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As with most things that are not understood very well, myth and tall tales abound. This has always been true for tires in general, but even more so when it comes to the use of radial tires on older vehicles.Generally speaking, vehicles produced before 1965 were fitted with bias-ply tire technology, which was at its zenith in the mid- to late 1960s. But change came swiftly.First making their way into the automobile manufacturers' lines in 1965, radial tires quickly became the standard tire design. By 1973, all U.S. automobile manufacturers had standardized with the radial tire, mostly due to its fuel-economy benefits.Since then, there has been a great deal of debate about the use of radial tires on vehicles not originally equipped with them. The key to unlocking the answers start with learning about the history and design of both the bias-ply and radial tire. From there we will try to separate the myths from the reality when exploring the tire options available to classic car owners.In 1898, the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company (GT) discovered the process of vulcanizing rubber. To strengthen and mold the rubber, a number of layers or "plies" of fabric cords are embedded into it. Each layer is laid in an alternating diagonal pattern on the bias of the bead cord. The degree of the bias varied between manufactures, running between 30 degrees to 55 degrees to the bead cord.For the next 60 years, bias-ply tires ruled the roads of America and gradually evolved from cotton cord belts in 1915, to rayon cord in the 1930s, and then to nylon cords in 1943. Improve technology was applied to bias-ply designs in 1954 with the advent of tubeless tires on Packards. The tire fast became the standard on all automobiles thereafter.In 1959, steel-corded tires were introduced, followed by fiberglass-corded tires in 1963, still based on the bias-ply design. The level of bias-ply tire design has remained pretty much unchanged since around 1965 when radial tires started showing up in dealer showrooms.The main advantage of bias-ply tires is in its load-carrying capabilities in relation to tire size. A smaller bias-ply tire can carry more load than a radial tire of similar size. A major drawback is higher friction, which creates higher tire temperatures and results in faster wear. Another problem: The tread contact area (the area were tread meets pavement) is smaller, and since the sidewall and tread area are constructed of one material, cornering affects the contact area more than on radial designed tires.Michelin first introduced steel-belted radial tires in Europe in 1948. Radial tires are so named because the ply cords radiate at a 90-degree angle from the bead cord, and the casing is strengthened by a belt of steel fabric that runs around the circumference of the tire. In radial tire design, the ply cords are made of nylon, rayon, or polyester.In 1889 two brothers, Édouard Michelin and André Michelin, ran a rubber factory in Clermont-Ferrand, France. One day, a cyclist whose pneumatic tire needed repair turned up at the factory. The tire was glued to the rim, and it took over three hours to remove and repair the tire, which then needed to be left overnight to dry. The next day, Édouard Michelin took the repaired bicycle into the factory yard to test. After only a few hundred metres, the tire failed. Despite the setback, Édouard was enthusiastic about the pneumatic tire, and he and his brother worked on creating their own version, one that did not need to be glued to the rim. Michelin was incorporated on 28 May 1889. In 1891 Michelin took out its first patent for a removable pneumatic tire which was used by Charles Terront to win the world's first long distance cycle race, the 1891 Paris–Brest–Paris.In the 1920s and 1930s, Michelin operated large rubber plantations in Vietnam. Conditions at these plantations led to the famous labour movement Phu Rieng Do.["French Indochina – The French community of about 40,000 lived in the European quarters, – for the mass of the population the reality was forced labour – working to produce the colony's exports of rice, tin, tea, and above all – rubber – the source of the fortune of the Michelin company."In 1934, Michelin introduced a tire which, if punctured, would run on a special foam lining; a design now known as a run-flat tire (self-supporting type).Michelin developed and patented a key innovation in tire history, the 1946 radial tire, and successfully exploited this technological innovation to become one of the worlds leading tire manufacturers.[8] The radial was initially marketed as the "X" tire.[9] It was developed with the front-wheel-drive Citroën Traction Avant and Citroën 2CV in mind. Michelin had bought the then-bankrupt Citroën in the 1930s. Because of its superiority in handling and fuel economy, use of this tire quickly spread throughout Europe and Asia.[8] In the U.S., the outdated bias-ply tire persisted, with market share of 87% in 1967.In 1968, Michelin opened its first North American sales office, and was able to grow that market for its products rapidly; by 1989 the company had 10% market share for OEM tires purchased by American automobile makers.Also in 1968, Consumer Reports, an influential American magazine, acknowledged the superiority of the radial construction, setting off a rapid decline in Michelin's competitor technology.[11] In the U.S., the radial tire now has a market share of 100%.In addition to the private label and replacement tire market, Michelin scored an early OEM tire win in North America, when it received the contract for the 1970 Lincoln Continental Mark III, the first American car with radial tires fitted as standard.
