1BC Civ Forums / Off Topic Discussions / More Than a Game, Civ in Real Life

Heroes?

Scipio Africanus — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 14:42:32 GMT

I had an existential moment a few days ago in which I realized that I have very little respect for humanity. I cannot think of a single person who I unequivocally regard as heroic, including myself. Every single character about which I know anything about has some internal thread of nastiness within. Even the most famous examples seem flawed, and the "mundane" examples (e.g., the "Saving Private Ryans" of the world, whom we can agree did exist, and WERE heroic_ all too often seem to have simply been people who did not have much choice, and naively sacrificed all for others. If a fool sacrifices himself for others, does that really count as heroism? Does anyone who is not a fool wind up laying their life on the line?

Can you guys name anyone who clearly and unequivocally was heroic?

Living people cannot count, they have not yet fully demonstrated their nature.

Jesus? Sure, a very well-meaning and principled person, but it seems to me that there was a certain pathetic self-importance about allowing oneself to be ritualistic killed in such a humiliating and horrific way. If Jesus had been more militant, perhaps I could acknowledge he actually approached hero status, but as it is he merely seems to have been iconoclastic.

Muhammad? He went to the other extreme in being so proscriptive, authoritarian and bold that whatever transcendance he embodied seems to have been squashed by the sword.

Buddha? Withdrawal from life? He had a wife and kids whom he just walked off and left behind so he could sit under a tree for 8 years and achieve "transcendance?" Seems to me a bit self-important and cruel actually, though I do respect a lot of his ideas.

Scipio Africanus . . . hmmm. Maybe, but then there are those rumors that he was corrupt, and moreover, he was responsible for the destruction of a civilization, so his 'heroism' is intrinsically culture-specific.

Having disqualified those four prominent candidates from my list of prospective heroes, the remaining pool seems meager at best.

Obama? Ha! Charlatan!

Edgar Allen Poe? Pshaw! Self-indulgent self-destructive, victim-syndrome sufferer.

Anyone I know in person (including myself)? Ah, if only I did not know them it might be easier to overlook all the myriad flaws, shortcomings, incongruities, etc.

I suppose what I'm getting at here is the final mid-life loss of innocence and figuring out how to find something like a motivation to keep going and do something really worthwhile from there. After all, if the only person who can really be heroic is yourself, perhaps that is what really matters?

Sverige

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:02:00 GMT

Circa 100 years ago most of my ancestors on both sides of the family were finding their way across the Atlantic on boats to the promised land of America. My family history here in America is fairly recent in that regard. It is now with great pride an excitement that I hereby announce that I shall be making a triumphant return, across the Atlantic, to the old countries, to live and work in Sweden for the next couple of years so that I may fully explore just exactly what it was that they left behind.

Two weeks in Europe this past year was not quite enough time for me to do this, I daresay.

I have known my fate in this regard, for the past week and a half, my Swedish Flag may have tipped you off, but I held off on an announcement until a more formal agreement had been reached. That moment has passed. So without further ado,

Let the good times roll and
let the champagne flow.

Diplomatic Faux Pas

Locus Coeruleus — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 16:33:53 GMT

Civ4 in real life.

Low Level American Law Enforcement Agents have committed a Diplomatic Faux Pas, creating an international incident.
American relations with Spain suffer a -2 penalty. :w00t:

[url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/17/osama.photo.fbi/index.html?hpt=T2]FBI angers politician whose image was used to show older Bin Laden[/url]

Math

Scipio Africanus — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:52:37 GMT

A thread for talking about MATH! I'm teaching an introductory statistics class, which is _almost_ a dream come true. I really do love statistics.

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to have a thread for nothing but math questions and concepts :D

The first question. Which of the following is correct, (A) or (B)?

(A) Σ⁴_{i = 1} (Y_i+ 4) = (Y₁+ 4)+( Y₂ + 4)+( Y₃+ 4)+( Y₄+ 4)+( Y₅+ 4)

(B) Σ⁴_{i = 1} (Y_i+ 4) = (Y₁+ Y₂ + Y₃+ Y₄+ Y₅) + 4

Caption this photo 091409

Tosk — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:59:39 GMT

Epic [b]FAIL[/b]

[img]http://threetreesstudios.com/andscifi/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/bt07.jpg[/img]

The French Revolution.

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 23:51:26 GMT

I find this to be an interesting read. Especially the second paragraph... and the last sentence.

