I have quite literally just finished the coursework for one of my history degree modules, discussing the characteristics of Napoleonic warfare.
Can we get a nice bullet-pointed list? The early gunpowder era is where I start getting confused by the thought process...stand in a line and shoot at each other? Really?
Ginny: Wow, I'm a California native so I'm used to earthquakes but the earthquakes you get are well beyond what we've seen. Most of the US doesn't get earthquakes so we also run into a lot of people that are very afraid of them. Our German pals seemed to take the couple of small ones we've had pretty well, at the least I haven't heard any screaming from their direction.
I am working on finishing up my next step in my quest to the be most over-educated tester so it'll be a few days before I can put together anything of any substance for this thread, glad to see there are plenty of you picking up my slack.
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I've also recently been reading stuff on the Chilean War of Independence against the Spanish, what with Bernardo O'Higgins, Jose de San Martin, and the generally awesome Lord Thomas "Want a war of independence? I'll give you a navy!" Cochrane.
I was just finished a long resume about O'Higgins and Carrera, but the forum decided to hate me and I lost everything I wrote... Anyhow... the Wiki articles are pretty much a bad translation from a source in Spanish, so, they are good in they own way (The Accurate way).
The point with those guys is the Chilean Historians can't decide which one is the actual Founding Father of our country. To the point those guys divide theyselfes as Carreristas and O'Higginistas. Officially, the Founding Father of our Country is O'Higgins, but, in defense of Carrera, he was the first of the mostawesomefamilyin thechilean history ^^!
I recently took a history class and learned about the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic. I knew OF it before, but upon learning the details of this very brief chapter of world history my mind was blown to smithereens.
The first documented case originated in the US, when an army private in bootcamp reported that he was feeling ill and was admitted to the sick wing. In two days, he had died of pneumonia, and dozens more recruits were being admitted for similar symptoms.
The Spanish Flu was contracted easily and did its damage frighteningly fast. What seemed most frightening about the disease was the healthiest people in the prime of life had the highest mortality rates. It is thought that these military origins during wartime spread the flu globally, and I do mean globally. Cases cropped up everywhere, even in the Arctic.
Modern estimates place the death toll at about 80 million people, which in a world population of 1.6 billion is FIVE PERCENT of all people, dead. That's more than five times the death toll of World War I. It's estimated that as many as 500 million people were infected, or one THIRD of the world's population.
The Pandemic lasted from March of 1918 to June of the same year, when the virus mutated and there were declining infections. In the darkest hour it disappeared almost as quickly as is came, just in time for the Allies to win the war and steal all the headlines.
In the US the cultural memory of the Spanish Flu pandemic is almost non-existant. But it's not a very romantic tale. There were no great triumphs, no great demons slain. Just a virus that kicked us in our collective faces for a few months, and could have killed the human race in a few years, but decided to mutate instead.
Now, I remember there's one just recently pretty similar, which attacked the mexicans the last year. The Death Roll was big, attacked the most healthy of the population and in 2 or 3 months (Or more, I don't remember really well...) it's gone.
It's look like the flu were created by God or the Nature just to remain us we can die in any moment and in mass, if the Earthquakes and Tornados weren't enough. They come, they attack us, we can do nothing about it, and then they gone. Or maybe I'm just in that mood.
Something like population regulation when there aren't enough wars for us to kill each other off?
I remember the Spanish flu (not from being there, obviously). That and the one time I had the flu and reached 42°C body temperature (I should have died, technically) are the reason why I always go for flu shots. People don't seem to realise it's a deadly disease, even nowadays.
Also, I really don't like when people have a cold and say "oh, I've got the flu"... No you don't! What's next, get a papercut and say "oh, I cut off my arm"?
I don't think is population regulation. We are taking care of this already, without a war (Have you seen the Birth Rate in Developed Countries recently?)
That make me remember a story I read in deviantart, of an artist I follow, who was called by the School Teacher because her daughter has a band aid in her knee. They believed that was probably Domestic Violence.
I don't think is population regulation. We are taking care of this already, without a war (Have you seen the Birth Rate in Developed Countries recently?)
Considering the worldwide rate is still higher than 2 when I think it should be at least lower than 1 until we reach a population that's not causing all that trouble, I wouldn't say we're taking care of it already, not by a long shot.