In 1989, Michelin acquired the recently merged tire and rubber manufacturing divisions of the American firms B.F. Goodrich Company (founded in 1870) and Uniroyal, Inc. (founded in 1892 as the United States Rubber Company).[10] Uniroyal Australia had already been bought by Bridgestone in 1980. This purchase included the Norwood, North Carolina manufacturing plant which supplied tires to the U.S. Space Shuttle Program.Michelin also controls 90% of Taurus Tire in Hungary, as well as Kormoran,[15] a Polish brand.As of 1 September 2008, Michelin is again the world's largest tire manufacturer after spending two years as number two behind Bridgestone.[16] Michelin produces tires in France, Spain, Germany, the USA, the UK, Canada, Brazil, Thailand, Japan, Italy and several other countries. On 15 January 2010, Michelin[17] announced the closing of its Ota, Japan plant, which employs 380 workers and makes the Michelin X-Ice tire. Production of the X-Ice will be moved to Europe, North America, and elsewhere in Asia.In 1966, Michelin struck a deal with Sears to manufacture radial tires for sale under the Allstate label, and within four years Sears was selling one million units per year. In the mid-1960s, B.F. Goodrich embraced radial technology as a means to win market share from its larger rivals, and the company introduced the first American-made radial in the mid-1960s and supported the launch with its "Radial Age" advertising campaign of 1968.The August, 1968, Consumer Reports awarded its top two spots to radials and documented the new technology's longer life, increased safety, handling, and economy relative to even top-of-the-line bias-ply tires.The advantages of radial tires include longer tread life, better steering characteristics, and less rolling resistance, which increases gas mileage. On the other hand, radials have a harder riding quality, and technologically are more complex than bias-ply tires, so they cost more to produce.The supposed hazards of using radial tires on vehicles that were originally Equipped with bias-ply tires are some of the hardest myths to dispel, partly because, as in most myths, some truths can be found. For instance, it's true that many older vehicles were not engineered to take advantage of radial tire designs. But that does not make using radial tires on older vehicles unsafe or a waste of money.When combing through the myths to get to the facts, four areas emerge. Three deal with physical characteristics: tire size, contact area, and tire weight. The fourth deals with load-carrying capabilities, and is the concern of least importance. Let's address these areas by first placing them in context with myth. The suspension systems on older vehicles are not designed to use radial tires.This statement is true in the context that radial tires may not have been available to, or offered by, the manufacture at the time the vehicle was designed. The factors to look at when considering radial tire use on these cars in regard the problems that could be encountered are as follows:
Tire Weight: Radial tires, because of their steel-belt design are heavier than bias-ply tires of similar size. This additional weight may require heavier springs or modern gas shocks to help tame the additional weight. Unless you are looking to increase the sidewall height over that of the original size bias-ply tire, radial tire weight should not be a huge concern.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michelin
Contact Area: The larger contact area can make steering a chore on heavy vehicles that do not have power steering. The larger contact area may also make low speed cornering a bit more sluggish and less responsive. Proper selection and inflation can successfully overcome most of these issues.
Tire Size: A little research may be required to find a suitable size tire that can accommodate the vehicle's weight and still meet the OEM (Original Equipment Manufactures) size. As an example, locating 14" radial tires to accommodate a 5,000-pound vehicle could be a bit of a challenge today.
MYTH: You can't use tubeless radial tires on older tube rims.
If there is any truth to this claim, I have not seen it my restoration experience, and I have put tubeless tires on many a prewar rim without any notable problems.
But to make sure, I talked with an expert. Frank Mauro of Stockton Wheel Service, plainly states, "There were no changes to rim design in the late fifties when the tubeless tire came on the scene, in fact the idea was for backward compatibility to shift people with older cars to the new tubeless tires."
Frank also remarked that "If you find [that] you cannot use a tubeless radial on your stock rim, we can build one that looks stock and [will] work with any radial tire." Stockton Wheel Service has been in business since 1893 and is America's oldest wheelwright. They specialize in classic car and truck wheels and build custom wheels to suit the needs of just about anyone needing wheels and can be found online at stocktonwheel.com.
