Bored today...thought I'd make some people think and get the blood in the brain circulating
Things most people do not know"
1) London is in the "Western Hemisphere"...as is most of France, all of Spain, and a large portion of western Africa. The Prime Meridian line (that imaginary line from pole to pole, perpendicular to the equator), separates the Western Hemisphere from the Eastern Hemisphere
2) There are two contested Prime Meridian lines...one, the "international or Greenwich Meridian Line", the other the "Paris Meridian line", which is slightly east of the Greenwich line and goes through Paris. It is believed the people of France (at least Paris) want to be in the Western Hemisphere :-??
3) The International Date Line, cuts through the Pacific Ocean and varies (unlike the Prime Meridian line) in order to keep countries/providences/states, etc., on the same day of the year. For instance, it jags around the Aleutian Islands of Alaska in order for all of Alaska to be on the same date and the rest of the U.S.
(https://i.postimg.cc/MpBb08cz/time-zone-map-standard-time-international-date-line.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hXSdg6bY)
5) Africa is the ONLY continent that resides in all four hemispheres (Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern). I think it's kind of confusing because most people don't realize the sheer size of the Pacific and how most of the land mass of earth is on the other side of the Pacific
6) The dwarf planet Pluto is considerably smaller than Earth's moon. It's as if a moon escaped from one of the big planets and is using the Sun's gravity to orbit rather than a planet
7) Jupiter's moon Ganymede is twice the size our Earth's moon and larger than the planet Mercury. It is the only moon with a magnetic field and has an atmosphere that contains oxygen
8) Venus is the only planet that spins backwards (counterclockwise)
9) You could fit approximately 1.3 million Earths inside the Sun (based on volume)
(https://i.postimg.cc/6qDzw671/space-size-comparison-solar-system-260nw-2537107805.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
10) Earth's orbit around the sun varies from year to year. Jupiter and Saturn are so large that their sheer size and gravitational pull changes Earth's orbit. Of course, it takes many Earth years for those planets to be near Earth and alter its orbit (note: Jupiter takes approximately 12 Earth years to orbit the sun and in the last few years, both Jupiter and Saturn are in line and closer to Earth in 300 years)
11) A strange phenomenon that no scientists can explain, is when a country is at war, the percentage of babies born, are male
12) Human teeth are the only part of the body that cannot heal themselves
13) Lemons float in water, but limes sink
14) Penicillin used be called "mold juice"
15) Out of 32 NFL teams, 8 do not have cheerleaders :(
16) NFL Super Bowl referees also get Super Bowl rings
17) When spelling out a number, one must get to 1,000 before the letter "A" is used (on a side note, most of you are spelling numbers in your head between zero and ten)
18) An avocado is a fruit, not a vegetable
19) Wearing a necktie could reduce blood flow to your brain by up to 7.5 percent (this explains a lot)
20) Nothing separates the Western Hemisphere from the Eastern Hemisphere than our favorite morning drink
(https://i.postimg.cc/MTqDKrpq/Coffee-vs-Tea.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
21) Gravity is an energy, and can be defined, measured, predicted, etc., but scientists cannot explain the how, why, it exists - a scientific mystery classified as "dark energy"
22) Other things scientists cannot explain: why 90% of people born are right-handed; why identical twins have identical genetics, yet have personalities that completely differ; why objects (planets and stars) are almost perfectly spherical; where life started; dark matter; and a host of other things
Great stuff Ric. Lots I didn't know and now I do. :yes: :yes: :yes:
Here are some more things I didn't know (well some I actually did).
There is no specific time zone at the South Pole.
This is because all the longitude lines on the planet meet up there (because the planet isn't flat, yo).
The stations on the South Pole use the time zone of the country that owns them, meaning two stations near each other could be using two different time zones.
Surfer slang "hang ten" means having all 10 toes over your board's edge when riding a wave.
There is a spacecraft graveyard in the South Pacific Ocean.
Known as "Point Nemo," it is the furthest place on the Earth from land.
It is home to over 300 spacecraft and associated space debris
Bowler Hats were originally invented as safety hats.
The hat was invented to keep horse riders' heads safe from branches and other obstacles.
Antarctica is the world's largest desert.
The Antarctic Polar Desert covers the Antarctica continent and covers roughly 5.5 million square miles.
The Sahara Desert covers roughly 3.6 million square miles.
An ant can't die from falling.
Because of their incredibly small weight and rock-hard exoskeleton, an ant's terminal velocity isn't enough to harm it upon impact.
Fortune cookies are an American invention.
They were invented by Makoto Hagiwara of San Francisco in the 1890s and sold at the Golden Gate Park's Japanese Tea Garden.
On statues, a horse's legs tell you how the statue figure died.
If a horse has both its front legs in the air, then the person died in battle
If the horse has one of its front legs in the air, they died of wounds received from a battle.
And if the horse has both its front legs on the ground, then the person died of natural causes.
NASA's internet speed is 91 GB per second!
This means on NASA's internet, you could download a high-quality 1080p movie in mere milliseconds!
The US has more millionaires than Sweden has people.
There are over 10 million millionaires in the US, whilst Sweden has a population of less than 10 million people.
Camels don't actually store water in their humps.
Their lovely camel humps are actually used to store fat.
Psycho (1960) was the first film to ever show a toilet flushing.
It was, for certain, a film of firsts, and one of those firsts just so happened to be the first time a toilet was seen flushing on the big screen!
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on February 03, 2025, 07:05:32 PM8) Venus is the only planet that spins backwards (counterclockwise)
Another bit of trivia....One day on Venus is longer than one year on Venus. It takes Venus longer to rotate once on its axis than to complete one orbit of the Sun.
QuoteOn statues, a horse's legs tell you how the statue figure died.
If a horse has both its front legs in the air, then the person died in battle
If the horse has one of its front legs in the air, they died of wounds received from a battle.
And if the horse has both its front legs on the ground, then the person died of natural causes - Lenn
That is really interesting Lenn. I will never look at a statue with a horse and soldier the same...wow
QuoteOne day on Venus is longer than one year on Venus. It takes Venus longer to rotate once on its axis than to complete one orbit of the Sun. - Sem
That's wild Steve...I had no idea
There's actually 22 million millionaires and that Fluctuates as of 2023, but I predict it will rise or has significantly due to real estate and stock market appreciation. I'm sure we have more than a few here.
Buddy Ebsen almost was the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz but he had an allergic reaction to the stuff they smeared on him.
