use for zircons in geology is isotopic dating (radiometric dating).

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Photo gallery of zircon:

www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=4421

Can you repeat... vintage? This is another kit from about 20 years ago which I salvaged as a true wreck from the basement. Even though it is a Dougram model (originally from Doyusha and later Takara), my specimen was actually released in 1985 or 1986 by Revell under their hodgepodge Robotech label as "Dromedin". Battletech nerds will know this mecha as "Goliath".

The first time I built it it was OOB in the Revell livery (overall steel grey with white and dark grey stripes), and in my second "mecha phase" in the 90ies I modified it to look like a catalogue picture of Revell's "Commando" version of the huge 1/48th scale Tequilagunner kit: in a pale sand, mid brown and bluish grey livery, and with the typical "balconies" on the vehicle's flanks. This converted kit was also experimentally weathered with coloured plaster, and the result was... horrible! Consequently, the kit disappeared from the “public collection”. Forgotten, until now - for a third build!

I originally planned to scrape the plaster off of the kit, do just some detail work and use its last paint coat with new weathering, just like the recently revived Desertgunner. But the old plaster was so thick and adamantine, the paint so poor and the plastic proved to have become surprisingly brittle with age, that more thorough work became necessary. For example, two hip joints broke off and needed firm replacements, the balconies (these are still the hand-made “things” from 20 years ago…) needed completely (and better) new rails, a nozzle brake from a WWII tank was transplanted and two extra rocket launchers had to be added, too.

Lots of polystyrene plates and profiles went into this project, as well as figures from a 1:72 scale modern tank crew set from Preiser, a mortar crew, plus various scratch-built small stuff like stowage boxes, the sun roof, cammo nets, the telescope, dust protectors on the legs and feet, sand bags, etc.. Every piece is just a tiny bit, but in a sum they add up to a lively look of the kit, and they are important in order to create small, plausible scenes.

The camouflage scheme is nothing specific, although I admit that I was not certain until I finally painted the kit. One plan was a sand base with olive drab and tan stripes, but after I applied the basic sand tone, I left it that way, because weathering and the details on the balconies were supposed to remain the main attraction. As a side effect, the single color livery is also an authentic choice for the F44B.

Painting was done with simple rattle cans - I do not own an air brush (and do not miss it). Main color is a reddish sand tone, RAL 1011 “Brown Beige”, but it was shaded with darker and lighter rattle can colors for light effects and weathering. A total of 3 other tones were used: RAL 8023 "Orange Brown" for undersides (the darkest tone, only little of this tone can be actually seen), then an acryllic hobby paint called "Sand" (very close tothe RAL 1011, slightly more reddish, for the sides, and finally a vintage VW car color called "Mexico Beige" which was applied onto the RAL 1011 on top sides, to mimic sun-bleached paint. Some pictures of the "making of" series for this kit show some painting steps as well as the colors.

After that, details like the sand protectors were painted with acryllic paint (in dark brown). Since I lack original decals, the few which went onto the kit came from the spare parts box:

- the red "2" roundels come from a British Mk. IV WWI tank from EMHAR (1:35 scale)

- the yellow registry numbers come from a modern US Army tank

- the round, red badges (depicting an armored rider/knight) are actually German Luftwaffe squadron markings from WWII, also from an aftermarket sheet

- The small red "eyes" on the Tequilagunner's middle section come from a Ma.K. aftermarket decal sheet.

I wanted the marking to complement the few red contrasts on the Tequilagunner, like the rocket launchers, so that a few details were added, but the overall impression limited to only a few basic colors, reducing distractions.

Next, an ink wash with a mix of black, sepia, ochre and raw umber was applied, and then lots of dry painting created shading, weathering and detail enhancement. For dry painting, I used Humbrol colors 84 (Mid Stone), 64 (Light Grey) and 121 (Light Stone), mixing the colors for varying shades. This treatment already broke up the very uniform RAL 1011 finish, but further work with dry paint e. g. with silver for blank metal or raw umber and burnt sienna for some subtle rust and oil stains, plus some rubbing with grinded, soft pencil mine, enhanced the looks even further. On a camouflage pattern, all these treatments would not have looked that impressive, so I think my decision to keep the kit "simple" was just right, esp. with the diorama (see below)! You can easily over-do such a thing. Finally, everything was sealed under a matte varnish coat, and dust and sand in the diroama' colors were added with grinded artist chalks.