MYTH: The ride quality of bias-ply tires is better than radial tires.
As a general statement, this myth is just that -- myth. The ride quality of one design over the other is really in the materials used to build the tire rather than the design type itself. You can find poor ride characteristics in either design. Typically, radial tires do have a firmer overall ride than bias-ply tires, and in my opinion, that equates to a firmer ride over that of a squishy jello-like ride quality, which is not my idea of a controlled ride. But in this arena, you will have to be the judge.
One negative ride trait of bias-ply tires is what's called "standing set." This means vehicles equipped with bias-ply tires that stand still for long periods, without being driven, develop flat areas on the tread face. These areas pound like a cupped tire until they work themselves out during driving. This trait should give cause for classic car owners to take note of, since many classics are only driven on rare occasions.
On the other hand, choose a radial tire with an 80,000 miles treadwear life, and I will show you rolling rocks. The harder composition found in long treadwear rubbers used in some radial tires can produce a rather stiff or hard ride quality. Again, there are trade-offs here, too.
A hard compound, long-life radial will have a very firm ride, and it will steer better than soft compound radial tires found in 25,000 or 35,000 mile treadwear tires. However it is in these soft compound tires that you will find a better ride. Choosing a radial tire with a treadwear life of 40,000 miles is the best choice for having it both ways...but just a little.
MYTH: I have a restored vehicle and the radial tires look...well, wrong.
This might have been the case a few years ago, but many of the specialty tire manufacturers make everything from Redline Tires to Wide Whitewall Tires in the radial design. The real benefits here are that the tires are made for vehicles that were originally equipped with bias-ply tires. This means issues like weight, size, and contact area have been taken into consideration when developing these radial tires for today's market.
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Will these reproduction radial tires get a pass from the show judges? I know people that change radial tires when they get to the show because of concerns about judging. So maybe not, but that type of judging is crazy anyway in my opinion. When I see radials in my judging, I think about how much the owner is enjoying his restoration, not why isn't the person torturing himself with bias-plies to make more brownie points.
Diamond Back Tires carry a full line of radial tires for classic and special interest cars and trucks. All their tires are made in the U.S. at their Conway, S.C. plant. You will not find any bias-plies in their inventory. They only do radial tires, which should be enough evidence to show that bias-plies are really a technology of the past.
RADIAL OR BIAS?
I hope I've helped explain some of the facts and dispelled the myths of using radial tires on vehicles originally designed for bias-ply.
In the end it's up to you to decide, of course, which tire is best for your classic car. But I have no problem recommending radial tires because I know how much you will enjoy the drive. After all, that's why we restore classic cars, to enjoy them!
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2006-05-04/a-tale-of-two-...
By the 1430s, Rome was forced to acknowledge the strength and determination of the Hussites and officially recognise the beliefs of the Utraquist Church in a treaty called the Basel Compacts.
In 1458 Bohemia elected its first native Czech king in around 150 years, Jiří z Podĕbrad, who became an extremely popular ruler. In 1462, King Jiří sent a delegation to Rome to confirm his election and the religious privileges that had been granted to the Utraquist Church in the Basel Compacts. Not only did Pope Pius II refuse to recognise the treaty; he sent one of his cardinals back to Prague to order Jiří z Podĕbrad to ban the Utraquist Church and return the kingdom of Bohemia to the rule of Rome.
In this painting, Mucha depicts Cardinal Fantin’s visit to Prague and his ensuing confrontation with King Jiři. Cardinal Fantin stands arrogantly in red robes as the king kicks over his throne in anger and defiance. His refusal to acknowledge the papal authority is met by awe and astonishment among the members of his court. A young boy in the foreground closes a book entitled Roma, indicating that the period of cooperation with Rome has come to an end.
Shot it at Kumbha Mela 2010,Haridwar,Uttarakhand...Its a greatest show on Earth.
In Hindu mythology, its origin is found in one of the popular creation myths and the Hindu theories on evolution, the Samudra manthan episode (Churning of the ocean of milk), which finds mention in the Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana.
The Gods had lost their strength, and to regain it, they thought of churning the Ksheera Sagara (primordial ocean of milk) for amrit (the nectar of immortality), this required them to make a temporary agreement with their arch enemies, the demons or Asuras, to work together with a promise of sharing the nectar equally thereafter. However, when the Kumbha (urn) containing the amrita appeared, a fight ensued. For twelve days and twelve nights (equivalent to twelve human years) the gods and demons fought in the sky for the pot of amrita. It is believed that during the battle, Lord Vishnu flew away with the Kumbha of elixir, and that is when drops of amrita fell at four places on earth: Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik, and that is where the Kumbh Mela is observed every twelve years.