Puffins can drink salt water.
Elephants can smell water up to two miles away.
That's all I got.
Crocodiles and alligators are surprisingly fast on land. Although they are quick, they are not agile, so if you ever find yourself being chased by one, run in a zigzag line. You'll lose it every time
There are only three types of snakes on the island of Tasmania and all three are deadly poisonous...so if you see a snake while visiting that area, avoid it like the plague
In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak
The largest ships pay a $300,000 toll for each trip through the Panama Canal. The canal generates a third of Panama's economy
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job in case their pants split
The average lifespan of a major league baseball: 7 pitches
According to the Bible (Genesis 1:20-22), the chicken came before the egg
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on February 05, 2025, 09:47:41 AMCrocodiles and alligators are surprisingly fast on land. Although they are quick, they are not agile, so if you ever find yourself being chased by one, run in a zigzag line. You'll lose it every time
There are only three types of snakes on the island of Tasmania and all three are deadly poisonous...so if you see a snake while visiting that area, avoid it like the plague
In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak
The largest ships pay a $300,000 toll for each trip through the Panama Canal. The canal generates a third of Panama's economy
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job in case their pants split
The average lifespan of a major league baseball: 7 pitches
According to the Bible (Genesis 1:20-22), the chicken came before the egg
In England, the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak
We need to have this rule here. Too many people talk way too much and have very little important things to say/
All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job in case their pants split
Most, if not all (including myself) always wore black tights or compression-type tights to keep the shin guards off your bare legs and to whisk away some of the sweat. (pants splitting can also be a factor :yes: :yes: )
(https://i.postimg.cc/VLPRkPH0/untitled.png)
This is where the phrase Real McCoy came from.
https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/elijah-mccoy-inventor-of-the-real-mccoy.htm
How did they come up with this. Russian farmers used to put brown frogs in cow milk to keep it from spoiling.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/11/25/russians-once-dipped-this-frog-in-their-milk-jars-heres-why/
Quote from: squibber on February 12, 2025, 07:26:50 AMHow did they come up with this. Russian farmers used to put brown frogs in cow milk to keep it from spoiling.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/scotttravers/2024/11/25/russians-once-dipped-this-frog-in-their-milk-jars-heres-why/
At first, I thought this was a joke, but the article is very interesting, especially if they can find pharmaceutical benefits from the frog's skin. Quite amazing actually :o
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thingsthatwillmeltyourbrain/permalink/465924793121620/
Geography oddities:
- Detroit, Michigan is further east than Atlanta, Georgia (Fact checked and is true) :what:
- If you live in Stamford, Connecticut and go straight East, North, South, or West...you end up in New York State
(https://i.postimg.cc/4yxhxN17/EW0myq-VX0-AYOr2-B.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
- Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost state in the U.S.
- Reno, Nevada is further west than Los Angeles, California
- El Paso, Texas is closer to California, than they are to Dallas, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin
- If you live in Point Roberts, Washington, you cannot go to any other part of the state of Washington without going through Canada
(https://i.postimg.cc/8kZ6nM1h/point-roberts-map.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 05, 2025, 09:33:58 AMGeography oddities:
- Alaska is the northernmost, westernmost, and easternmost state in the U.S.
I'm having trouble with this. Can you explain?
Quote from: Sem on March 05, 2025, 10:17:33 AMI'm having trouble with this. Can you explain?
"The Aleutian Islands cross longitude 180°, so Alaska can be considered the easternmost state as well as the westernmost" (Courtesy of Google)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QCwrP044/0856a4f69016799b550b8c0fb6e001c5.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
In case you were wondering
(https://i.postimg.cc/9QJBh0H9/DJOmj3x-Xg-AA0e-YD.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/K13T7Zzc)
I just learned something I didn't know...and it's disappointing :(
The Statue of Liberty - the world's most recognized symbol of freedom, was originally intended for Egypt, which ultimately rejected it for being too old-fashioned. The decision came as a huge disappointment to Lady Liberty's creator, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who had envisioned the Suez Canal as the ideal venue for his mammoth harbor structure. Inspired by the grandeur of the Sphinx and the pyramids, Bartholdi sought to craft a colossal masterpiece. When Egypt declined his proposal, the artist shifted his attention to America, a nation flourishing in the post-Civil War era—where his vision ultimately found its home
:what:
I always thought the Statue of Liberty was a gift to the U.S. because of our ties to France as they helped in our War of Independence and our success encouraged them to do the same in France. But designed for Egypt??? Too "old-fashioned"??? what do you call the pyramids, the sphinx, and other structures thousands of years old? I woulda never thunk it :-??
I'm still on a kick studying national and international rivers, lakes, seaways, canals, etc.
A couple things I find fascinating
- The Amazon River is 40 miles wide at its widest point
- Oceangoing vessels can sail 2,300 miles up river in the Amazon from the Atlantic Ocean
- The Amazon River discharges 7,000,000 cubic feet of water PER SECOND...i.e., 4.5 trillion gallons
- The fresh water dumped into the Atlantic Ocean is so powerful, humans can still drink fresh water 100 miles out to sea from the mouth of the Amazon, and in certain areas of the Atlantic, the water is still fresh 200 miles out to sea
- The Amazon River is 330 ft deep in places
- While the Amazon River is 3,997 miles long, there are NO BRIDGES THAT CROSS IT
- There are more species of fish in the Amazon, than the rest of fresh water species in the entire world
- There is a "fresh water only" pink dolphin species that lives in the Amazon that is more fish than mammal, and is found nowhere else in the world
(https://i.postimg.cc/VshYTDzt/A-pink-river-dolphin-jumps-from-the-water-1024x682.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
- As mentioned on another thread, the State of Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes
Perspective about numbers
- If you had a printing press that printed 100 dollar bills, and could print one-per-second (6000 dollars per minute), it would take you 317 years (you would have to start printing more than 80 years before the Revolutionary War started to accomplish that feat)
The numbers:
- There are 60 seconds per minute
- 3,600 seconds per hour
- 86,400 seconds per day
- 31,536,000 seconds per year
= 10,000,000,00031,536,000≈317 years
or in standard number writing" 31,536,00010,000,000,000�≈317 years
To print a billion dollars using the same method would take 3 years and 32 weeks
If your printing press could print one hundred 100-dollar bills per second, it would still take you over 3 years to print it. So when you hear that the U.S. prints trillions of dollars to stimulate the economy, it is false. They don't print it, it is merely digital numbers typed into a ledger in accounting tables. Nothing is printed
The false assumption, known as "zero-sum mentality", is a case in which it is believed there is a set/limited amount of money available to spread the wealth, and that billionaires and millionaires have the greatest share. But that is impossible, as there are more births than deaths each year - not to mention inflation; hence, poverty would increase with each birth and uptick in inflation. Since the extremely wealthy have tens of millions/billions, it is only in the form of digital promises and non-monetary assets (not like Scrooge McDuck with a room of gold coins to swim in). The source of monetary supply is continually growing, albeit in the form of digital promissory notes
If everyone in the U.S. went to the bank to withdraw their money, the U.S. banking would collapse in less than a day and throw the world into fiscal chaos and ruin
When someon says, "it's not worth the paper it's printed on", it's actually worse than that because there is not enough printed money to back up actual money that belongs to citizens
1. Physical U.S. Currency in Circulation (M0 Money Supply)
As of recent estimates, there is about $2.3 trillion in total U.S. paper money and coins circulating worldwide.