Like its mate, the re-revived Desertgunner kit, this self-made Tequilagunner derivate (hence the “Mk.II” suffix…) would also receive a small diorama for display. In this case it would be a small and generic sand desert scene, where the F44B strides over a sandy dune with a rippled surface, with only little vegetation. The whole diorama is just 20x20cm in size, large enough to house the walking tank on its dune, with little distraction.

The diorama is pretty simple, made from an MDF base with balsa side panels. The landscape’s profile was sculpted with Styrofoam, and then three coats of thin plaster and finally some fine concrete dust was applied and fixated.

Water-based colors, some dry painting and few vegetation details round the thing up. The palm trees were completely hand-made, bay the way, another experiment which turned out to be VERY effective and cheap (pls. see separate picture series in this set for a step-by-step documentation).

The diorama surface was painted with the same colors as the kit, and then also lightly dry-painted. The rest of the vegetation came from the scrap box and consists of various moss variants, model railraod scale grass bushels and bristle, glued to the base and fixated with hair spray. This stuff also received some dry painting to blend with the other diorama elements.

Finally, the F44B was positioned on the diorama and details added, like the motorcycle scout on top of the dune.

Compared with the Desertgunner in snow livery, this modified Crabgunner is not as "good" (the kit was just in bad shape), but it is an interesting and impressive model which was and is IMHO worth "saving". But considering that it was not a newly-built kit, rather a kind of youth heritage wreck, I am quite happy with the result.

Hubby's Grandfather's Seth Thomas Adamantine Clock from the early 1900's, I believe.

We had the works cleaned a few years back and it now runs beautifully.

When I remember to wind it.

There's something to be said for batteries.

Our Daily Challenge - Oct 11, 2014 - "Antique"

Daily Dog Challenge 1075, "Saturday, What A Day"

The boys spent the day at the Day Spa being primped and pampered, coming home sweet smelling, fluffy, and exhausted.

Today's Post (The Noble Dog) : www.bzdogs.com/2014/10/the-noble-dog.html

Stop on by Zachary and Henry's blog: bzdogs.com

Carbonado diamondites from the Precambrian of Africa. (small specimen at top: 4.05 carats and 9x9x6 millimeters in size; medium-sized specimen at left: 4.07 carats and 10x13x7 millimeters in size; large specimen at right: 5.09 carats and 12x6x6 millimeters in size).

Diamondites are rare, polycrystalline, nearly monomineralic diamond rocks. The term “diamond” refers to a mineral, while the term “diamondite” refers to a diamond rock. The three diamondites seen here are a variety referred to as “carbonados” in the diamond trade. Carbonados are typically a dark brown to blackish color. The shiny luster seen in these specimens is typical for carbonados (adamantine luster). Individual diamond crystals in carbonado diamondites are exceedingly small, usually less than 20 microns. Carbonados are also characterized by having obvious porosity in all portions of the rock (see the pits in these specimens - click once or twice on the picture to zoom in).

Despite a relative abundance of published research, the origin of carbonado diamondites is still unresolved. Some workers interpret them as being crustal in origin. Some consider them to have a mantle origin. Some suggest that they are impact-generated. Recent research has indicated that carbonado diamondites are extraterrestrial - extrasolar, in fact (apparently supernova-generated).

True carbonado diamondites have only been recorded from Brazil and the Central African Republic (CAR). Considering South America & Africa were physically connected for a long time while they were part of the ancient Gondwana continent, these two carbonado occurrences probably represent one deposit.

These specimens are from the CAR. There, carbonado diamondites are recovered from modern to subrecent alluvial gravels (placer deposits) below the topsoil. They are only found in & immediately adjacent to the outcrop belt of the Carnot Formation (Cretaceous). The Carnot Formation is an ancient fluvial & lacustrine siliciclastic unit that hosts scattered diamonds & carbonados. Upon weathering & erosion, any included diamonds in the Carnot Formation enter modern river systems’ sediment loads.