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Revolution#Causes]Wikipedia: Causes of the French Revolution[/url]

Adherents of most historical models identify many of the same features of the Ancien Régime as being among the causes of the Revolution. Economic factors included widespread famine and malnutrition, which increased the likelihood of disease and death, and intentional starvation in the most destitute segments of the population in the months immediately before the Revolution. The famine extended even to other parts of Europe, and was not helped by a poor transportation infrastructure for bulk foods. (Recent research has also attributed the widespread famine to an El Niño effect following the 1783 Laki eruption on Iceland,[1] or colder climate of the Little Ice Age combined with France's failure to adopt the potato as a staple crop.)[2]

Another cause was the fact that Louis XV fought many wars, bringing France to the verge of bankruptcy, and Louis XVI supported the colonists during the American Revolution, exacerbating the precarious financial condition of the government. The national debt amounted to almost two billion livres. The social burdens caused by war included the huge war debt, made worse by the monarchy's military failures and ineptitude, and the lack of social services for war veterans. The inefficient and antiquated financial system was unable to manage the national debt, something which was both caused and exacerbated by the burden of a grossly inequitable system of taxation. Another cause was the continued conspicuous consumption of the noble class, especially the court of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette at Versailles, despite the financial burden on the populace. High unemployment and high bread prices caused more money to be spent on food and less in other areas of the economy. The Roman Catholic Church, the largest landowner in the country, levied a tax on crops known as the dime or tithe. While the dîme lessened the severity of the monarchy's tax increases, it worsened the plight of the poorest who faced a daily struggle with malnutrition. There was too little internal trade and too many customs barriers.[3]

There were also social and political factors, many of which involved resentments and aspirations given focus by the rise of Enlightenment ideals. These included resentment of royal absolutism; resentment by the ambitious professional and mercantile classes towards noble privileges and dominance in public life, as many of these classes were familiar with the lives of their peers in commercial cities in the Netherlands and Great Britain; resentment by peasants, wage-earners, and the bourgeoisie toward the traditional seigneurial privileges possessed by nobles; resentment of clerical advantage (anti-clericalism) and aspirations for freedom of religion, resentment of aristocratic bishops by the poorer rural clergy, continued hatred for Catholic control, and influence on institutions of all kinds by the large Protestant minorities; aspirations for liberty and (especially as the Revolution progressed) republicanism; and anger toward the King for firing Jacques Necker and A.R.J. Turgot (among other financial advisors), who were popularly seen as representatives of the people.[4]

Finally, perhaps above all, was the almost total failure of Louis XVI and his advisers to deal effectively with any of these problems.

Civ Themed Song???

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:50:43 GMT

Ya... I know. This song has been out over a year, but the lyrics have just recently caught my attention, and it seems a most appropriate thing to post here. And besides... It's a damn good song!

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44xirQ55IgA]Coldplay Viva La Vida[/url] (no embedding)

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never
Never an honest word
And that was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror, my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field

For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

The Holy Roman Empire.

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 21:17:15 GMT

It wasn't Holy.

They weren't Roman.

It wasn't realllllllllllly an Empire.

=======================

DISCUSS!

40 years' worth of thanks

Nuclearcow — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 22:43:43 GMT

Touching story and nice little video.

"In 1968, a white firefighter saved a black baby girl, touching the heart of a divided city. The two did not meet again. Until yesterday."
[url]http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/02/12/40_years_worth_of_thanks/?s_campaign=yahoo[/url]

How much is a trillion

Nuclearcow — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:40:03 GMT

Great article: [url]http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/02/04/trillion.dollars/index.html[/url]

[quote]One trillion $1 bills stacked one on top of the other would reach nearly 68,000 miles (about 109,400 kilometers) into the sky, or about a third of the way from the Earth to the moon.[/quote]

[quote]To put a trillion dollars in context, if you spend a million dollars every day since Jesus was born, you still wouldn't have spent a trillion[/quote]

[quote]A million seconds is about 11½ days. A billion seconds is about 32 years, and a trillion seconds is 32,000 years[/quote]

German Battlefield yields Roman Surprises

Locus Coeruleus — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:15:05 GMT

[url=http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/01/05/germany.battlefield/index.html]Article @CNN.com[/url]

[quote]Archaeologists have found more than 600 relics from a huge battle between a Roman army and Barbarians in the third century, long after historians believed Rome had given up control of northern Germany.

Researchers say the evidence suggests the tribesmen lured the Romans into forest.