However, a large portion of this cash is held outside the U.S. or by banks, businesses, and governments rather than individuals.
2. Total U.S. Money Supply (M2)
The broader money supply, including checking accounts, savings accounts, and money market funds, is around $20 trillion (M2).
This represents money that can be easily accessed but still isn't the total wealth.
3. Total U.S. Wealth
The total net worth of the U.S. (including real estate, stocks, businesses, savings, and other assets) was about $150 trillion in recent estimates.)
In the early 20th century, Charlie Chaplin became a huge star. His look was iconic and known to everyone. Because of this, there were multiple "Chaplin Lookalike" contests to find the person who most resembled the real Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin decided to surprise the guys in one of the contests by entering the contest himself without revealing his name
He came in 20th
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 21, 2025, 03:07:40 PMIn the early 20th century, Charlie Chaplin became a huge star. His look was iconic and known to everyone. Because of this, there were multiple "Chaplin Lookalike" contests to find the person who most resembled the real Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin decided to surprise the guys in one of the contests by entering the contest himself without revealing his name
He came in 20th
I knew that.
Quote from: LennG on March 21, 2025, 04:04:34 PMI knew that.
Yeah, but did you know that I came in 19th place? =))
Quote from: Sem on March 21, 2025, 05:00:34 PMYeah, but did you know that I came in 19th place? =))
Were you wearing your 'Little Tramp' outfit? :ok: :ok:
I was the subject of a joke at Universal Studios back in the 90's. A stunt scene was going to be performed in a large area with bleachers for people to watch. As I entered the area, a guy dressed exactly like Chaplin's tramp persona, and looked like every picture I'd ever seen of Chaplin, insisted on escorting me to my seat. I obliged. I kept hitting myself on the side of my head because it felt like a mosquito or some bug was on my ear or in my hair (something I used to have a lot of - hair, not bugs). Every time I slapped my own head, the crowd in the bleachers would roar with laughter and the Chaplin lookalike would stop and look at me like, "what's wrong". Then we'd start up again, and he'd do it again (wash and repeat).
Anyway, he was using a cane in the opposite side of him that had a feather or something attached to it, and he would slip it behind my head/ear and tickle me with it in such a way as I could not tell where the feeling came from. Anyway, about the 4th time I slapped the side of my head, I figured out what was going on (yeah, I'm a little slow). We all had a good laugh at my expense and the guy shook my hand and thanked me for being a good sport before I sat down
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 14, 2025, 12:42:17 PMI just learned something I didn't know...and it's disappointing :(
The Statue of Liberty - the world's most recognized symbol of freedom, was originally intended for Egypt, which ultimately rejected it for being too old-fashioned. The decision came as a huge disappointment to Lady Liberty's creator, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, who had envisioned the Suez Canal as the ideal venue for his mammoth harbor structure. Inspired by the grandeur of the Sphinx and the pyramids, Bartholdi sought to craft a colossal masterpiece. When Egypt declined his proposal, the artist shifted his attention to America, a nation flourishing in the post-Civil War era—where his vision ultimately found its home
:what:
I always thought the Statue of Liberty was a gift to the U.S. because of our ties to France as they helped in our War of Independence and our success encouraged them to do the same in France. But designed for Egypt??? Too "old-fashioned"??? what do you call the pyramids, the sphinx, and other structures thousands of years old? I woulda never thunk it :-??
It is believed that 🗽 was inspired by Libertas, the Roman goddess of freedom, is the inspiration for the statue's design.
I watched a NatGeo documentary one time which postulated that Bartholdi may have also been inspired by the Greek God Helios, as summarized in the AI description as follows:
The Statue of Liberty, while inspired by the Roman goddess Libertas, is also seen as echoing the symbolism and harbor-side placement of the ancient Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Greek god Helios (the sun god).
Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Colossus of Rhodes: This ancient statue, built between 292 to 280 BC, stood at the harbor entrance of Rhodes, facing ships entering the harbor.
Helios: The Colossus of Rhodes was a statue of Helios, the Greek god of the sun, and was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Statue of Liberty, designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor.
Symbolism: Both the ancient Colossus of Rhodes and the modern Statue of Liberty were monuments dedicated to independence and liberty.
Libertas: The Statue of Liberty is often considered to be modeled after the Roman goddess of liberty, Libertas.
Crown: The crown worn by the Statue of Liberty, with its seven rays, is seen as a halo representing the sun, the seven seas, and the seven continents.
Inspiration: The sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi was inspired by sculptures of Hecate and the god Helios for the design of the Statue of Liberty.
Hope this extra tidbit on the making of Lady Liberty brightens your day, as it had the immigrants arriving in New York harbor upon laying eyes on her for the very first time.
Peace!
That's fascinating, Chris...thanks for the "Cliff note" summary. It's news to me. I am well aware of the Colossus of Rhodes, but unaware it inspired the artist. I wonder why he would build it and not put it in France somewhere. It would seem like he would have put it on the River Seine as it enters Paris or something. Maybe on the English Channel at the costal port in Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine
Seems weird to undertake such a significant, monstrous project of art, only to search for a country to take it off his hands. It's kind of disappointing (to me anyway) that he didn't plan it for the U.S. in the first place. I always thought it was a gift from France in recognition of our successful forced independence from England, and also as that success inspired the French Revolution
Dean Martin was very popular among fans of the Rat Pack, or just because of his crooning, which was incredible. What you probably didn't know, he barely drank alcohol during his life, yet crafted a persona of a drunk, which delighted many fans, so he played it up. He carried a glass of apple juice on stage. It was all an act
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 25, 2025, 10:52:30 AMDean Martin was very popular among fans of the Rat Pack, or just because of his crooning, which was incredible. What you probably didn't know, he barely drank alcohol during his life, yet crafted a persona of a drunk, which delighted many fans, so he played it up. He carried a glass of apple juice on stage. It was all an act
Didn't know that. He sure had me fooled.