First written evidence of the Kumbha Mela can be found in the accounts of Chinese traveller, Huan Tsang or Xuanzang (602 - 664 A.D.) who visited India in 629 -645 CE, during the reign of King Harshavardhana.
Source:-Wikipedia.
For more photos,click MY SITE subirbasak.orgfree.com.....
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The reproduction, publication, modification, transmission or exploitation of any work contained herein for any use, personal or commercial, without my prior written permission is strictly prohibited. All rights reserved."
nearly ruined ratan singh palace in the backdrop and a holy cow adorned for a fair or festival with typical geometrical patterns, in the foreground shadow.
according to hindu mythology cow is a sacred animal in which resides billions of gods. hindus believe that lord brahma created cows at the same time as brahmins, to provide 'ghee' butter-oil for use in priestly rituals and ceremonies. to this day, cow dung and urine are used to purify houses and killing one is a grave offence. cow is often reffered to as mother of gods, and eash part of its body is significant; its horns symbolize the gods, its face the sun and moon, its shoulders 'agni' god of fire and its legs the himalayas.
see others from chittaurgarh @ www.flickr.com/search/?s=int&w=43109416@N00&q=chi...
"Midas pediu que tudo em que tocasse, imediatamente fosse mudado em ouro."
"Atena roga uma sentença arrasadora sobre Medusa e então quem a olhasse se petrificaria"
E assim os dois encontraram.
Add a touch of antiquity to your space with this exquisite fragment of an old stone ruin. Two graceful ivy branches cascade downward, adding a sense of natural serenity and timeless beauty. Nestled in the corner stands a substantial terracotta vase, brimming with vibrant flowers, creating a harmonious blend of rustic charm and floral elegance.
This piece is a perfect focal point for gardens, patios, or interior spaces seeking a classical ambience. Its weathered stone, lush greenery, and artisanal vase evoke a sense of history and artistry, making it a conversation starter and a cherished addition to any setting.
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Surrounding plants NOT included.
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InWorld: maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Sargas/105/182/1001
Marketplace: marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Myth-Blooming-Ruin/27171527
Palais minoens Knossos Crète Grèce
Le palais de Knossos, situé dans le centre-nord de la Crète sur la colline de Kephala est souvent présenté comme un modèle du palais minoen.
Un premier palais est édifié au IIe millénaire avant J.-C. Vers 1700 avant J.-C., un tremblement de terre l’ayant détruit, on en reconstruit un plus vaste et plus luxueux. Il sera remanié à plusieurs reprises au cours des trois siècles suivants. Il abrite des sanctuaires et des salles de culte, des parties privées, des résidences périphériques, des maisons plus modestes ou encore des ateliers et des magasins de stockage.
Une juxtaposition de pièces autour d’une cour centrale
Le palais était protégé par un haut mur percé de plusieurs portes. Il est organisé autour d’une vaste cour centrale autour de laquelle se développent les principaux quartiers éclairés par des cours secondaires et par des puits de lumière. Ainsi, les différentes pièces reliées entre elles par des couloirs à la manière du labyrinthe de la tradition hellénistique paraissent juxtaposées sans ordre apparent. On a dénombré environ 800 pièces, mais l’on pense qu’il y en avait peut-être 1300, parfois sur cinq étages. Il est possible que dans la cour centrale se soient déroulées des cérémonies tauromachiques.
MYTHS & MYSTERIES
Beltane Eve, the expectant earth awaits
For the alignments to come true.
The Druid, silent, by the portal gates
Beholds a shape come into view –
Lord of the Wolf-birds, in a blinding flash,
The blackest raven now appears.
Ill omen : all humans he will abash
In darkness for a hundred years.
Mike Jones
Note : Avebury is well known as an ancient mystic site and many myths surround members of the crow family. So here I have given free reign to the imagination.
Doxey pool on the Roaches,in Staffordshire. Legend has it, it's bottomless and inhabited by a malignant water spirit .
“A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Illustrated by Frederick Richardson. Copyrighted by the John C. Winston Company in 1930.