"We have to write our history books new, because what we thought was that the activities of the Romans ended at nine or 10 (years) after Christ," said Lutz Stratmann, science minister for the German state of Lower Saxony. "Now we know that it must be 200 or 250 after that."[/quote]

I like this:

[quote]The items unearthed so far include an axe, still sharp after nearly 1,800 years[/quote]

Built to last! :w00t:

Amsterdam to Reshape City Center

Locus Coeruleus — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:38:10 GMT

getting rid of the riff raff?

[url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/12/06/amsterdam.cafes.brothels.close.ap/index.html]Amsterdam to clamp down on Sex Shops, Brothels, Dope Cafes[/url]

Lest you think this is part of the Islamic driven agenda, that does not appear to be the case.... although some might argue that is the road they are on... I really don't know.

[quote] Amsterdam unveiled plans Saturday to close brothels, sex shops and marijuana cafes in its ancient city center as part of a major effort to drive organized crime out of the tourist haven.
Smokers in one of the cafes that will be targeted by authorities in the Netherlands.

Smokers in one of the cafes that will be targeted by authorities in the Netherlands.

The city is targeting businesses that "generate criminality," including gambling parlors, and the so-called "coffee shops" where marijuana is sold openly. Also targeted are peep shows, massage parlors and souvenir shops used by drug dealers for money-laundering.[/quote]

[quote] Asscher underlined that the city center will remain true to its freewheeling reputation.

"It'll be a place with 200 windows (for prostitutes) and 30 coffee shops, which you can't find anywhere else in the world -- very exciting, but also with cultural attractions," he said. "And you won't have to be embarrassed to say you came."

Under the plan announced Saturday, Amsterdam will spend €30 million to €40 million ($38 million to $51 million) to bring hotels, restaurants, art galleries and boutiques to the center. It will also build new underground parking areas.[/quote]

10 US soldiers to receive Silver Stars

Nuclearcow — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:15:56 GMT

Quite an interesting read about a battle in Afghanistan. Most silver stars given in 1 battle since Vietnam era.

[url]http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081212/ap_on_re_us/ten_silver_stars[/url]

Glenn Beck

Nuclearcow — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:08:53 GMT

Since a few of his articles have been posted here (I really like the guy), I thought maybe some of you would like to know that Glenn Beck has just signed on with Fox News.

I kinda liked a conservative on CNN.

International Day of Peace.

Locus Coeruleus — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 20:35:44 GMT

Meant to post this earlier, but this is just a post to acknowledge that today is [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Day_of_Peace]International Day of Peace.[/url]

Peace.

History Rocks!

Locus Coeruleus — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:05:03 GMT

I remember seeing this series on History Channel some time ago. This was one of my favourites:

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dOgl87Ts5DU]History Rocks: Iran 1979[/url]

Geopolitics of the Southern Caucasus

Locus Coeruleus — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:40:50 GMT

An interesting read on a not-often considered part of the world. Granted it is seven years old (2000), and you may wish to consider the source, but there is some good, interesting information in there.

[url=http://meria.idc.ac.il/journal/2000/issue4/jv4n4a6.html]Armenia and the Middle East[/url]

[quote]Editor's Summary: The South Caucasus region--consisting of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia--can be said to be the new, northern extension of the Middle East. Armenia must maneuver between the rivalries and alliance systems of Iran, Russia, Turkey, and the United States to find a stable role in this new system. Local disputes and conflicting interests make this a difficult task. Yet the South Caucasus has become a more stable area than anyone might have expected. [/quote]

and it ends...

[quote]Armenia, long in a Russian sphere of influence, must maneuver among all these interests and rivalries in order to preserve its independence. For Armenia, the most urgent tasks are:

--To increase and develop the partnership with Georgia and closer relations with Israel, as potential allies who are not seeking sub-regional hegemony.

--To resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict peacefully.

--To build normal relations with Turkey.

--To intensify cooperation with Russia, Iran, and the United States without being too dependent or influenced by any one of them.

One leading potential danger for Armenia is to lose its options by its gradual, forced drift toward an emerging axis of Russia and Iran, which sees itself competing with a U.S.-Turkey-Israeli bloc. Such an outcome would also damage Armenian relations with Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Still, Armenia's chances in pursuing its independent policy, despite certain limitations, are actually increasing. In international terms, the South Caucasian sub-region has been far more stable over recent years than might have been expected. Armenia's management of its foreign policy has been a key factor in that sub-regional balance.[/quote]

Seemingly still relevant today.