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 25, 2025, 10:52:30 AMDean Martin was very popular among fans of the Rat Pack, or just because of his crooning, which was incredible. What you probably didn't know, he barely drank alcohol during his life, yet crafted a persona of a drunk, which delighted many fans, so he played it up. He carried a glass of apple juice on stage. It was all an act
I hate to be a 'know-it-all, ' but I did know that also. My wife is a huge fan of Dino, we have many of his TV shows on DVD along with many of this 'roasts'. And that was one thing she always kept telling me, the drunk thing was all an act. He rarely drank alcohol.
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 22, 2025, 07:43:50 PMThat's fascinating, Chris...thanks for the "Cliff note" summary. It's news to me. I am well aware of the Colossus of Rhodes, but unaware it inspired the artist. I wonder why he would build it and not put it in France somewhere. It would seem like he would have put it on the River Seine as it enters Paris or something. Maybe on the English Channel at the costal port in Le Havre at the mouth of the Seine
Seems weird to undertake such a significant, monstrous project of art, only to search for a country to take it off his hands. It's kind of disappointing (to me anyway) that he didn't plan it for the U.S. in the first place. I always thought it was a gift from France in recognition of our successful forced independence from England, and also as that success inspired the French Revolution
Hi Ric.
You would have to literally retrace Bartholdi's life journey to capture the points in his life which conjured the inspiration behind not only his concept of "Liberty Enlightening the World," but the innovative engineering design of Liberty's structural frame and the precise calculations of sheet copper thickness, and the manner which it attached to the frame, which allowed the final statue to withstand the weather and chemical impact of residing in New York harbor for nearly a century prior to its renovation ahead of its Centennial celebration in 1986.
So, remember that Bartholdi was born in the 1830s and, growing up in Paris, after his father died, became an astute sculptor, architect and designer. Keeping in mind that his country was ruled by Napolean, whose conquests in Egypt had brought "Egyptology" to France, Bartholdi was influenced early in his life where his travels had taken him into Egypt and expanded his artistic mind into building massive statues of grand design. This would be around the 1850s which was an exciting period when hieroglyphics were finally deciphered using the "Rosetta Stone" by Jean Francois Champollion. He would view the Pyramids, including the Sphinx, at Giza, the Colossi of Memnon, and the great temples of the Pharaohs, he delighted in recording these sites in drawings and photographs to serve as his inspiration for the masterpiece he would become renowned for.
It wasn't until the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869 that Bartholdi proposed building a colossal statue at Port Said, influenced by Helios, known as the "Statue of Rhodes," which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Bartholdi's version would be a female, serve as a lighthouse, and be entitled "Egypt Carrying the Light to Asia." Unfortunately, his proposal was firmly rejected by the ruling khedive and Bartholdi returned home, disappointed, and never visited the Middle East again. Little did he know that he had just developed the concept for what would one day become "Liberty Enlightening the World!"
The catalyst for bringing the Statue of Liberty to fruition was a dinner party of strongly individualist Frenchmen in the home of Édouard René de Laboulaye in Versailles in 1865. A gentleman, politician, president of the French Anti-Slavery Society and a strong supporter of the Union in the American Civil War, Monsieur Laboulaye suggested a gift to the United States a monument which, in turn, would influence the cause for democracy in France (NOTE: at the time, under the rule of Napolean III).
With the Franco-Prussian War in their midst, this group, and Bartholdi, with the aid of donations, and the artist himself making multiple trips across the waters to the United States, over a 20-year period, the idea finally became a reality in 1886.
Here are some references I used to help tell this story:
French history - The Statue of Liberty's French roots (https://www.completefrance.com/travel/statue-of-liberty-french-history-8553182/)
Replicas of the Statue of Liberty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Replicas_of_the_Statue_of_Liberty)
Beauty of History and Archaeology (https://www.facebook.com/beautyofhistoryandarchaeology/photos/the-statue-of-rhodes-is-one-of-the-seven-wonders-of-the-ancient-worldit-is-the-s/785059123738336/?_rdr)
I was fortunate enough, in 1981, to have the opportunity to visit Liberty Island as part of a school trip and, back then, I was able to walk up the spiral staircase, inside the very hot and stuffy statue, until reaching the crown and feeling the cool breeze coming off the bay. What an experience that was! Of course, this was just before they closed it all down for the renovation of the statue ahead of its Centennial in 1986. I haven't been to the island since, though I've since visited Ellis Island since they've opened it up for tourism and was very impressed knowing my Polish great-grandparents, both maternal and paternal, walked through there upon reaching this land nearly 125 years ago.
Lady Liberty still holds a fond and emotional place in my heart as a fourth-generation Polish Amercian.
Peace!