Age: carbonado diamondites are exceedingly old - published research indicates that their age 3.2 billion years (mid-Mesoarchean).

Locality: unrecorded locality in the “Bangui region” (= area between the cities of Bangui and Berberati), southwestern Central African Republic, central Africa

Rutile-rich sand from the Holocene of Australia. (sample is about 98% rutile)

This is a concentrate sample derived from modern sand along the eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. It is, in essence, titanium ore. Click once or twice on the photo to zoom in - the black and dark red grains are rutile (TiO2, titanium oxide), an important titanium ore mineral. Concentrations of heavy, valuable minerals (for example, gold, diamond, cassiterite, etc.) in beach sands or river sediments are called placer deposits. In this case, good long shore currents have concentrated rutile along the coast of Queensland. Monazite and zircon also occur in these sands - by-product concentrates have been made of these minerals.

Pure titanium oxide is translucent and is called titania - its good sparkle and adamantine luster made it a popular synthetic gemstone decades ago (e.g., www.flickr.com/photos/ptorraca/5265350812 ). In nature, iron (Fe) is often substituted into the rutile molecular structure, as well as tin (Sn), chromium (Cr), and vanadium (V). Due to its iron content, natural rutile is opaque and black-colored, but it is also translucent red to very dark red, depending on the amount of Fe. Rutile is 6 to 6.5 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. It forms tetragonal prisms, usually striated. Rutile often forms twins that look like bent crystals - "elbow twins". At high temperatures, rutile and quartz form a solid solution; with cooling, rutile separates and the quartz ends up enclosing rutile crystals ("rutilated quartz" - see www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/34510806931 ). In granites and pegmatites, rutile is common as small grains.

Locality: unrecorded site at or near Tin Can Bay, coastal-southeastern Queensland, eastern Australia

Provenance: collected in 1969 from a titanium ore feed for the Timet Mill in Henderson, Nevada, USA ("Timet" = Titanium Metals Corporation of America); the raw ore was dredged along the Queensland coast by Queensland Titanium Limited and then concentrated, using spiral concentrators; ore was then transported to Long Beach, California and then to Henderson, Nevada

------------------

Photo gallery of rutile & rutilated quartz:

www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=3486

and

www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=3485

Detail of the Gigantomachia Frieze depicting the 'Clash of the Titans' where the greeks gods take on the Giants. The frieze is over 100 meters long, covering the entire base of the Altar of Zeus in the Ancient Greek city of Pergamon. The remains of the Frieze have been restored in Berlin's Pergamon Museum.

* This photo appears here.

(public display, Geology Department, Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 6100 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

The sulfide minerals contain one or more sulfide anions (S-2). The sulfides are usually considered together with the arsenide minerals, the sulfarsenide minerals, and the telluride minerals. Many sulfides are economically significant, as they occur commonly in ores. The metals that combine with S-2 are mainly Fe, Cu, Ni, Ag, etc. Most sulfides have a metallic luster, are moderately soft, and are noticeably heavy for their size. These minerals will not form in the presence of free oxygen. Under an oxygen-rich atmosphere, sulfide minerals tend to chemically weather to various oxide and hydroxide minerals.

Sphalerite is a somewhat common zinc sulfide mineral (ZnS). It has a metallic to submetallic to resinous to adamantine luster. Many metals can substitute for the zinc, such as iron, cadmium, and manganese. Sphalerite almost always has some iron in it, so a better chemical formula would be (Zn,Fe)S. Sphalerite has a wide color range, depending principally on iron content. Pure to almost pure sphalerite is whitish to greenish. With increasing iron content, sphalerite becomes yellowish to brownish to blackish. One variety of sphalerite has a strikingly intense dark red color (ruby sphalerite). Its streak color also varies with iron content from whitish to pale yellowish to brownish. Sphalerite is also distinctive in being moderately heavy for its size and having six different planes of cleavage.

Sphalerite is the most important zinc ore mineral. Zinc produced from sphalerite is used for many purposes, including mixing with copper to produce brass, rust protection of iron & steel, and for making modern American pennies (although the cost of making each zinc penny is more than 1¢).