Hawthorne’s own children were eight and ten years old when he came up with the idea of translating Greek myths into children’s language, and “A Wonder Book” was born. It was so successful that “Tanglewood Tales” followed about a year and a half later. They were first published in 1852 and 1853. Frederick Richardson illustrated the combined volume published by the Winston company in 1930.
"Date: 7th century BC. Terracotta neck-amphora (storage jar)
During the first half of the 7th century BC, vase painters in Athens abandoned the almost abstract geometric tradition in favor of a vigorous naturalistic style inspired by art imported from the Near East. An early representation of a Greek myth is shown on the front of this monumental vase. The great hero Herakles strides to the left, sword in hand, grabbing the hair of Nessos, a centaur who had tried to abduct Herakles' wife Deianeira. The two components of the centaur- horse and man- are not well integrated in this early representation, but the creature shows emotion, pleading for mercy with outstretched hands. Behind Herakles, a four-horse chariot and a drive wait patiently for the outcome of the battle, while a small man attracted by the excitement rushes forward. The scene is depicted with a combination of outine and silhouette enlivened by white and incised lines. A lion attacks a deer on the neck of the vase and horses graze on the shoulder, but most of the surface is filled with floral motifs and curvilinear decorations. This vase served as a grave marker." - info from the Met.
"The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 Fifth Avenue, along the Museum Mile on the eastern edge of Central Park on Manhattan's Upper East Side, is by area one of the world's largest art museums. A much smaller second location, The Cloisters at Fort Tryon Park in Upper Manhattan, contains an extensive collection of art, architecture, and artifacts from medieval Europe.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art was founded in 1870 with its mission to bring art and art education to the American people. The museum's permanent collection consists of works of art from classical antiquity and ancient Egypt, paintings, and sculptures from nearly all the European masters, and an extensive collection of American and modern art. The Met maintains extensive holdings of African, Asian, Oceanian, Byzantine, and Islamic art. The museum is home to encyclopedic collections of musical instruments, costumes, and accessories, as well as antique weapons and armor from around the world. Several notable interiors, ranging from 1st-century Rome through modern American design, are installed in its galleries.
The Fifth Avenue building opened on March 30, 1880. In 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City, the museum attracted 1,958,000 visitors, ranking fourth on the list of most-visited art museums in the world.
New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over 300.46 square miles (778.2 km2), New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. The city is within the southern tip of New York State, and constitutes the geographical and demographic center of both the Northeast megalopolis and the New York metropolitan area – the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass. With over 20.1 million people in its metropolitan statistical area and 23.5 million in its combined statistical area as of 2020, New York is one of the world's most populous megacities, and over 58 million people live within 250 mi (400 km) of the city. New York City is a global cultural, financial, and media center with a significant influence on commerce, health care and life sciences, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, dining, art, fashion, and sports. New York is the most photographed city in the world. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy, an established safe haven for global investors, and is sometimes described as the capital of the world." - info from Wikipedia.
The fall of 2022 I did my 3rd major cycling tour. I began my adventure in Montreal, Canada and finished in Savannah, GA. This tour took me through the oldest parts of Quebec and the 13 original US states. During this adventure I cycled 7,126 km over the course of 2.5 months and took more than 68,000 photos. As with my previous tours, a major focus was to photograph historic architecture.
Now on Instagram.
I want to start by saying that, to me, any discourse from me about how one can live a moral existence without religion or the church would sound improperly defensive. That there's an opposite to be defended is absurd and based on a provably false premise. So let's dispense with that.
To be clear: I'm referring to the humanist axiom "Good without God," whereby "good" means morality. It's provably false that there exists no morality outside of religion, therefore the statement sounds defensive to me.
By what route does anyone come to believe what they believe? We all like to imagine that it's based on a set of logical facts, but it's often a much more circuitous route.
For me it was pretty simple. I'm actually the fourth generation in my family to have no practical use for the church, or God, or religion. My children continue this trend.
Here are a few things I've learned.
Prayer doesn't work because someone out there is listening, it works because someone in here is listening. I've paid attention. I've pictured what I want to happen in my life. I've meditated extensively on my family, my future, my past actions and what did and didn't work for me about them. I've looked hard at problems and thought hard about their solutions.
See, I order my life by the same mechanism that I use to build things. I cannot proceed to move tools around in the real world until my brain has a clear picture in it of what I'm building. The same goes for my life. I've tried to pay attention. I've tried to picture the way I want things to be, and I've noticed that when I had a clear picture, things often turned out the way I wanted them to.