Considering the worldwide rate is still higher than 2 when I think it should be at least lower than 1 until we reach a population that's not causing all that trouble, I wouldn't say we're taking care of it already, not by a long shot.
Yeah, but the third world countries are the ones who are make up the problem. There's a reason why some developed countries (And Chile) are accepting all the inmigrants they can. Those countries just have catch up the development and if we don't realise that problem soon, we'll strink eventually.
After saying that, I'm not that fatalist. I believe the humanity will realise the problem and soon or later (Probably more later than soon, but hey, eventually) we will react. Really.
Yeah, but the third world countries are the ones who are make up the problem.
Yes and no. I mean, sure they have more children, but all problems linked to pollution, over-consuming and stuff are caused by developed and developing countries. As they develop they might have more children but each child would consume and pollute much more so I'm not sure the situation will be better (Well, it will be better for the people of course, I mean it will be a better quality of life).
So I think having one less child in a developed country has more impact that having 10 less children in a poor, third-world country, as far as environmental impact (footprint, etc) goes.
Now if we're talking problems linked to sheer numbers (which I guess would be stuff like running out of room or of food?) then it's a different issue, but it's something that worries me less personally.
This being said I too believe things can get in check, I mean people are realising the situation. It just makes me sad that the people who suffer from it are rarely the same who could be blamed for it, you know?
But it might be getting too political. I know politics and history go hand in hand but I don't want to start a heated debate or something.
Either way, I'm sure it's still hard for you over there so I hope things will get better. I hear you're more prepared for earthquakes which avoided a lot of damage.
Incidentally, you mentioned Germans not knowing how to act. I'll be honest, I have no idea either, is there a way you're supposed to act? I mean I guess run away from stuff that could fall on you might be one thing, but apart from that? I don't think France has earthquakes either, and if it does they must be tiny.
We did have a storm in 99 that was pretty bad though, like roadlights and trees pulled out of the ground and falling on people bad, but still I imagine it would be nothing compared to an earthquake. I mean I was sleeping during the storm and I only woke up and thought it was noisy, the buildings didn't even get damaged or anything.
I guess my point is, I had no idea there was a way to act during an earthquake. What are you supposed to do? Are there rules like "do that if you're at home" "do that if you're in the street" "do that if you're in a public place"?
Can we get a nice bullet-pointed list? The early gunpowder era is where I start getting confused by the thought process...stand in a line and shoot at each other? Really?
Role of conscription: Revolutionary France producing the levee en masse, which furthered by loi Jourdan created an efficient method of creating huge armies for Imperial France (2 million recruits between 1800 and 1813), a stark contrast to the small "volunteer" armies of the 1700s. Also, the idea of a nation at war: everyone, women, children, the old, involved somehow in the war effort. France's conscription system was later copied, most notably by the Prussians.
Army organisation: - Revolutionary Wars had already produced the concept of a division for the French army - a sort of mini-army consisting of cavarly, infantry and artillery - capable of as part of a group or independently. Boney took it one step further with the creation of the corps, basically the same, but larger (30-60,000 men), with a more defined staff structure headed by one of the Marshals. - The improved logistics enabling rapid French movement (the army set for the invasion of England rapidly redeployed to counter the Austrian threat in 1805), reducing reliance on supply lines through living off the land. - Officer corps: contrast the merit-based Marshals of France with the aristocracy based officer corps of the Coalitions. For every Duke of Wellington you get multiple Gregorio de la Cuestas; with the likes of Massena, Soult and Ney, that's not an issue in France.
Tactics:
- I'm still not entirely sure how it all worked in practice, but yes, for the most part of the eighteenth century, you lined your army in about ranks of three and fired at the lines of the enemy. The French revolution however, introduced the idea of using a strong line flanked by columns and screened with skirmishers, in the ordre mixte. Napoleon perfected the technique. Skirmishers and artillery (Boney's an artillery officer by trade, and he likes to pound lines into dust with cannon) weaken the enemy lines, the French line will give volley fire on the enemy line, while the columns will basically be a human battering ram against the enemy. Its the columns that break the enemy line and go on to conquer Europe.