Locality: quarry near the town of Bluffton, northeastern Allen County, northwestern Ohio, USA

-------------------

Photo gallery of sphalerite:

www.mindat.org/gallery.php?min=3727

"...with hideous ruin and combustion down to bottomless perdition, there to dwell in adamantine chains and penal fire..." paradise lost, book I

Can you repeat... vintage? This is another kit from about 20 years ago which I salvaged as a true wreck from the basement. Even though it is a Dougram model (originally from Doyusha and later Takara), my specimen was actually released in 1985 or 1986 by Revell under their hodgepodge Robotech label as "Dromedin". Battletech nerds will know this mecha as "Goliath".

The first time I built it it was OOB in the Revell livery (overall steel grey with white and dark grey stripes), and in my second "mecha phase" in the 90ies I modified it to look like a catalogue picture of Revell's "Commando" version of the huge 1/48th scale Tequilagunner kit: in a pale sand, mid brown and bluish grey livery, and with the typical "balconies" on the vehicle's flanks. This converted kit was also experimentally weathered with coloured plaster, and the result was... horrible! Consequently, the kit disappeared from the “public collection”. Forgotten, until now - for a third build!

I originally planned to scrape the plaster off of the kit, do just some detail work and use its last paint coat with new weathering, just like the recently revived Desertgunner. But the old plaster was so thick and adamantine, the paint so poor and the plastic proved to have become surprisingly brittle with age, that more thorough work became necessary. For example, two hip joints broke off and needed firm replacements, the balconies (these are still the hand-made “things” from 20 years ago…) needed completely (and better) new rails, a nozzle brake from a WWII tank was transplanted and two extra rocket launchers had to be added, too.

Lots of polystyrene plates and profiles went into this project, as well as figures from a 1:72 scale modern tank crew set from Preiser, a mortar crew, plus various scratch-built small stuff like stowage boxes, the sun roof, cammo nets, the telescope, dust protectors on the legs and feet, sand bags, etc.. Every piece is just a tiny bit, but in a sum they add up to a lively look of the kit, and they are important in order to create small, plausible scenes.

The camouflage scheme is nothing specific, although I admit that I was not certain until I finally painted the kit. One plan was a sand base with olive drab and tan stripes, but after I applied the basic sand tone, I left it that way, because weathering and the details on the balconies were supposed to remain the main attraction. As a side effect, the single color livery is also an authentic choice for the F44B.

Painting was done with simple rattle cans - I do not own an air brush (and do not miss it). Main color is a reddish sand tone, RAL 1011 “Brown Beige”, but it was shaded with darker and lighter rattle can colors for light effects and weathering. A total of 3 other tones were used: RAL 8023 "Orange Brown" for undersides (the darkest tone, only little of this tone can be actually seen), then an acryllic hobby paint called "Sand" (very close tothe RAL 1011, slightly more reddish, for the sides, and finally a vintage VW car color called "Mexico Beige" which was applied onto the RAL 1011 on top sides, to mimic sun-bleached paint. Some pictures of the "making of" series for this kit show some painting steps as well as the colors.

After that, details like the sand protectors were painted with acryllic paint (in dark brown). Since I lack original decals, the few which went onto the kit came from the spare parts box:

- the red "2" roundels come from a British Mk. IV WWI tank from EMHAR (1:35 scale)

- the yellow registry numbers come from a modern US Army tank

- the round, red badges (depicting an armored rider/knight) are actually German Luftwaffe squadron markings from WWII, also from an aftermarket sheet

- The small red "eyes" on the Tequilagunner's middle section come from a Ma.K. aftermarket decal sheet.

I wanted the marking to complement the few red contrasts on the Tequilagunner, like the rocket launchers, so that a few details were added, but the overall impression limited to only a few basic colors, reducing distractions.

Next, an ink wash with a mix of black, sepia, ochre and raw umber was applied, and then lots of dry painting created shading, weathering and detail enhancement. For dry painting, I used Humbrol colors 84 (Mid Stone), 64 (Light Grey) and 121 (Light Stone), mixing the colors for varying shades. This treatment already broke up the very uniform RAL 1011 finish, but further work with dry paint e. g. with silver for blank metal or raw umber and burnt sienna for some subtle rust and oil stains, plus some rubbing with grinded, soft pencil mine, enhanced the looks even further. On a camouflage pattern, all these treatments would not have looked that impressive, so I think my decision to keep the kit "simple" was just right, esp. with the diorama (see below)! You can easily over-do such a thing. Finally, everything was sealed under a matte varnish coat, and dust and sand in the diroama' colors were added with grinded artist chalks.