I've concluded by this that someone is paying attention—I've concluded that it's me. I've noticed that if I'm paying attention to those around me, to myself, to my surroundings, then that is the very definition of empathy. I've noticed that when I pay attention, I'm less selfish, I'm happier—and that the inverse holds true as well.
I think one of the defining moments of adulthood is the realization that nobody's going to take care of you. That you have to do the heavy lifting while you're here. And when you don't, well, you suffer the consequences. At least I have. (And in the empirical study I'm performing about interacting with the universe, I am unfortunately the only test subject I have complete access to, so my data is, as they say, self-selected.) While nobody's going to take care of us, it's incumbent upon us to take care of those around us. That's community.
The fiction of continuity and stability that your parents have painted for you is totally necessary for a growing child. When you realize that it's not the way the world works, it's a chilling moment. It's supremely lonely.
So I understand the desire for someone to be in charge. We'd all like our good and evil to be like it is in the movies: specific and horrible, easy to defeat. But it's not. It's banal.
There's a quote I love: "Evil is a little man afraid for his job." I always thought some famous author said it, but I asked my 200,000 followers on Twitter today, and it turns out that Roy Scheider said it in Blue Thunder.
No one is in charge. And honestly, that's even cooler.
The idea of an ordered and elegant universe is a lovely one. One worth clinging to. But you don't need religion to appreciate the ordered existence. It's not just an idea, it's reality. We're discovering the hidden orders of the universe every day. The inverse square law of gravitation is amazing. Fractals, the theory of relativity, the genome: these are magnificently beautiful constructs.
The nearly infinite set of dominoes that have fallen into each other in order for us to be here tonight is unfathomable. Truly unfathomable. But it is logical. We don't know all the steps in that logic, but we're learning more about it every day. Learning, expanding our consciousness, singly and universally.
As far as I can see, the three main intolerant religions in the world aren't helping in that mission.
For all their talk of charity and knowledge, that they close their eyes to so much—to science, to birth control education, to abuses of power by some of their leaders, to evolution as provable and therefore factual (the list is staggering)—illustrates a wide scope of bigotry.
Now, just to be clear. If you want to believe, or find solace in believing, that someone or something set these particular dominoes in motion—a cosmic finger tipping the balance and then leaving everything else to chance—I can't say anything to that. I don't know.
Though a primary mover is the most complex and thus (given Occam's razor) the least likely of all possible solutions to the particular problem of how we got here, I can't prove it true or false, and there's nothing to really discuss about it.
If Daniel Dennett is right— that there's a human genetic need for religion— then I'd like to imagine that my atheism is proof of evolutionary biology in action.
There may be no purpose, but its always good to have a mission. And I know of one fine allegory for an excellent mission should you choose to charge yourself with one: Carlos Castaneda's series of books about his training with a Yaqui indian mystic named Don Juan. There's a lot of controversy about these books being represented as nonfiction. But if you dispense with that representation, and instead take their stories as allegories, they're quite lovely.
At the end of The Eagle's Gift, Don Juan reveals to his student that there's no point to existence. That we're given our brief 70-100 years of consciousness by something the mystics call "The Eagle," named for it's cold, killer demeanor. And when we die, the eagle gobbles our consciousness right back up again.
He explains that the mystics, to give thanks to the eagle for the brief bout of consciousness they're granted, attempt to widen their consciousness as much as possible. This provides a particularly delicious meal for the eagle when it gobbles one up at the end of one's life.
And that, to me, is a fine mission.
-Adam Savage (From "Mythbusters")
Feel free to comment!
Of the sarcophagi, the most impressive is the sarcophagus illustrating the myth of Athena, Marsyas, and Apollo (Rome, ca. AD200). Athena invents the aulos (double-reed flute) but playing it distorts her beauty. The satyr Marsyas found it and played it well but lost in a play-off against the god Apollo, who played the lyre (as may still be seen on the left), ending with Marsyas being skinned alive (far right).
In the Sculpture Collection (Skulpturensammlung) of the Liebieghaus Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany
The myth of Demeter and Persephone, worshipped in antiquity throughout Magna Graecia with a devotion rivaled only by the Southern Italian worship of the Christian Madonna, is perhaps the myth that resonates most powerfully for women of Southern Italian ancestry. Persephone is a mythical
traveler, a young woman who, willingly or not, adjusts to shuttling back and forth between two worlds. She understands the experience of living between different cultures, languages, identities.