This is the best image I can find on that. The line is screened by the skirmishers (who will withdraw before the line starts firing, they're just there to harrass the enemy line and stop enemy skirmishers), and flanked by the columns. The line can maximise its firepower against the enemy line, while the columns can advance quickly into the line and give them the cold steel of the bayonet.
- However, failure to keep tactics fresh, Napoleon's ultimate failing. Ordre mixte was highly effective against nearly everyone but the British (British rate of volley fire in the Peninsular War was generally higher than their allies, and was able to drive the columns back, see Talavera and Bussaco), but when the allies found counters themselves, Napoleon's tactics remained static. Hence Wellington's comment after Waterloo: "they came on in the old way and we beat them in the old way" (though he also said "it was the damn nearest run thing you ever saw in your life", Waterloo was an extremely close call)
Strategy:
- Use of manoeuvre sur les derrières, a battle plan by which Boney would fix his enemy's attention at one spot, then hit them in the flanks or the backside with a corps. This generally broke the enemy, but as the flanking manoeuvre has cut off their line of retreat, the French can happily annihilate the enemy. The destruction, as opposed to merely the defeat, of an enemy army is a somewhat novel concept over 1700s warfare, but enabled the Napoleon's quick campaigns focused on finding the key enemy army, blowing the hell out of it in a decisive battle, and then getting the now undefended nation's surrender (best examples: Austerlitz and Jena-Auerstedt). Generally reduced the focus on siege battles prevalent in the last 200 years: Boney didn't go for the cities, he went for the armies.
- Again, countered by the allies without any further innovation by France. Most notably in Russia, where the Russians just retreated across their vast land and denied Boney his much desired decisive battle of annihilation. They then burned Moscow to prevent Napoleon even being able to claim any propaganda prize from capturing the capital. Later Trachenberg Plan, where the Coalition simply avoided the emperor in battle and picked on someone else until they could overwhelm Napoleon's own force (as happened at Leipzig). Didn't hold up well on multiple fronts either, especially when you've got the Russians, Germans and Austrians coming from the east, and the British, Spanish and Portuguese from the south.
Technology: emergence of a variety of military hardware into mainstream use by Coalition, but not embraced by Napoleon. 1) Rifles, used by British greenjackets (any Sharpe fans here?), Portuguese cazadores and Prussian Jagers, drastically more efficient at skirmishing than the musket armed voltigeurs. Boney didn't like rifles and thought the faster rate of fire of the musket made up for the inaccuracy and shorter range. He should really have had a talk with Auguste de Colbert on that subject. Other technologies such as rockets (British Congreve inspired by weapons of Mysore), explosive shells and shrapnel shot also emerging.
The Spanish ulcer: The guerrilla warfare in Spain causes huge complications as French armies cannot disperse to fight the guerrillas due to the presence of Wellington's army, but not doing so means the guerrillas have a field day heavily disrupting communications, supply and foraging. Similar complications as faced by the British in the American War of Independence, but to a greater extent and far more brutal: the Spanish guerrillas very rarely gave any quarter to the French. Also some guerrilla warfare in Russia, combined with scorched earth.
Naval warfare: Generally not understood by Napoleon, who thought of it as an extension of the army. Revolutionary French fleet basically destroyed at the Battle of the Nile, and then the Imperial French fleet is destroyed at Trafalgar, but by this point Boney's lost interest and decided that Austerlitz is more worthwhile than invading Britain. British then take efforts to prevent France regaining a fleet, thus the attack on neutral Denmark in 1807, who respond by harrassing the Royal Navy with gunboats until thoroughly squished in 1812. Just in time for the War of 1812, where the US Navy and American privateers pick fights off the coast of Europe and disrupt Royal Navy efforts for the war in Europe. Despite lack of French adversary, naval operations still important for keeping amphibious operations going, such as Copenhagen, Antwerp, that friendly little incident where the British burned Washington DC and most importantly the Peninsular War.
Next bit of work from me is an analysis of whether or not there was an Angevin Empire. Short answer: there wasn't, its an invention of the 19th century trying to find a precursor to the British Empire. Its actually a complicated mess of politics where various dutchies nominally under the King of France have a duke who also happens to be King of England; that creates major problems. Hilarity and the Hundred Years War ensue.
Either way, I'm sure it's still hard for you over there so I hope things will get better. I hear you're more prepared for earthquakes which avoided a lot of damage.