Compared with the Desertgunner in snow livery, this modified Crabgunner is not as "good" (the kit was just in bad shape), but it is an interesting and impressive model which was and is IMHO worth "saving". But considering that it was not a newly-built kit, rather a kind of youth heritage wreck, I am quite happy with the result.

Fluorescing diamonds from an undisclosed locality. (each crystal is on the order of 0.5 millimeters in size)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are about 5600 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known. Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The diamonds shown above are clear/colorless under white light. This photo was taken under ultraviolet (UV) light - "black light", which makes the diamonds fluoresce various shades of blues and magentas and other colors.

Why do some minerals fluoresce under UV light? When short-wavelength UV radiation, long-wavelength UV radiation, or x-rays bombard atoms, electron excitation occurs. But the electrons do not remain in an energetically excited state. They quickly give off energy and resume their normal energy levels. If the electron energy release is in the visible spectrum of light, a mineral glows, or fluoresces.

Diamond from South Africa. (public display, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5200 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

MOMA:

"...The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, on 53rd Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It has been singularly important in developing and collecting modernist art, and is often identified as the most influential museum of modern art in the world. The museum's collection offers an unparalleled overview of modern and contemporary art, including works of architecture and design, drawings, painting, sculpture, photography, prints, illustrated books and artist's books, film, and electronic media.

MoMA's library and archives hold over 300,000 books, artist books, and periodicals, as well as individual files on more than 70,000 artists. The archives contain primary source material related to the history of modern and contemporary art. It also houses an award-winning fine dining restaurant, The Modern, run by Alsace-born chef Gabriel Kreuther.

The idea for The Museum of Modern Art was developed in 1928 primarily by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (wife of John D. Rockefeller Jr.) and two of her friends, Lillie P. Bliss and Mary Quinn Sullivan.[4] They became known variously as "the Ladies", "the daring ladies" and "the adamantine ladies". They rented modest quarters for the new museum and it opened to the public on November 7, 1929, nine days after the Wall Street Crash. Abby had invited A. Conger Goodyear, the former president of the board of trustees of the Albright Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, to become president of the new museum. Abby became treasurer. At the time, it was America's premier museum devoted exclusively to modern art, and the first of its kind in Manhattan to exhibit European modernism.[5]

Goodyear enlisted Paul J. Sachs and Frank Crowninshield to join him as founding trustees. Sachs, the associate director and curator of prints and drawings at the Fogg Art Museum at Harvard University, was referred to in those days as a collector of curators. Goodyear asked him to recommend a director and Sachs suggested Alfred H. Barr Jr., a promising young protege. Under Barr's guidance, the museum's holdings quickly expanded from an initial gift of eight prints and one drawing. Its first successful loan exhibition was in November 1929, displaying paintings by Van Gogh, Gauguin, Cezanne, and Seurat...."

find out more at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museum_of_Modern_Art

"Him the Almighty Power

Hurled headlong flaming from th' ethereal sky

With hideous ruin and combustion down

To bottomless perdition, there to dwell

In adamantine chains and penal fire,

Who durst defy th' Omnipotent to arms."

Paradise Lost 1: 44-49

Inspired by Milton and the imagery in Barlowe's "God's Demon".

to transform the negative energies known as the "three poisons" or "root poisons" (Sanskrit: mula klesha) of attachment/craving/desire, delusion/ignorance/misconception, and aversion/fear/hate.

