I'd also like to interject in this wonderfully compelling discussion about, well, everything that I am fascinated by the potential synchronicity of playing Dark Side of the Moon at the same time as The Wizard of Oz. I've not tried it, but can't stop thinking about the different scenes when I listen to the album.
And, yeah, I'm excited to see how Couturier develops. Hopefully, he'll be a legit to-way center who can put up 60-70 points.
We have also ignored, in terms of historical scientific advancement, the prominent place of the middle and far eastern Asia. Use of 0 as a number is attributed to India, movable type was invented in China 400 years before Gutenberg, and coffee was probably first brewed in Yemen (thanks for that!).
And I think the author is full of it as related to navigating a war galley. They literally hugged the coastline, and had to stop frequently to take on water. You tell me, if you are constantly operating off of landmarks, what does the shape of the earth matter? Here's a wiki link with the basics.
We are talking very rudimentary stuff. Celestial navigation existed, but didn't so much rest on a spherical earth as basic knowledge of reference stars. As long as a sailor knew where he was, he could simply eye ball it... Which was the case for a long long time.
As said, though, I have doubts that you are accurately summarizing his argument.
im pegging you as my ask the expert here then. viking conquest of canada and the likelihood this involved the use of a dao. ?
im pegging you as my ask the expert here then. viking conquest of canada and the likelihood this involved the use of a dao. ?
Not entirely sure what you are talking about, but the Vikings didn't really "conquer" Canada. Came over, hung out shortly, and went home. That settlement was, however, where the first European baby was born in North America, however (assuming I remember the story correctly). Which is kind of cool.
Not entirely sure what you are talking about, but the Vikings didn't really "conquer" Canada. Came over, hung out shortly, and went home. That settlement was, however, where the first European baby was born in North America, however (assuming I remember the story correctly). Which is kind of cool.
the difficulty with sailing was pretty much a european problem. the dhow was floating all over the place. i have the creeping suspicion that lief's expedistion was more then a temporary expedition but also a techonlogogical experiment that faded.
Ha, this confused the hell out of me. I remember discussing things like my major (comp sci and investments) with you along with other random not really "pick up/hop in and chat" subjects like typography, economics, statistical mathematics, and other things. Had you penned as an early 20s kid who is taking some courses here and there in various subjects. Guess you just have a lots of areas of interest/hobbies and read a lot though!
Jester has a general knowledge on a wide variety of subjects without the need to actually "study" specifically any one of them. Generally, people of intelligence have the ability to understand and process information even if they do not chose to pursue them as their area of expertise. While you may not be an expert on said subject, you can understand it and speak intelligently on it.
Case in point, I may not be an expert on WWII lore but I CAN tell you that we here in the USA have a very warped view on our own "importance" on the outcome in Europe. The truth is that we really had not siginficant impact other than hastening it's outcome. the truth is that the Russians had broken the Germans backs BEFORE D-day and they alone could and WOULD have driven the Germans back and conquored Germany without a 2nd front. Some 22 million people died on the eastern front in roughly 4 years of fighting. That computes out ot 15,000 people a day, every day, for almost 1500 days. We here in the USA herald the Battle of Gettysburg as a HUGELY bloody battle (the worst ever in the western hemesphere) where some 50k soldiers died, were injured, or taken captive in 3 days of fighting. Between the Germans and Russians, that many DIED (not captured or just injued but DIED) every day for 4 years straight. Jester was the first to open MY eyes to this reality. It falls more along his area of expertise (being a history major as an undergrad IIRC). I think (if IIRC) that all of our losses in the entire war of WWII would not cover just one month on the western front. Just think about that for a second. In just short of 4 years of conflict against both the Germans and Japs, we lost less than the total number DEAD in just one month on the western front.
This is information I have picked up as someone who keeps their mind open to learning even at my age (by now I've learned that I have a LOT to learn, lol). There is ALWAYS more you can learn. It can come from some surprising sources if you are open to listening. Someone like Jester is in a situation where they are surrounded by learning and therefore are exposed to my NEW information than most. At even his young age (I am speaking relative to my own 45 years now) he has been exposed to more written material than I have for the most part. However, there IS a price to pay for stricky having institutional learning and that's called experience. Life in general isn't as black and white as it is presented in study (something I had great difficulty accepting). My son shows much of that type of what I call narrow mindedness. He sees the world as it SHOULD be and he's unable to even make exceptions for his sisters being "difficult". What he will learn in time is that general rules are great but there are always specifica situations where you MUST make exceptions. THAT's the difference between knowledge and wisdom. He is a strong individual and is the type of person that society is built stronger upon. However, he must learn to temper his intollerance for those that are different.
Wow did I go off on a tangent or what.
Edit: I like Jester, he's a very smart person. He thinks deeper than most (kind of like playing chess) but there are times where he does have tunnel vision. I like most of the posters here and feel that there is something to be learned for all of them. Some of those things many be what NOT to do but hey, they still have something we can learn from. I also appreciate posters like CharlieGirl for the reports on junior players as I don't get a chance to watch them other than occasionally online or during the World Junior tourny. I have to trust the observation of others and greatly appreciate their input. Thank you to them.
Yes I have done the same thing just to eliminate all the redundancy. Please lets get the season rolling.
