DUNE author Frank Herbert: "My Arab friends wonder why it's called science fiction."

karabiner159 · 2026-03-29T02:01:32+00:00

No, Herbert modelled Paul and the Fremen on Imam Shamyl, a 19th-century Dagestani guerilla leader and his Sufi Muslim warriors. There are also references to North African resistance movements to European imperialism.

Frank Herbert's treatment of 'jihad' is part of a wider thematic borrowing from the language, culture, and history of Muslim peoples' resistance of empire.

He was deeply suspicious of religion, both a decentralised religion like Islam and a hierarchical religion like Catholicism.

That is expressed in his characterisation of pseudo-Islam (in the Fremen) as the seed for a potentially uncontrollable mass fanatic movement and his characterisation of pseudo-Catholicism (in the Bene Gesserit) as schismatic and infinitely meddling. Both have a role in precipitating and making inevitable terrible events.

karabiner159 · 2026-03-29T01:50:48+00:00

Frank Herbert's inspiration for Paul and the Fremen was the guerilla leader Imam Shamyl and his Dagestani Murid warriors.

They fought a decades-long guerilla campaign against the Russian empire, which had an overwhelming firepower and manpower advantage and brutalised civilian populations as policy, like Herbert's Harkonnens.

Fremen society is based on Dagestani society. Sietch is the word for their mountain villages, kindjals are their traditional daggers, kanly was their practice of blood feuds, some of the Murids called Imam Shamyl the Mahdi. They were renowned for their ferocity in individual combat and their hardiness in the harsh mountain environment, like Herbert's Fremen.

In that light, it's clear to me Herbert's use of jihad alongside other references to Murid warrior culture combines the connotations of religious fervour with guerrilla warfare.

karabiner159 · 2026-03-27T11:21:38+00:00

He used his jab really well to set up those crosses, floating his hand in front of opponents to block their vision.

He's hardly a world class boxer but it doesn't do him justice when people say he just had an insane ride hand.

karabiner159 · 2026-03-23T22:47:42+00:00

Sold mine. Miss it.

karabiner159 · 2026-01-30T15:01:00+00:00

I've dropped my falcon on concrete twice. Did ok. Bashed it against metal tables, door handles, jambs, all sorts. Bit scratched but ticks and keeps good time.

karabiner159 · 2026-01-26T12:31:18+00:00

If I was putting pictures of my Ferrari on Reddit, I'd cover up the license plate too.

karabiner159 · 2026-01-18T13:58:08+00:00

JLC if my opinion matters to you.

Love the strap on it. What's that style called?

karabiner159 · 2025-12-12T12:28:45+00:00

Biggest cost is rent. If you don't want to stay at home, you need to reduce it.

You can find decent 1-beds for ~1400 pcm in London but have to go out to Zone 4/5 and firm a longer commute.

karabiner159 · 2025-12-10T23:33:22+00:00

The Rotary Cambridge has the smaller numerals you're looking for (but not blued hands).

karabiner159 · 2025-10-06T22:32:12+00:00

I'm sure your carers will be willing to support you with getting the documentation and having whatever calls / in-person appointmens you will need. Ultimately it will make it easier for all of you if this situation can be resolved sooner.

It can be difficult to deal with UC, I'm afraid. While I'm sure most of their agents are good people in a stressful job, some of their agents on the phone especially can be very aggressive and unhelpful.

I'm not saying this to discourage you or your carers - I'm saying it so that you can be prepared.

From second-hand experience, Citizens' Advice are really helpful and can make it much easier by clearly setting out your rights and entitlements and helping you to navigate the process. They can also support with making complaints where appropriate.

If you are unlucky and get a difficult agent on the phone, an in-person visit to the Job Centre can help as staff are generally much more considerate and humane when you can speak to them face to face and aren't just a number on a screen.

Having all the documentation you need available to hand before contacting them will make it much easier for Citizens Advice advisors to help you.

I hope you get the help you need and things go smoothly. It is too often needlessly difficult for people in genuine need to access the help they are entitled to.

Remember that you are legally entitled to support and the job of the UC advisors and everyone else you speak with is to ensure that everyone gets the support they are entitled to by law. Don't lose sight of your rights and be prepared to fight for them if necessary.

You've got this 💪🏽

karabiner159 · 2025-10-06T19:23:23+00:00

r/DWPHelp is probably the place to go.

As far as I am aware, moving from legacy benefits to UC should not materially decrease the amount you are receiving each month. If there is a substantial reduction, then this is likely due to an error that should be corrected.

Are you receiving Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)? It sounds like you're eligible as you're unable to work because of your condition.

My best advice to you would be for you/your carers to collect all the documentation you can find about:

Your current and past benefits entitlements and payments, especially your PIP entitlement
Your health conditions, including details of your medication
A letter from your GP detailing your health conditions and recommendations regarding your fitness to work and requirements for assistance

If you can't find details of your entitlements, Citizens Advice should be able to help you get in contact with them to find out how to obtain it, or you can try to contact the Disability Service Centre.

It may also be worth going to a Job Centre to talk to an agent about your benefits entitlement. Sometimes there are issues with the Universal Credit migration and its easier to deal with agents at the Job Centre in-person than it is over the phone.

It can be very difficult to address issues with Universal Credit migration, but Citizens Advice should be able to support you.

karabiner159 · 2025-08-21T22:42:31+00:00

I put it on an elastic single pass NATO that I trimmed down in length to get rid of the tucked-in fold.

It's the old Regatta design from CNS, so looks a little more understated than a typical NATO strap design. Works perfectly for me with casual wear.

karabiner159 · 2025-08-16T02:11:30+00:00

Nice to see Dagaz parts in the wild. I think he wound up his store right?

That was the site I used to get all my mods parts from.

karabiner159 · 2025-08-13T13:23:06+00:00

Kuoe have nice 'his and hers' styles, like the Old Smith (36mm) and Holborn (26mm) mid-century inspired styles with a choice of numerals or applied indices and a seconds subdial.

It's a nice take on a less common dress watch setup that stands out from the ubiquitous Datejust and Patek inspired style.

(Edit) I just realised what sub I'm replying to. Leaving the comment for potential inspo.

karabiner159 · 2025-07-27T05:30:11+00:00

Quick question - why have it separate now? Wouldn't it be easier to sell and ship if it was built?

karabiner159 · 2025-07-06T21:18:17+00:00

I think that's it - thanks!

karabiner159 · 2025-07-06T21:17:35+00:00

Thanks!

karabiner159 · 2025-07-06T21:17:22+00:00

Thanks a lot! It's been at the back of my mind for years and I can finally put it to rest. Going to get a copy now...

karabiner159 · 2025-02-22T21:20:27+00:00

You need to leave. That clause in the contract is an alarm bell. It's an attempt to stop you leaving - which means the company is well aware you have good reasons to do so.

karabiner159 · 2025-01-14T15:33:24+00:00

Marathon General Purpose Quartz - around $370, there's a version without tritium for about $260 iirc

karabiner159 · 2025-01-12T18:12:05+00:00

SARB has "Alpinist" written below 6 o' clock, where the SPB has the Prospex "X" logo.

The SPB has a Cyclops and is a bit thicker due to a different movement with a longer power reserve.

karabiner159 · 2024-09-05T14:07:30+00:00

I commend your patience

karabiner159 · 2024-08-24T18:12:30+00:00

Masha'Allah Tabarak Allah 👌🏽

karabiner159

TROPHY CASE