28 July 2006

11th & 8th

Somewhere along the line a new commandment was added, along with another mortal sin; both intertwined with each other like the snakes on a medical symbol (which I've never understood - snakes are poisonous, why do two heal?*).

The 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not throw away back issues of National Geographic

The 8th Mortal Sin: Throwing away back issues of National Geographic

I just threw 15 years of back issues of National Geographic away.

I am so going to hell.

*It turns out two do not heal, and that the use of intertwined snakes was due to a purposeful mistake made on aesthetic grounds, apparently by the US Army Medical Corps. But the use of a snake for health was based on the Ancient Greek belief that the shedding of the snake's skin was a symbol of youth, hence its inclusion - singular - on the staff of Asclepius, the god of medicine. Hermes's staff has 2 snakes, though what 2 snakes intertwined has to do with delivering messages is a mystery. Maybe they're playing Chinese whispers.

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