Talismans For The Modern Age

James_H

James_H

And I like to roam the land
Joined
May 18, 2002
Messages
7,590
I've noticed in Hong Kong a lot of kids wear these little shield badges that supposedly protect against infectious diseases - a big worry in a territory where SARS and bird flu have killed so many. I'm dubious that they have any efficacy.

In another case, a workmate of mine (one quite disposed to 'woo', IMO), wears a black crystal around his neck which is supposed to protect him against 5G radiation.

Does anyone else have any examples of 'magical' talismans tailored to modern problems?
 
James_H said:
a territory where SARS and bird flu
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I postulate that intriguingly, you might almost (subconciously?) be using that acronym at least twice (talismanically?)
  • Special Administrative Region(s) notably Hong Kong, versus:
  • Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Please would you post a link to an image of one of these badges @James_H

@escargot - curiously, I looked at your wink icon, and was immediately struck by the fact that I have absolutely no idea the last time I saw someone wearing a St Christopher token, for supernatural insurance purposes when travelling (or indeed just as a decorative doodah). Wow....did these all vanish into heaven via some kind of a gold-plated rapture in about 1995?

Maybe I'm entirely wrong, and my parochial orbit just isn't a representative sample, but I've a feeling they've not made it into the 21st century.

In fact (well, just within my experience...as we all must earnestly aver) I cannot remember the last time I saw a crucifix/ankh/star of david &c swinging around the neck of any adherent 'pon a filigree 'fread

Am I in a bubble of isolated untypicallity?
 
We sell a lot of jewelry from cheap sterling silver earrings at $20 a pair right through to $1000 pieces.
The most popular design... the Tree of Life.
Whether it be earrings, rings or necklaces, it out sells all other designs and has done so for some time.
Whether the purchasers are aware of its talismanic properties or not, I can't say. But it's an observation noted over the past couple of years.
 
Ermintruder said:
... @escargot - curiously, I looked at your wink icon, and was immediately struck by the fact that I have absolutely no idea the last time I saw someone wearing a St Christopher token, for supernatural insurance purposes when travelling (or indeed just as a decorative doodah). Wow....did these all vanish into heaven via some kind of a gold-plated rapture in about 1995? ...
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One of my best pals - a devout Catholic - passed away 4 years ago. He consistently wore a St. Christopher in everyday life, and he was wearing it in his final location (hospital bed).
 
It is not impossible that someone very close to me may have bought me a qlink pendant. Further, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that, as a result, I wear it. Although I can't claim to notice any big difference between the days when I do - most of them - and the occasional day when I forget to put it back on after showering or swimming.
 
Found this interesting website while researching the qlink pendant

https://www.badscience.net/2007/05/the-amazing-qlink-science-pedant/

When I'm at the till at work (cash register for our N. American readers) I notice a lot of Tree of Lifes, also various crystals, insects (particularly bees) and, like Ermintruder, after thinking I hadn't seen a St Christopher for ages, I'm now seeing them quite frequently.
 
Krepostnoi said:
It is not impossible that someone very close to me may have bought me a qlink pendant. Further, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that, as a result, I wear it. Although I can't claim to notice any big difference between the days when I do - most of them - and the occasional day when I forget to put it back on after showering or swimming.
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:rollingw:

:jtease:
 
Ermintruder said:
Please would you post a link to an image of one of these badges @James_H
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It's this thing:
https://www.hktvmall.com/hktv/en/main/In-Smart/s/H0661003/Personal-Care-&-Health/Personal-Care-&-Health/Medicine/Surgical-Masks/EA-Mask-AntiBacteria-Virus-Badge-Clip-ES020/p/H0661003_S_EK-020BU
EA-mask-image1.jpg

h0661003_ek020bu_170703055519_Other_01_1200.jpg

E.A Mask can produce 0.017 ppm chlorine dioxide to protect a person wearing it from virus, bacteria and fungi attack within 1 meter circle from the product. It is suitable for all ages including new born babies and pregnant women. It can effectively prevent virus and bacteria from spreading in public transport, school and hospital if everyone is wearing it and prevent a person who wears it from bringing virus, bacteria and fungi back home via clothes.
Click to expand...
 
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pandacracker said:
Found this interesting website while researching the qlink pendant

https://www.badscience.net/2007/05/the-amazing-qlink-science-pedant/

When I'm at the till at work (cash register for our N. American readers) I notice a lot of Tree of Lifes, also various crystals, insects (particularly bees) and, like Ermintruder, after thinking I hadn't seen a St Christopher for ages, I'm now seeing them quite frequently.
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Thank you for helping me learn a new word - quackyslapping. :rollingw:
 
Wouldn't a regular respiratory mask work better?
They could be designed to look like fashion accessories. The price could be tripled, so you could still profit from a gullible market while offering better protection.

Opps! It's already been done: https://ellessco.com/myair-mask
 
A wearable ioniser? Whatever next.
 
Is there a name for that "circle with a line through the top" icon? Like ampersand or hashtag? Has it been around for so long that some see it as mystical? Who knows how remote controls work...?
 
That's a bit... reductive. There must be a trade term, something Swedish maybe.
 
Had a quick Google, and everyone calls it the "power symbol". What a missed opportunity. But I would have still thought it was scientific rather than magical.
 
GNC said:
Is there a name for that "circle with a line through the top" icon? Like ampersand or hashtag? Has it been around for so long that some see it as mystical? Who knows how remote controls work...?
Click to expand...

That particular icon was originally prescribed as a "standby symbol" indicating a control that varied the controlled system state between "on" and "standby" (power reduced but not completely "off"), as opposed to "on" and "off" (i.e., power completely cut off).

After some debate as to its ambiguity, this symbol was subsequently officially re-prescribed as connoting a basic "on / off" duality if the difference between "off" and "standby" didn't cause any safety concerns.

In this latter / later context, the symbol became commonplace on any / all power buttons.

IEC 60417-5009, the standby symbol (line partially within a broken circle), indicates a sleep mode or low power state. The switch does not fully disconnect the device from its power supply. This may appear on a toggle switch opposite a power on symbol, alone on a pushbutton that places the device into a standby state, or alone on a button that switches between on and standby. Alternatively, under IEEE 1621, this symbol simply means "power".
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_symbol
 
20200604_123128.jpg

But when germs look this cute why would you want to eradicate them!
 
Ermintruder said:
I have absolutely no idea the last time I saw someone wearing a St Christopher token, for supernatural insurance purposes when travelling (or indeed just as a decorative doodah). Wow....did these all vanish into heaven via some kind of a gold-plated rapture in about 1995?
Click to expand...

The first necklace my husband bought me was a gold St Christopher, around 1990, which I wore for a while; then later on he bought me a gold cross, which I wore up until the point that my conscience pricked me into not wearing a religious symbol when I cannot, in all honesty, claim that belief! My everyday necklace is currently a Swarovski star - which, ironically, could be mistaken for a Star of David!
 
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