A sandworm is a fictional extraterrestrial creature that appears in the Dune novels written by Frank Herbert, first introduced in Dune (1965).
The sandworm are an autotrophic animal that inhabited the planet Arrakis. It lived in the vast deserts and sand dunes that stretched across the surface of the planet. Most importantly, sandworms are an essential factor in the creation of the Spice Melange.
Sandworms lived beneath the sand. Attracted to rhythmic vibrations on the surface, they would breach in pursuit of the origin of such vibrations. This was an effort to defend their territory, of which they were highly protective. Thus to see a worm, and live to tell about it, was extremely rare, save for the mysterious fremen, who had achieved some kind of mastery over the beast.
Physical Characteristics
The sandworms were extremely territorial; as soon as two worms sensed each other's presence, they let out chuffing roars of challenge, bellowing melange-smelling exhaust from their cavernous throats.
By anyone's standards, Sandworms could grow to an enormous size. Dr. Yueh cited that specimens "up to 450 meters long" were spotted by observers in the deep desert.
Their skin was thick, rough, and semi-metallic. It served the simple function of armor and was comprised of many scales, each a few feet in size. These scales overlapped and interlocked to form the armor that protected it against internal sand invasion.
As the Fremen discovered, this armor, while all but impenetrable, could be exploited. By prying open the edges of one or more of the scales, the integrity of the armor would be compromised; sand was now free to enter into the sandworms softer insides, causing intense irritation for the sandworm. The beast would then roll itself until the opened scale was at the highest point from the desert floor, thus minimizing the amount of sand that could enter.
A fremen poised to "ride" the beast as it rolled its open scale towards its highest point could literally mount the worm. As long as the scales remained open, the sandworm would not submerge. Maker hooks were then placed towards the front of the beast to control lateral movement. As a result, wormriding became a viable, even sacred, method of transport for the Fremen across the surface of the planet.
The smell of the sandworm has been particularly documented. A strong, flinty, cinnamon smell exuded from the beast, especially from the mouth. Some said it could be smelled before seen
The approach of a sandworm towards its breach-point was often indicated by the dry lightning that frequently occurred in the area; a result of static electricity being discharged into positively-charged air.
The main component of the sandworm's diet was sand, and other inorganic and dry components of the Arrakis crust. It is also believed they sifted the sand-plankton for nourishment.
Cultural Impact
To the planet's Fremen population, the creature was a spiritual symbol of their faith and saw them as physical embodiments of the One God of their original Zensunni religion. Within Fremen culture the sandworm had several additional names, notably The Maker and Shai-Hulud, which variously meant Old Man of the Desert, Old Father Eternity, or Grandfather of the Desert
Young sandworms were used by the Fremen for special ceremonies. Inducting new Sayyadinas or reverend mothers was a prime example of the sandworms essential cultural role.
Conception
Author Frank Herbert conceived the Sandworms based on dragon mythology, particularly fictitious dragons that guard some sort of treasure, such as the creature in Beowulf and the Dragon of Colchis from the Greek myth of Jason. The Sandworms of Arrakis will attack humans who attempt to harvest the spice, as if guarding it (even though the spice is actually of no interest for these creatures, since it is waste matter). Hence, the Sandworms are referred to as "the dragons on the floor of the desert" in Children of Dune.
Illustrator John Schoenherr gave the Sandworm three triangular lobes that form the lips of its mouth. They are also depicted as colossal lampreys or leeches (lacking the three aforementioned lobes), as well as terrestrial annelids.
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trying to goof on trump eating fast food and gf keeps insisting "oh he just pretends to for his image, you know how billionaires are with curating image" but like how impossible is it that guy would eat fast food regularly to the point of insisting he switches out packaging and has his chefs make better versions, and that he wouldn't do this because he'd be afraid of being poisoned
she admits its a conspiracy and that he definitely has no taste but wanted me to post this bc she wants to see what ppl say
she defitely shitposting irl but still
Trump genuinely loves McDonald's, it's something many libs can't stand about him. A crucial thing to understand about Donald is that he's all about gaudy symbols of prosperity with no context or substance, the man has no taste. His penthouse is this eye melting reflective golden hodgepodge of Greek pillars modeled on the tastes of a Saudi oligarch. If you served him Brie en Croute paired with a vintage Chateau Lafite Rothschild his body would shut down.
warren buffet also reportedly eats mcdonalds for breakfast. or did. this may have been a
idea but it's like a pro-consumerist perversion. they're doing their part perpetuating the most successful, awful slop we have to offer. buffet in a calculated penny-pinching manner while trump does his thing.
i feel like obsessing what trump eats is kinda weird lib dunking, i don't know what other billionaires eat nor do i care. But libs probably imagine high class society with 3 forks and 3 knives dinners with weird rules, so are horrified that someone rich can be so declasse
Word. "Classy" people are often upper middle income strivers aping what they think he haute bouge do. Real rich people are guys like Musk, or that woman who managed to self-own backing in to a pond in her meme care, or howard hughs starving himself tonear death due to sever anxiety. It's people putting ketchup on "well done" kobe beef steaks, or guys going to the bohemian grove to do cub-scout levels skits. It's epstein being a complete dumbass on so many levels. It's trump's golden toilet seats and abject lack of taste. It's saudi royalty killing themselves driving super cars at 200kph through the desert.
libs earn for hierarchy as in governship of the priests (of capital), they whisper to inscrutable markets and if they are good/smart people, their whispers are answered, but they should be hidden behind the churches/castles/walls, you cant ever expose that priests are fucking dumbasses.
Wolf of Wall Street is an accurate depiction of the behaviour of those working in the financial sector, and those are the people pulling the purse strings on the politicians. All you need to know really.
The importance of the politicians having a high class appearance is so they are entrusted by average people with greater powers. It's the same reason courts have had wigs and pomp and ceremony, to afford them an air of power that people accept.
These politicians are the puppets of the finance people. Acting to hide how they really behave. If everyone knew how it really was then would they trust any of them to lead? Fuck no they wouldn't.
The reaction of liberals to Trumps behaviour is because they see the breaking of the facade as a danger to "democracy", their democracy anyway, the thing that gives them power.