More information on Armenia:

[url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/am.html]CIA-The World Factbook: Armenia[/url]

[url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0107292.html]InfoPlease-Armenia[/url]

Enjoy! ;)

Dave Matthews Does History

Locus Coeruleus — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 01:49:40 GMT

Here is a fun, arrogant little tune with historical themes to it. :)

It's nothing new, but non-the-less, a great song!

[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMAnYUwIhk0]DMB: Don't Drink The Water[/url]

[b]Don't Drink the Water[/b]

Come out, come out, no use in hiding.
Come out, come out, can you not see
Theres no place here, what were you expecting?
No room for both, just room for me.
So you will lay your arms down,
Yes, I will call this home.
Away, away, you have been banished.
Your land is gone, and given to me.
And here I will spread my wings.
Yes, I will call this home.
Whats this you say, you feel a right to remain?
Then stay and I will bury you.
Whats that you say, your fathers spirit still lives in this place?
Well, I will silence you.
Heres the hitch, your horse is leaving.
Dont miss your boat, its leaving now.
And as you go I will spread my wings.
Yes, I will call this home.
I have no time to justify to you,
Fool, youre blind, move aside for me.
All I can say to you my new neighbor,
You must move on or I will bury you.
Now as I rest my feet by this fire
Those hands once warmed here, but I have retired them.
I can breathe my own air and I can sleep more soundly
Upon these poor souls,
Ill build heaven and call it home.
Cause youre all dead now.
I live with my justice
And I live with my greed in me
I live with no mercy
And I live with my frenzy feet
I live with my hatred
And I live with my jealousy
I live with the notion that I dont need anyone but me
Dont drink the water
Dont drink the water
Blood in the water
Dont drink the water

The Invisible Nation

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 21:31:11 GMT

[url=http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/09/books/09grim.html?_r=1&ref=world&oref=slogin]In Northern Iraq, the Kurds Find Success Amid Struggle[/url]

[quote]The script for Iraq was supposed to go like this: The dictator topples; the oppressed masses celebrate; democracy takes root; and the United States, showered with gratitude, embraces a new, pro-Western ally in the hostile Middle East.

That’s exactly what happened, Quil Lawrence argues in “Invisible Nation,” but you have to look north to see it, in the three Kurdish provinces of Iraq. “Americans now sit transfixed by their entanglement in the horrible civil war unfolding in Arab Iraq, but they scarcely notice that Iraqi Kurdistan is slowly realizing all of America’s stated goals for the region,” he writes.[/quote]

[quote]Quietly, and happy to be left alone, they have developed a semi-autonomous enclave that is pro-democracy, pro-American and even pro-Israel. It is Muslim but not theocratic. There is no insurgency, and no American soldiers have been killed there. Almost by accident, Mr. Lawrence writes, Iraqi Kurdistan has turned out to be “one of the most successful nation-building projects in American history.”[/quote]

[quote]He begins, sensibly enough, with a brief overview of Kurdish history and an answer to the irritating question inevitably put to every Kurdish spokesman: What exactly is a Kurd? Much hinges on the reply. For years the Turkish government simply denied the existence of its millions of Kurds, calling them “mountain Turks who have forgotten their language.”

In fact, the Kurds are a distinct, ancient ethnic group with their own non-Arabic language who inhabit parts of Turkey, Syria, Iran and Iraq. Like the Palestinians, they are a people without a homeland and are much less likely than the Palestinians to get one. This is the discordant note in Mr. Lawrence’s otherwise upbeat account, a little-engine-that-could story in which courageous, determined Kurds, overcoming repeated betrayals by the Western powers, manage to create from the ruins of Iraq a virtual state that cannot become actual without throwing the entire Middle East into chaos.[/quote]

[quote]Mr. Lawrence describes “soft partition” as the Kurds’ best bet. Only 2 percent of Kurds wish to remain part of Iraq, but a declaration of nationhood would bring armed intervention from adjacent powers. By lying low and taking advantage of continuing strife between Sunnis and Shiites, Mr. Lawrence writes, they can continue to develop separately and, with a little luck, persuade the United States to build a permanent military base in Kurdistan.

“The key was to keep American patronage, and to do that, they would need to stay a tiny bit invisible,” Mr. Lawrence writes, reading the mind of the Kurdish leadership. “The Kurds could have a country in everything but name, and that way none of the neighbors could accuse them of trying to redraw the map.”[/quote]

[quote]For the first time in nearly a century the Kurds hold a winning hand — from which they need to discard the trump card of nationhood. Mr. Lawrence, a sympathetic but not uncritical observer, makes it easy to root for a people whose struggle has long seemed, to quote Neville Chamberlain on Czechoslovakia, “a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing.” For a change, the Kurds now have a chance at something.[/quote]

oldie but a goodie

Tosk — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 17:41:04 GMT

Top this for a speeding ticket.

Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speeding enforcement on I-15, just north of the Marine Corps Air Station at Miramar. One of the officers was using a hand held radar device to check speeding vehicles approaching the crest of a hill.The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading 300 miles per hour. The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but it would not reset and then turned off.

Just then a deafening roar over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact locked on to a USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low flying exercise near the location. Back at the CHP Headquarters the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint to the USMC Base Commander. The reply came back in true USMC style:

Thank you for your letter. We can now complete the file on this incident.You may be interested to know that the tactical computer in the Hornet had detected the presence of, and subsequently locked on to, your hostile radar equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it, which is why it shut down. Furthermore, an Air-to-Ground missile aboard the fully armed aircraft had also automatically locked on to your equipment location. Fortunately, the Marine Pilot flying the Hornet recognized the situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system alert status and was able to override the automated defense system before the missile was launched to destroy the hostile radar position. The pilot also suggests you cover your mouths when cussing at them, since the video systems on these jets are very high tech. Sergeant Johnson, the officer holding the radar gun, should get his dentist to check his left rear molar. It appears the filling is loose. Also, the snap is broken on his holster.

Thank you for your concern.
Semper Fi.
__________________

T-Rex Sue

queen val — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 16:50:40 GMT

I was watching Discovery Channel today and they are doing more test on the T-rex Sue. With all the equipment and everything else they have they are able to tell the age of the T-rex Sue and what caused her dead and believe it or not the sex. I was watching the next thing which is Mega beast. They showed a Mega Beaver. It looks like a HUGE rat with Huge teeth. It is amazing that now they will have to rewrite the history books. LOL They keep finding ancient animals and boy, it is just amazing. Now they are going to tell us as humans that we did come from Ape like things. lol the web site is: Discoverychannel.com, then type in T-rex and they have alot of headings to read. Very Very Interesting.:w00t::hehe: Yes I'm nuts. I love things like that learn . See old queens can learn new things.

Dubai is Nuts!!!!

Locus Coeruleus — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:46:46 GMT

I can see the potential for this to go P&R, but I hope it doesn't.

This is just fantastic!!!

[url=http://www.dubai-architecture.info/DUB-GAL1.htm]Dubai Architecture[/url]

A Tale of Two Cities

Locus Coeruleus — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 23:34:13 GMT

Recently visited Memphis in December. Have lived in Nashville the past 6 years.

Snapped some photos while in Memphis:

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/5493/memphis2007031rr2.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[b]Nathan Bedford Forrest Park[/b]

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img412.imageshack.us/img412/7900/memphis2007040yr9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[b]Jefferson Davis Park[/b]

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/69/memphis2007041kw8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[b]...a True American Patriot???[/b]

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/9412/memphis2007037zz1.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[b]Confederate Park[/b]

They sho' iz proud of their Southern Heritage in Memphis, Tennessee.

Nashville, on the other hand...

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/456/nashvilleparthenon005rx9.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[b]The Parthenon Lives!!!!!![/b]
[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img120.imageshack.us/img120/6947/nashvilleparthenon006vo6.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/9688/nashvilleparthenon002no8.jpg[/IMG][/URL]

Nashville, on the other hand, prides itself in being the "Athens of the South", with the Parthenon, and it's [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville%2C_Tennessee#Education]many Universities and Colleges[/url].

Never, in the field of human endeavor ...

Tosk — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 20:48:03 GMT

This does not really fit the P&R forums but it may need to be moved there ...

Darn looks like the your-o-peens are quite far ahead of the U.S. in the "No child left behind" field of indoctrination.

*****************************

Never, in the field of human ignorance, have so many known so little about famous Britons.

A quarter of the population think that Winston Churchill never actually existed, a survey suggests.

While a poll recently named him the greatest Briton of all time, the wartime prime minister is seen by many as a mythical figure along with the likes of Florence Nightingale and Sir Walter Raleigh.

Winston Churchill, the 'greatest Briton of all time,' is merely a myth to some. This could well have something to do with the TV insurance adverts inviting viewers to "challenge Churchill" and featuring a lugubrious talking dog.

According to the survey of 3,000 respondents, many believe the inspirational Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, Cleopatra and the Duke of Wellington are also characters dreamed up for films and books.

Some think Charles Dickens was himself a character in fiction rather than the creator of David Copperfield, Oliver Twist and Martin Chuzzlewit.