That's great info Chris...fascinating. Are you a history teacher/professor? History was always my first love, but math came easy and led to better jobs so I spent 2 1/2 years at SUNY Cortland as a sec. ed Math major, with a minor in programming. In my senior year, I was so sick of math that I switched my major to History so that I could work in a field I actually loved. Unfortunately, history is a BA, and math/programming was a BS. So I had to practically start over to get all the courses I didn't get including 4 semesters of advanced language (I took French). But as things go, I fell in love, quit school, got married and got a job so I could support my wife. I then transferred to Binghamton University and got my degree in engineering and also in operations management. Only reason I bring that up, is because I am seriously considering going back to school to get my masters in history. Since I'm 72, and a long time NY resident, everything is free (except the books). But I also know (after taking grad courses at BU and then Syr U) that grad courses are far easier than undergrad. There's really no reason for me to do it, but it would give me a chance to fill in a lot of holes in knowledge of world history...in particular, far eastern as well as ancient. Still kicking it around in my head as I figure out what to do with my life as a retiree. Between being a caretaker of my mother, who's in her 90's and needs a lot of help, I play guitar, follow the Giants, visit my kids and grandkids (even two great grandkids) and take time to go out with my buddies. I'm teaching two of my granddaughters how to play guitar. But if I was back in school, it'd structure my time better and I think it would be rewarding
So the historical aspect - as well as the engineering feat - is very interesting to me. Like you, I climbed the spiral staircase to the crown, but it was back in the 60's. I visited it with my daughter in 2000 and we went to the statue as well as to the top of the World Trade Center. Watching it collapse live on TV gave me even more chills as I remember looking down and wondering what would happen if the building ever went down. It was a terrifying thought. Then it did :(
Anyway, thanks for the more in-depth history lesson
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 25, 2025, 08:49:31 PMThat's great info
Chris...fascinating. Are you a history teacher/professor? History was always my first love, but math came easy and led to better jobs so I spent 2 1/2 years at SUNY Cortland as a sec. ed Math major, with a minor in programming. In my senior year, I was so sick of math that I switched my major to History so that I could work in a field I actually loved. Unfortunately, history is a BA, and math/programming was a BS. So I had to practically start over to get all the courses I didn't get including 4 semesters of advanced language (I took French). But as things go, I fell in love, quit school, got married and got a job so I could support my wife. I then transferred to Binghamton University and got my degree in engineering and also in operations management. Only reason I bring that up, is because I am seriously considering going back to school to get my masters in history. Since I'm 72, and a long time NY resident, everything is free (except the books). But I also know (after taking grad courses at BU and then Syr U) that grad courses are far easier than undergrad. There's really no reason for me to do it, but it would give me a chance to fill in a lot of holes in knowledge of world history...in particular, far eastern as well as ancient. Still kicking it around in my head as I figure out what to do with my life as a retiree. Between being a caretaker of my mother, who's in her 90's and needs a lot of help, I play guitar, follow the Giants, visit my kids and grandkids (even two great grandkids) and take time to go out with my buddies. I'm teaching two of my granddaughters how to play guitar. But if I was back in school, it'd structure my time better and I think it would be rewarding
So the historical aspect - as well as the engineering feat - is very interesting to me. Like you, I climbed the spiral staircase to the crown, but it was back in the 60's. I visited it with my daughter in 2000 and we went to the statue as well as to the top of the World Trade Center. Watching it collapse live on TV gave me even more chills as I remember looking down and wondering what would happen if the building ever went down. It was a terrifying thought. Then it did :(
Anyway, thanks for the more in-depth history lesson
Thank you, Ric!
I appreciate the compliments. As I have gotten older (NOTE: I will celebrate birthday number 56 on this coming Saturday), I've come to enjoy learning about history through the studies of architecture, archeology, engineering and the evolution of technology.
When I lived in Central New York State, in the Village of Ilion, I spent my first two years of undergraduate study at the recently closed College of Saint Rose in Albany. I was a Math/Physical Science major and would have transferred, in my Junior year, to either Union College or RPI to finish my Engineering coursework. But plans changed and so I stayed closer to home and transferred to what was SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, now known as the SUNY Polytechnic Institute, to earn my Engineering degree. While completing my Junior and Senior years, I worked CO-OP assignments in local industries which included General Electric Aerospace in Utica. I really enjoyed working as a defense contractor and, after graduating, I joined the Army for four years in the Military Intelligence Corps. After completing my original enlistment, I went to work for the Prime Contractor responsible for our hardware, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (NOTE: which merged into Boeingthe following year and I continue to work for that company going on 29 years next month). I've been blessed to have my Engineering Master of Science degree paid by my company and was used as a catalyst for a promotion and new job role.
So, back to history, I do keep myself busy learning about my company's origins from the day Bill Boeing opened shop to the present as we face litigation for the tragedies caused by the 737-MAX crashes, to the surprising news of winning the NGAD competition earlier this week.
I love Ancient Egyptian history, archeology and the programs on National Geographic channel which feature that subject.
To your question regarding teaching history, no, not quite, anyway. I have done platform instructional training for the Warfighter in the past on new product hardware and software. I have set up instructional systems design teams to develop platform instructional training, as well as web-based trainjng,for both the Warfighter and internal customers.
Ironically enough, I studied French in high school for three years. We'd take field trips into the Province of Quebec, to both Montreal and Quebec City, to practice our French, even though the Quebecois speak a "dirty" type of French!"
I find it more than interesting that our respective life journies, though a couple of decades apart, share considerable overlap.
Thank you, again, for sharing your story. It really is a small world. I'll close up by saying my wife matriculated at SUNY Binghamton as well. She is a Buffalo, NY native.
Have a wonderful evening and I have really enjoyed our exchange here!
Peace!
Thanks for sharing that, Chris...we do indeed have an overlap of careers. I spent time in Quebec and concluded that I am not as bilingual as I thought I was. I had my wife and small kids in the car, and we were lost trying to find our hotel. I stopped at a gas station with an old man sitting in a chair out front to ask for help. He kept saying, "je ne comprends pas anglais", and I just couldn't explain in French what I needed as I was tired, frustrated, and my kids were exhausted and the baby crying. It was very frustrating. As I walked away, he yelled out, "hey New Yorker", which I replied, "hey English speaker". He laughed and said he saw my NY plates on the car and said, "sorry, I didn't know you were American...I thought you were Canadian, and we won't speak English to Canadians"...anyway, made me laugh and see a different side to Canada
And your education experience is near my backyard, so I can relate to your journey. I, too, lucked out as an employee of a high-tech company that valued education, and they picked up the bill for furthering my education at Binghamton U. and Syracuse U., which was a really nice perk...lol. As an engineer myself, I made several trips to Ilion to study Remington's MIM (metal injection molding) process, which was new to our company back in the late 80's. It's a shame how Ilion is a shell of its once-glorious self since Cuomo drove the town's life support system out of New York, but I digress
As an engineer, I can probably use the term GD&T in our conversations, and you know what I'm talking about, and I don't have to stop and explain. I became the "GD&T guru" at my company and ended up training engineers, suppliers, QC guys, etc., all across New York and beyond, as well as our own engineers and floor personnel. I turned 72 two days ago, and I still get phone calls asking for a clarification in the use of GD&T. I guess my math background made it come easy to me...not to mention, for many years I was fascinated with the subject. I was also heavily involved with early linear motors that I found interesting. I ended up as far away as Japan in getting processes down to manufacture one of the first linear motors. Which reminds me, we used a company in L.I. for linear bearings that we were going to no longer use after designing one of the first linear motors in the country. One of Thompson Bearings VIPs came to Binghamton to pick me up in a helicopter to take me to their company for a meeting. On the way, we flew close enough to the GW Bridge to put a scare in me, but then we flew out to the Statue of Liberty and hovered in front of Miss Liberty's face. It was a great experience and one of the perks of being an engineer and being involved with linear motion at that time in my life, but I digress
I read an article the other day that spoke of new findings about King Tut's tomb, and that the layout and articles within the tomb, suggested the earliest indication of a ritual to Osiris, for which I have studied on my own. I don't think it's possible to understand early Egyptian culture without understanding the origin and practices surrounding Osiris
Anyway, your story is fascinating, and thanks for sharing. I would enjoy having a beer with you at my favorite watering hole (a dive) for swapping stories
Quote from: kartanoman on March 26, 2025, 01:09:59 AMThank you, Ric!