A common manifestation of Vajrakilla has three heads, six arms, and four legs. Vajrakilaya's three right hands except for the right front one held vajras with five and nine prongs. The right front one makes a mudra as granting boons with open palm. Vajrakilaya's three left hands hold a flaming triple wishfulfilling jewel or triratna, a trident and the kilaya. Vajrakilaya's back is covered by the freshly flayed skin of the elephant representing 'ignorance' (Sanskrit: avidya; Wylie: marigpa), with the legs tied in front. A human skin is tied diagonally across his chest with the hands lying flat on Vajrakilaya's stomach and solar plexus representing the flailed ego that has released its powerful grip obscuring the 'qualities' of the Sadhaka.[12] Qualities are represented iconographically by the 'vortex' (Sanrkit: chakra; Wylie: Khorlo) of the Manipura (Sanskrit: Maṇipūra). A rope ripples over his body with severed heads hanging by their hair representing the Akshamala or 'garland of bija' (Sanskrit: Varnamala). A knee length loin cloth winds around his belly belted with a tiger skin complete with tail, claws and head. This deity wears manifold nāga adornments and jewellery: naga earrings, naga bracelets, naga anklets and a naga cord over his chest, sometimes referred to as a naga gurdle and a naga hairpiece or hair ornament. Vajrakilaya's faces are round and small compared to the tall body. Despite the large fangs and bulging eyes and his wrathful appearance, Vajrakilaya is perceived as having a benevolent demeanor.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vajrakilaya

Diamond in kimberlite from the Precambrian of South Africa. (public display, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology Mineral Museum, Butte, Montana, USA)

A mineral is a naturally-occurring, solid, inorganic, crystalline substance having a fairly definite chemical composition and having fairly definite physical properties. At its simplest, a mineral is a naturally-occurring solid chemical. Currently, there are over 5200 named and described minerals - about 200 of them are common and about 20 of them are very common. Mineral classification is based on anion chemistry. Major categories of minerals are: elements, sulfides, oxides, halides, carbonates, sulfates, phosphates, and silicates.

Elements are fundamental substances of matter - matter that is composed of the same types of atoms. At present, 118 elements are known (four of them are still unnamed). Of these, 98 occur naturally on Earth (hydrogen to californium). Most of these occur in rocks & minerals, although some occur in very small, trace amounts. Only some elements occur in their native elemental state as minerals.

To find a native element in nature, it must be relatively non-reactive and there must be some concentration process. Metallic, semimetallic (metalloid), and nonmetallic elements are known in their native state.

The element carbon occurs principally in its native state as graphite (C) and diamond (C). Graphite is the common & far less valuable polymorph of carbon. A scarce polymorph of carbon is diamond. The physical properties of diamond and graphite couldn’t be more different, considering they have the same chemistry. Diamond has a nonmetallic, adamantine luster, typically occurs in cubic or octahedral (double-pyramid) crystals, or subspherical to irregularly-shaped masses, and is extremely hard (H≡10). Diamonds can be almost any color, but are typically clearish, grayish, or yellowish. Many diamonds are noticeably fluorescent under black light (ultraviolet light), but the color and intensity of fluorescence varies. Some diamonds are phosphorescent - under certain conditions, they glow for a short interval on their own.

Very rarely, diamond is a rock-forming mineral (see diamondite - www.flickr.com/photos/jsjgeology/14618393527).

The above specimen is a very rare, ultramafic igneous rock called kimberlite, which is the ultimate host rock for most diamonds. Kimberlites are unusual igneous bodies having overall pipe-shaped geometries. Their mode of formation is only moderately understood because they have not been observed forming. Kimberlites are known from scattered localities throughout the world - only some are significantly diamondiferous. Classic localities for diamonds are India and Brazil. Africa was also discovered to have many kimberlites and is world-famous for producing large numbers of diamonds. Other notable diamondiferous kimberlite occurrences include Russia, China, and northwestern Canada.

Kimberlites are named for the town of Kimberley, South Africa. Several kimberlite pipes occur in the Kimberley area. Kimberlites have a gently tapering-downward, pipe-shaped cross-section, somewhat like a carrot.

The Cygni landing pad is reinforced for heavy loads and bumpy landings. An adamantine blast shield protects fuel pods and telemetry equipment housed in the base of the pad.

A range of sizes is available for this item XS-XXXL

Today's Cosplay Photo of the Day features Lady Adamantine as Amora the Enchantress...

You can see more of her wonderful cosplay work on her facebook page at: www.facebook.com/arcanegoddess