In a damning indictment of the nation's historical knowledge, many of those surveyed said they believe Sherlock Holmes was a real person, along with the pilot Biggles and even the Three Musketeers.

Almost 50 per cent were certain that Eleanor Rigby existed not just in the imagination of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. And they were in no doubt about the existence of King Arthur, Lady Godiva, Robin Hood and Dick Turpin. In many cases such characters were based on real historical figures but their exploits have been embellished. While there was a highwayman called Richard Turpin, the famous ride he is said to have undertaken from London to York in a day was made by another rogue.
Similarly, there was an Anglo-Saxon noblewoman named Godiva, but there is no evidence that she rode through the streets naked. And there is only vague evidence that King Arthur ever existed, let alone led his Knights of the Round Table.

Robin Hood is a similarly shadowy figure. The poll, carried out by UKTV Gold to test the nation's general knowledge, suggests that the under-20s are most lacking in basic historical education.

Historian Correlli Barnett said: "This suggests a complete lack of common sense and respect for our greatest heroes of the past."
"Churchill and Wellington were great men, but this suggests we no longer value people of great achievement.
"It's all about celebrities and popular culture. What it also tells us is what is going wrong in our school curriculums.
"Something must be completely lacking in our national education that people could be so ignorant as to think these people never actually existed.
"No doubt these other ones like Robin Hood, people mistake as being real because they have recently been featured on the TV."

By REBECCA CAMBER Last updated at 21:12pm on 3rd February 2008

Ancestry and Ethnicity.

Locus Coeruleus — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 22:39:32 GMT

I have recently been talking to my grandparents about where we all come from, being a Caucasian American from the USA with diverse background who is very keen on world history, this has always been interesting to me. So I have found out about my great grandparents ethnicities this much:

3 Italian Great Grandparents
1 English
1 Scottish
1 German
1 Polish
and 1 that is 1/2 French and 1/2 Irish.

4 of which I had been fortunate enough to have met. My German great-grandfather was actually born in Canada but moved here to the USA when he was 15. The rest were either born here to immigrants, or moved here from the old country at a very young age around the dawn of the 20th century. That I am not entirely sure of.

Technically speaking, that would make me 3/8 Italian, 1/8 English, Scottish, German and Polish, and 1/16 French and Irish.

On otherwords, I am your typical 3rd/4th generation Caucasian American of European decent. :)

If people would like to share, I'd be interested to see where other folks families come from, whatever part of the world that may be.

Cheers.

Get Your Country Here!!!

Locus Coeruleus — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 23:29:53 GMT

Get your modern, 21st Century, Western Style Country Here!!!!!

[url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070918/ap_on_fe_st/belgium_for_sale]Someone tries to sell Belgium on Ebay!![/url]

Speaking of the Yahoo tabloid!!! :w00t:

[quote] Hidden among the porcelain fox hounds and Burberry tablecloths on sale at eBay.be this week was an unusual item: "For Sale: Belgium, a Kingdom in three parts ... free premium: the king and his court (costs not included)."

The odd ad was posted by one disgruntled Belgian in protest at his country's political crisis which reached a 100-day landmark Tuesday with no end in sight to the squabbling between Flemish and Walloon politicians.[/quote]

New World Order: Econoism

grandgeneral — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 14:04:47 GMT

New World Order: econoism, or a government fused with its economy, could it save our world? A more in-depth description of Econoism is a government that works so dependently and its economy so dependent on the government, that they become one. Every working person must give 20% of their money to the government, and 10% of that is returned to them when they need. Every person will be a working person, and the government will be rich enough to build structures like the new "sky city" being planned in japan, and it would be a prospering government. Nations would easily unite with such a government to get the same benefits as that nation would.
This government is a blend of communism, democracy, imperialism, and feudalism. Though not as harsh as communism, more in control than democracy, not as powerful as imperialism, and less corrupt than feudalism.

would this system work, if it could be started in a country as powerful as china, or russia? I want the people of the 1-Big Community to make a possible scenario, to prove it can work.

Russia Claims the North Pole

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 20:04:32 GMT

[url=http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1642905,00.html]Russia Claims the North Pole[/url]

Yes, folks, imperialism is alive and well.

Boy, this country sure has been in the news lately.

Global Warming Test

Tosk — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 23:58:22 GMT

oddly... I got 100%.

I thank bb's because, as usual ... they made me do the work. BB's are my source of news ... not the posts necessarily but ... the links.