I appreciate the compliments. As I have gotten older (NOTE: I will celebrate birthday number 56 on this coming Saturday), I've come to enjoy learning about history through the studies of architecture, archeology, engineering and the evolution of technology.
When I lived in Central New York State, in the Village of Ilion, I spent my first two years of undergraduate study at the recently closed College of Saint Rose in Albany. I was a Math/Physical Science major and would have transferred, in my Junior year, to either Union College or RPI to finish my Engineering coursework. But plans changed and so I stayed closer to home and transferred to what was SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome, now known as the SUNY Polytechnic Institute, to earn my Engineering degree. While completing my Junior and Senior years, I worked CO-OP assignments in local industries which included General Electric Aerospace in Utica. I really enjoyed working as a defense contractor and, after graduating, I joined the Army for four years in the Military Intelligence Corps. After completing my original enlistment, I went to work for the Prime Contractor responsible for our hardware, McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (NOTE: which merged into Boeingthe following year and I continue to work for that company going on 29 years next month). I've been blessed to have my Engineering Master of Science degree paid by my company and was used as a catalyst for a promotion and new job role.
So, back to history, I do keep myself busy learning about my company's origins from the day Bill Boeing opened shop to the present as we face litigation for the tragedies caused by the 737-MAX crashes, to the surprising news of winning the NGAD competition earlier this week.
I love Ancient Egyptian history, archeology and the programs on National Geographic channel which feature that subject.
To your question regarding teaching history, no, not quite, anyway. I have done platform instructional training for the Warfighter in the past on new product hardware and software. I have set up instructional systems design teams to develop platform instructional training, as well as web-based trainjng,for both the Warfighter and internal customers.
Ironically enough, I studied French in high school for three years. We'd take field trips into the Province of Quebec, to both Montreal and Quebec City, to practice our French, even though the Quebecois speak a "dirty" type of French!"
I find it more than interesting that our respective life journies, though a couple of decades apart, share considerable overlap.
Thank you, again, for sharing your story. It really is a small world. I'll close up by saying my wife matriculated at SUNY Binghamton as well. She is a Buffalo, NY native.
Have a wonderful evening and I have really enjoyed our exchange here!
Peace!
WOW, Chris, and I thought you only knew how to kick. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Quote from: LennG on March 26, 2025, 12:08:56 PMWOW, Chris, and I thought you only knew how to kick. :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Lol, Lenn!!! It sometimes surprises me as well! But now that my planting leg no longer functions, I'm grateful to have something to lean on until retirement in about a decade or so. But I still think about those big kicks on my old cow pasture in North Alabama; I miss that place sometimes.
Peace!
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 26, 2025, 10:44:12 AMThanks for sharing that, Chris...we do indeed have an overlap of careers. I spent time in Quebec and concluded that I am not as bilingual as I thought I was. I had my wife and small kids in the car, and we were lost trying to find our hotel. I stopped at a gas station with an old man sitting in a chair out front to ask for help. He kept saying, "je ne comprends pas anglais", and I just couldn't explain in French what I needed as I was tired, frustrated, and my kids were exhausted and the baby crying. It was very frustrating. As I walked away, he yelled out, "hey New Yorker", which I replied, "hey English speaker". He laughed and said he saw my NY plates on the car and said, "sorry, I didn't know you were American...I thought you were Canadian, and we won't speak English to Canadians"...anyway, made me laugh and see a different side to Canada
And your education experience is near my backyard, so I can relate to your journey. I, too, lucked out as an employee of a high-tech company that valued education, and they picked up the bill for furthering my education at Binghamton U. and Syracuse U., which was a really nice perk...lol. As an engineer myself, I made several trips to Ilion to study Remington's MIM (metal injection molding) process, which was new to our company back in the late 80's. It's a shame how Ilion is a shell of its once-glorious self since Cuomo drove the town's life support system out of New York, but I digress
As an engineer, I can probably use the term GD&T in our conversations, and you know what I'm talking about, and I don't have to stop and explain. I became the "GD&T guru" at my company and ended up training engineers, suppliers, QC guys, etc., all across New York and beyond, as well as our own engineers and floor personnel. I turned 72 two days ago, and I still get phone calls asking for a clarification in the use of GD&T. I guess my math background made it come easy to me...not to mention, for many years I was fascinated with the subject. I was also heavily involved with early linear motors that I found interesting. I ended up as far away as Japan in getting processes down to manufacture one of the first linear motors. Which reminds me, we used a company in L.I. for linear bearings that we were going to no longer use after designing one of the first linear motors in the country. One of Thompson Bearings VIPs came to Binghamton to pick me up in a helicopter to take me to their company for a meeting. On the way, we flew close enough to the GW Bridge to put a scare in me, but then we flew out to the Statue of Liberty and hovered in front of Miss Liberty's face. It was a great experience and one of the perks of being an engineer and being involved with linear motion at that time in my life, but I digress
I read an article the other day that spoke of new findings about King Tut's tomb, and that the layout and articles within the tomb, suggested the earliest indication of a ritual to Osiris, for which I have studied on my own. I don't think it's possible to understand early Egyptian culture without understanding the origin and practices surrounding Osiris
Anyway, your story is fascinating, and thanks for sharing. I would enjoy having a beer with you at my favorite watering hole (a dive) for swapping stories
You know, Ric, I'm old enough to have been educated in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerances (GD&T), but either too young, or in the wrong business, to implement it. By the time I started working at GE Aerospace and Defense in 1990, AutoCAD V7 was the standard and GE used their own standard drawing template with their own GD&T symbols/expressions. Same with MDA and, now in BA, everything is three-dimensional with the Systems Engineering & Integration connecting the interrelationships of functional and physical requirements at the system to sub-system to component level and, in reverse order, their verification steps back up to the system level through a functional and physical configuration audit. When you're in the business of providing complex products with a "System of Systems" architecture, which includes the management of an even more complex supply chain, where "Make or Buy" decisions must be carefully balanced against program risk, the integration aspect becomes critical for success and, since obtaining my Masters in Systems Engineering, I have worked as an Engineering Integration focal between organizations on a program and, over the last 12 years, at both a business unit and, for four years, an Enterprise level, for our supply chain to address systematic issues which impact our commercial and defense platforms, as well as our global services business. It's a long way from design and development of a critical part; however, if we own the design, and leverage our supply chain to "Build to Print," I come into play after Procurement completes the contractual phase and support the supplier with technical, cost, schedule related customer help needed. I reside at one of our biggest Tier One suppliers who provides products and services to multiple platforms across our entire Enterprise and am the go-to guy, for the entire company when this supplier is not performing in accordance with the T's and C's of the contract. So, in addition to my general technical prowess, I provide overall supplier program management support to no less than 100 contracts with the supplier I reside at, and thousands at multiple suppliers in the PHX metro area, as well as New Mexico, to ensure our development, production and sustainment programs meet their contractual obligations. It's challenging yet most rewarding when you achieve success.