I follow the links and then I am forced to do my own research. You can't get that by listening to talking heads on either side of the issues. You have to do the research and ... at no other time has it been so easy.

The Internet is a vast storehouse of papers and thought... some crud, some pure gold...

Here you can read peer reviewed scientific papers not available at a normal library ... and certainly not on the talking head bs news stations ... and all from the comfort of your home, while drinking coffee, before starting your day.

And still ... so many just go for the talking head sound bites. I rarely watch news at anymore ... only during major elections or disasters or wars...

Even then ... I am shocked at the stuff that comes out of their mouths ... and that they have the nerve to say it ... glib sound bites while offering not a shred of proof for anything they throw out.

[url=http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/GlobWarmTest/start.html]global warming test[/url]

If you are 100% certain that your side is correct, and has it all 100% figured out already, then this test and the explanations/links are probably not for you. ;)

What happened to bin laden?

grandgeneral — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 23:36:30 GMT

LAst we heard of bin laden, are confirmed reports of bin laden being at the battle of tora bora in late december of 2001. of course their have been suspicions of him being seen in plenty of places. But no one has had a confirmed report of bin laden being anywhere. My theory? i Have 2. 1) he died in Tora Bora. I believe while hiding in a tunnel at tora bora, a bomb collapsed said tunnel, trapping bin laden inside. Osama is Dead!:w00t: Theory 2) Osama has a new alias. Osama being the son of a ***, i mean billionaire, he has the resources to get facial surgery to change his appearance, and the ability to forge a new identity, osama is hiding in pakistan, and still in control of al queda.

You've seen what i think, what do you think?

And pAlpster, No whacko chuck norris theory:P!

So -- Will the "Surge" Work in Iraq?

Colonel D. — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 21:18:54 GMT

I think the situation is close to being beyond recovery, although if anyone can turn this around it is "King David" Patreus. Your thoughts?

Index of Economic Freedom

Locus Coeruleus — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 10:46:56 GMT

Brought to you by the Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.

[url=http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm]IoEF 2007[/url]

Enjoy. ;)

Where Da Oil At???

Locus Coeruleus — Fri, 11 May 2007 23:54:28 GMT

Interesting Image I found on AsiaTimes Online.

[IMG]http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/images/me-oil-xzz.gif[/IMG]

The Risk if we "Lose the War"

Scipio Africanus — Wed, 24 Aug 2005 09:17:09 GMT

So many "wrong" behaviors that our Central Asian authorities would LUV to rid us of. Lose and we're well on our way to letting them have their way :p[URL=http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/08/23/turkmenistan.ban.ap/index.html]Lip Synching Banned in Turkmenistan[/URL]

Darwin works in mysterious ways...

Tosk — Tue, 15 May 2007 17:24:05 GMT

Took a back road ride to Albuquerque this weekend to shake out the bike ... been quite a while since I have ridden her. Pulled into a rest area to have a smoke. Just before I fired up the ole Zippo to get my fix I happened to look to my left ... about 15 yards upwind of me stood the poster child for Yup magazine yapping away on his cell phone. He looked my direction just as I flipped the lid and a look of total horror came over his face. He attempted to run ... to make his escape from this horrible, fire breathing creature ... but Opsie ... he misestimated the curb and face planted. Cell phone deconstructed in a spray of flying plastic parts ... the snoz erupts blood in a fountain of stupid ... I couldn't help it ... I broke up ... laughing like a hyena on crack.
This Goober is standing among ideling cars and semi's. In the distance you can see the beautiful, smog infested skyline and a few stacks spewing God only knows what and this moron is concerned about a cigarette being lit downwind of him.

Couple hours later, I had lit a cigarette and was smoking it on my bike on the way home through some nameless burg, a chick on a puddle jumper passed me ... She began to fake splutter and frantically waved her hand in front of her face to clear the air ... smoke absolutely BILLOWED out of her exhaust and the whole road behind her became and continued to be an oily smoke screen as she zoomed off.

The power of advertising on idiots never ceases to amaze me.

Kosovar Guerilla's attack Orthodox Serbs

Greek Stud — Fri, 19 Mar 2004 00:24:54 GMT

[URL=http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040319/ap_on_re_eu/kosovo_clashes_8]NATO Sends Backup As Kosovo Unrest Wells [/URL]Well, the same KLO guerilla's that attacked the old corrupt regime in Serbia-Montenegro are conveniently not mentioned in the news. When NATO went into the Balkan region, Russia warned that taking the KLO off the group terrorist list was not a good idea. The ethnic clashes are also national clashes that NATO has fueled by not ending corruption.The public humiliation of Milosovich is fine, but journalists dangerously marked it as a Serbian Orthodox identy. Now Albania's who came to the region from the Caspian region have settled in Kosovo and Albania. They want an ethnic nationalistic sovereign country. That means the Serbian Orthodox culture remeniant from the Serbian Empire are sitting ducks. Just like Milosevich cleansed Moslems in the mountains of Montenegro and sent troops into lower Kosovo in response to the organization of terrorist networks (which I would say Milosevich's regime resembles), the KLO has been free to reorganize and raise funds from the women sex-slave trade. Many of the women interviewed by journalists said NATO and American troops were their top clients since intervention.Now the KLO has continued to burn Serbian Orthodox Churches whom had no part in Milosevich's ethinic cleansing.My personal anger of the conflict of not being able to reach relatives in Belgrade ever since the 1999 bombings, I have still had no contact with my family since that time. The KLO are burning our churches, they do not deserve to be free of the "terrorist listing", they are a terrorist group that has incited violence once again in the Balkan region.

Iraq Surge

Timeless Watch — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 16:22:34 GMT

If initial reports are right... though the "surge" is only its begining, there are some improvements on the field in Baghdad as there are 2 new "players" - one american general and one iraqi general.

I know from media that most americans are opposed to the surge.

However, If the surge (in its still initial surge) was to have a good affect - perhaps it could have a positive effect on support for its continuation and perhaps it could help one John McCain move his presidential campagin forward (right now he seems stuck)?

Opinions please.

Timeless

North Korean Missile Tests

psweetman1590 — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 15:24:02 GMT

I found this article, and thought that it's been a while sinse North Korea was the center of discussion here, so why not throw it in and see what happens?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060620/ap_on_re_as/nkorea_missile_test

I don't happen to know much about the political situation there, so I'll just leave you guys with that article, and read any replies there may be.:)

Francis Urqhurt

Timeless Watch — Sun, 11 Feb 2007 20:55:25 GMT

Meet Francis Urqhurt, Cheif Whip of the English Tory party.
Urqhurt wants to become PM and in order to achieve that he will betray his friends and allies and will be up to lots of mischief and corruption.
But what I loved best about him is his sardonic attitude and the fact that - you actually do end up loving this evil person. not because you sympethise with him but because... well... he plays he's role so well! He's just so charming as the devil in desguise.

Its actually a BBC Drama and I would expect English viewers to like it more then anyone else as you do need to have a feel for british politics in order to relate.

When I spotted the TV drama I wasnt much in a position to comment about british politicians, i was young (in my late teens) and i was living in Israel... disconnected. But I always loved politics and it was just too good.

Then I went book spotting and eventully i found the books (which all end differently then the series which is based on the 3 books). I also eventully read the books and then bought the DVD's (about 10-15 years after first spotting it and never seeing it again since).

It is just brilliant.

why am I posting this:
First, because if you like politics and if you have a bit of a clue about how it works in the UK then you should watch this. its good stuff. they say that John Major (former UK PM) was literly following the series to learn some tricks!
Second, in tribute of the lead star... the actor that played the cheif whip and who's name became a synonym with Francis Urqhurt - [url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6346897.stm]Ian Richardson[/url] who passed away 2 days ago. May he rest in peace.

If you want to start with the books (which again, differ from the series although they are mostly parallel) then its:
[b]1. House of Cards
2. To Play the King
3. The Final Cut[/b]

All written by [b]Michael Dobbs[/b].

WorldMapper.org

Locus Coeruleus — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 22:56:56 GMT

(for the Civilization junkie in all of us!)

[url=http://www.worldmapper.org/]Worldmapper.org[/url]

[quote]Worldmapper is a collection of world maps, where territories are re-sized on each map according to the subject of interest.

366 maps and PDF posters will be finished by February 2007. Use the menu above or click on a thumbnail image below to view a map.[/quote]

Example:

[b]Total Children[/b]

[URL=http://imageshack.us][IMG]http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/6479/totalchildrenpl9.png[/IMG][/URL]

[quote]Worldwide, children make up a third of the population. In 2004 there were 1,826 million children aged under 15. Only children under 15 are shown in this map and graph. Africa has the highest percentage of children. In Uganda and Niger half the population is under 15 years old. In Italy, Spain and Japan only 14% of the population are children aged under 15.[/quote]

[url=http://www.worldmapper.org/display.php?selected=5]Total Children[/url]

Have fun!!!!