Your professional story is second to none! But I can appreciate you being "the man" when they need you, they'll go out of their way to hunt you down and get you (NOTE: the helicopter story is priceless!). You have some fantastic memories to share from your career and have so much to offer that I'm shocked you haven't been pulled more often to be a consultant. If you looked outside of New York State, and wanted to explore the "lower 48," the manufacturing is all down here so your consulting career would skyrocket instantly.
I might have remained in Central NY if not for the state of manufacturing in the early 90s. That is one of the reasons I joined the military so I could buy time, get to see the world and what's out there. I probably received far more out of the enlistment than the Army did; however, they received a good, dedicated soldier who is now an advocate for veterans and better treatment and care of our women and men who return from battle and need our help and support. The four years showed me that returning to the northeast was no longer an option, and I began my new career in Southern California in the mid 90s and have moved for the company roughly seven times in the 29 years to tackle new opportunities and move up. It's far better than having to start from scratch at a new company, in my opinion.
The Howard Carter story of his discovering Tutankhamun's tomb has captured my wonder since early childhood. I believe there was a Tut Exhibit in New York in the late 1970s which drew a buzz. As much as I would have loved to go, I had to settle for three Tut/Ancient Egypt books for Christmas that year which excited me just the same. I kept them for many years until I literally wore out the binding on them.
In 2007, the next opportunity to view actual Tut treasure in the USA presented itself, and I refused to pass up the opportunity. So, living in Alabama at the time, I took vacation and traveled to visit my family and, on the day I reserved tickets, went to the Franklin Museum in Philadelphia to experience the "Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" tour which, despite not having the best of Tut's treasures on display, was still an experience of a lifetime I will never forget as long as I live. It literally felt like going back in time over 3,000 years and imagining the Boy King still alive and using the artifacts presented before us. Truly, for me, one of the missions I had to accomplish before I die was accomplished that day.
Your mentioning the arrangements of Tut's goods in his tomb arranged in a manner so as to suggest a ritual of Osiris, the God of the Afterlife and Ruler of the Underworld. I presume you have spent time reading "The Book of the Dead" which, amazingly enough, I have a copy of and have read it, on and off, and mostly use it as a reference to validate research articles and documentaries I've read/watched over the years on the journey through the Underworld. It is a fascinating journey with a "suspenseful" end based on how the king's heart measured up to the "Feather of Truth" on the "Scale of Ma'at."
A couple of years ago, an artistic event, "loosely" based on King Tut's journey through the Underworld and into the Afterlife, was featured in the big cities nationwide which had a "Lighthouse Artspace" Entertainment facility. The event, "Immersive King Tut - Magic Journey to the Light," was an artistic impression of a journey through the Underworld using projected images and videos on the walls of the Lighthouse Artspace walls. You're encouraged to move around and follow the scenes, as if you are moving around in an art gallery, except you are viewing the moving scenes on the walls with a deep-voiced narrator describing each phase of the journey and challenging you to imagine yourself traveling next to the king while on his journey. Folks who have a reasonably good grasp on the concepts of Ancient Egypt will understand what's going on and be able to follow easily. The more casual viewer, who might be trying out this event because they enjoyed the Immersive Disney production which featured previously, or the Van Gogh presentation to the tune of "Starry, Starry Night," might get lost because the production doesn't focus so much on Tutankhamun as it does the Book of the Dead. Let's face it, the Book of the Dead doesn't sell tickets, but King Tut certainly will! Below is a promotion of the event, from a few years ago, on a local Phoenix channel so you get an idea:
The last Tutankhamun program on NatGeo that I watched involved the study of the Burial Chamber's walls, using NDT tools such as ground-penetrating radar (GPR), to identify the presence of hidden rooms off the chamber. Subsequent scans proved inconclusive, and the process is currently on hold pending more definitive technology to confirm or deny the preliminary information obtained from the original GPR scans roughly a decade ago. The ultimate objective, of course, is to turn over every stone possible in the hunt for Nefertiti.
You are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the only person I have ever discussed Ancient Egypt with, who has actually opened the Book of the Dead, much less actually read it! You've earned beaucoup cool points with me! I will close by validating your experience in Quebec with my own, in attempting to order a pizza to go, when the waiter asked if we were American. We said yes, that we were on a field trip from New York State to practice our French, and he took pity on us and, in English, admitted French Quebec is slightly different than Parisian French they're teaching us in your classes. But keep practicing! He took our order and handed us the best pizza we ever ate that was not from the US of A!
Amazing what you learn when you open yourself up to the locals!
Peace!
To be clear, I'm no expert on Egyptology, but rather a curious student of the culture and origin of practices. I know the religious practice starts with Ra. And I know Osiris was killed by his jealous brother Seth who then cut him up and spread his body parts around the world, followed by his sister Isis recovering the parts and putting Osiris back together and magically bringing him back to life, at least long enough for him to impregnate her; thus, bearing a son whose descendants led to the creation of the Pharaoh system. The Book of the Dead is a little creepy and brings Isis into play as guiding pharaoh's path to the underworld
In reality, I started by having a curiosity of Biblical characters, starting with Nephilim. Which was brought about by reading a conspiracy theory that Goliath was actually a descendant of a union between a Nephilim with the wife of one of Noah's sons, Ham, who was secretly pregnant while aboard the ark. This led me to read the Book of Enoch, followed by researching the dispersion of Noah's sons as the known world was propagated. Studied Nimrod (great-grandson of Noah, grandson of Ham, son of Cush, the brother of Egypt's "original" settler, Mizraim). It is speculated that Ham's wife was pregnant by a Nephilim (unbeknownst to Ham), and thus carried on the gene that produced Goliath through the line of Nimrod. Through the leadership of Mizraim heading up Egypt, the pagan religion (not unlike Greek's gods) produced the deification of Ra, Osiris, Isis, etc., that became fortified as the foundation of Egyptian culture from top to bottom.
So without going into even greater detail, my research was based on curiosity on names in the Bible, and the Book of Enoch. Which then led to studying the Book of the Dead, and practices used by pharaohs and general population of Egypt. Like I said, no expert, just a guy with too much curiosity and more questions than answers. It's quite fascinating to see the extent of this thinking led to so much of early Egyptian history, including their architectural wonders
Quote from: Jolly Blue Giant on March 27, 2025, 10:39:23 AMTo be clear, I'm no expert on Egyptology, but rather a curious student of the culture and origin of practices. I know the religious practice starts with Ra. And I know Osiris was killed by his jealous brother Seth who then cut him up and spread his body parts around the world, followed by his sister Isis recovering the parts and putting Osiris back together and magically bringing him back to life, at least long enough for him to impregnate her; thus, bearing a son whose descendants led to the creation of the Pharaoh system. The Book of the Dead is a little creepy and brings Isis into play as guiding pharaoh's path to the underworld
In reality, I started by having a curiosity of Biblical characters, starting with Nephilim. Which was brought about by reading a conspiracy theory that Goliath was actually a descendant of a union between a Nephilim with the wife of one of Noah's sons, Ham, who was secretly pregnant while aboard the ark. This led me to read the Book of Enoch, followed by researching the dispersion of Noah's sons as the known world was propagated. Studied Nimrod (great-grandson of Noah, grandson of Ham, son of Cush, the brother of Egypt's "original" settler, Mizraim). It is speculated that Ham's wife was pregnant by a Nephilim (unbeknownst to Ham), and thus carried on the gene that produced Goliath through the line of Nimrod. Through the leadership of Mizraim heading up Egypt, the pagan religion (not unlike Greek's gods) produced the deification of Ra, Osiris, Isis, etc., that became fortified as the foundation of Egyptian culture from top to bottom.
So without going into even greater detail, my research was based on curiosity on names in the Bible, and the Book of Enoch. Which then led to studying the Book of the Dead, and practices used by pharaohs and general population of Egypt. Like I said, no expert, just a guy with too much curiosity and more questions than answers. It's quite fascinating to see the extent of this thinking led to so much of early Egyptian history, including their architectural wonders
Your research project is a fascinating endeavor and to use the Ancient Egyptian texts, the Jerusalem Bible / Old Testament and others to "connect the dots" has to be an enlightening exercise.
With all we have shared, in only scraping the surface of this incredible history, imagine tying it all together with their interest in the Cosmos and Astrology of the day. We already know of the implications of designing engineering masterpieces, involving the stars, as well as the rise and setting of the sun. We know of Ramses II Temple at Abu Simbel, that twice a year (February 22 and October 22), the morning sun stretches through the temple and lights up the inner sanctuary, where the statues of the deified king Ramses II, known as "Ra-Horakhty," and the Gods Amun, Ra and Ptah (NOTE: the light shines on all except Ptah, who is the god associated with the underworld). We also know of the theories being posed of the https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/pyramid-air-shafts/ (http://air%20shafts/) of the Great Pyramid, and the debate as to whether they represented a passage way for the king to rise out of the pyramid, and to the stars, an air duct or, some kind of stellar clock or map. These debates continue to today with nobody closer to the answer than when the researchers from Leeds University developed their special mobile camera to investigate the shafts in 2010.
This big question of the history of the world can take on many different facets by virtue of the knowledge disciplines we research. Ancient texts, our earliest "bibles," archaeology, history, even astronomy, are all pieces to an interwoven puzzle that bring us relatively close to telling the story as it actually played out. There are still missing pieces but what I appreciate are the archaeological finds which help capture the essence of that time, long ago, as well as the texts which offer some context.
I appreciate your exchange and wish you the enjoyment and fulfillment I've experienced in learning about these civilizations from thousands of years ago.
Peace!
Quote from: kartanoman on March 29, 2025, 08:04:08 PMYour research project is a fascinating endeavor and to use the Ancient Egyptian texts, the Jerusalem Bible / Old Testament and others to "connect the dots" has to be an enlightening exercise.
With all we have shared, in only scraping the surface of this incredible history, imagine tying it all together with their interest in the Cosmos and Astrology of the day. We already know of the implications of designing engineering masterpieces, involving the stars, as well as the rise and setting of the sun. We know of Ramses II Temple at Abu Simbel, that twice a year (February 22 and October 22), the morning sun stretches through the temple and lights up the inner sanctuary, where the statues of the deified king Ramses II, known as "Ra-Horakhty," and the Gods Amun, Ra and Ptah (NOTE: the light shines on all except Ptah, who is the god associated with the underworld). We also know of the theories being posed of the https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/pyramid-air-shafts/ (http://air%20shafts/) of the Great Pyramid, and the debate as to whether they represented a passage way for the king to rise out of the pyramid, and to the stars, an air duct or, some kind of stellar clock or map. These debates continue to today with nobody closer to the answer than when the researchers from Leeds University developed their special mobile camera to investigate the shafts in 2010.
This big question of the history of the world can take on many different facets by virtue of the knowledge disciplines we research. Ancient texts, our earliest "bibles," archaeology, history, even astronomy, are all pieces to an interwoven puzzle that bring us relatively close to telling the story as it actually played out. There are still missing pieces but what I appreciate are the archaeological finds which help capture the essence of that time, long ago, as well as the texts which offer some context.
I appreciate your exchange and wish you the enjoyment and fulfillment I've experienced in learning about these civilizations from thousands of years ago.
Peace!
Since you mentioned archaeology, I am a fan of biblical archaeology to help determine what parts of the Bible are history and what parts are narratives or exaggerated history.
Have you read the books of William Dever? He is the foremost authority on biblical archaeology? He has some interesting stuff. He also has some lectures on YouTube that may raise eyebrows.