Incidentally, you mentioned Germans not knowing how to act. I'll be honest, I have no idea either, is there a way you're supposed to act? I mean I guess run away from stuff that could fall on you might be one thing, but apart from that? I don't think France has earthquakes either, and if it does they must be tiny.
We did have a storm in 99 that was pretty bad though, like roadlights and trees pulled out of the ground and falling on people bad, but still I imagine it would be nothing compared to an earthquake. I mean I was sleeping during the storm and I only woke up and thought it was noisy, the buildings didn't even get damaged or anything.
I guess my point is, I had no idea there was a way to act during an earthquake. What are you supposed to do? Are there rules like "do that if you're at home" "do that if you're in the street" "do that if you're in a public place"?
Probably is the demostration of our Black Humor, but the most hilarious stuff you can read after an earthquake, is how the foreigners reacted after that. (Yeah, we're that bad).
Anyway, I found this page about what to do in a earthquake. In the earthquake, because is quite difficult to know when one comes exactly. In resume, the only thing you have to do is not panic and running away from the buildings. Avoid stay near of lamps and always under some furniture like tables or doorways. If you are outside, run away from any near building and keep yourself in a open space. After the earthquake, go outside using the the stairs (Never the Elevators) and remain calm. If you are in the coast, take a look to the sea and if the sea draw back too much, it's a tsunami, so run away to the nearest hill possible.
And I think I'll keep the birth rate discussion for another day...
Pretty interesting. And good to know. I don't know if I'll ever need that advice but it's the kind of things that can't hurt to know and can hurt if you need it and don't know it.
Pretty interesting. And good to know. I don't know if I'll ever need that advice but it's the kind of things that can't hurt to know and can hurt if you need it and don't know it.
On the side note, we have no tornados and plagues, so, probably if I were trapped in the middle of another Katrina, I will be the most desesperate person of the bunch. One thing for another.
When I lived in Georgia, I had to worry about hurricanes, floods and tornados. Now that I live in California, I have to worry about earthquakes, fires, and land slides. All I need is a volcano nearby to round out the natural disaster list.
The only natural catastrophe I've ever had to deal with was Canadian winters. But people here think it's normal to walk around in -40 instead of wondering if it's the end of the world. Crazy Canadians.
I think I would be terrified if I lived in a place with these risks. I mean, I know humans get used to lots of stuff and adapt to them, but... it's scary.
Earthquakes are closely related to Volcano Activity, so probably you have a Sleeping Volcano Nearby and you don't know.
Last Year we have the awake of a Volcano we didn't know was a Volcano: Chaitén, more to the south of the country. Just for tell to you.
Well.... yes and no. Volcanos are most commonly associated with Subduction Faults, such as you guys have in Chile. Here in San Francisco, we are situated on a sheer fault, which generally just creates friction, but not large quantities of superheated molten rock, needed to create the volcanic magma.
Mt. Lassen is the lowest of the Cascade chain, which is caused by the Juan de Fuca plate being subducted under the Pacific North West. Since the Juan de Fuca plate is pretty far north of here, it really doesn't cause too many problems for us. 200 miles is a large enough distance that I feel pretty safe here .
Well.... yes and no. Volcanos are most commonly associated with Subduction Faults, such as you guys have in Chile. Here in San Francisco, we are situated on a sheer fault, which generally just creates friction, but not large quantities of superheated molten rock, needed to create the volcanic magma.
Mt. Lassen is the lowest of the Cascade chain, which is caused by the Juan de Fuca plate being subducted under the Pacific North West. Since the Juan de Fuca plate is pretty far north of here, it really doesn't cause too many problems for us. 200 miles is a large enough distance that I feel pretty safe here .
Safe of what? The worst thing about a volcano eruption is the smoke provoked for it. The Smoke produced by the Chaitén Volcano went all the way to Buenos Aires, Argentina. But, yes, pretty much more than look like the end of the world and have volcano ashes in your hair, well, it's not that much. Except maybe the health problems caused for breath volcano ash, but, since the awakening of a volcano is really rare, you can still feel safe.
In fact, that Smoke went all the way and comes back to Chile, crossing the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific. Somehow, because no one notice it, except maybe the experts of the Navy
Ah, but we are up-wind of the volcano! Here in SF, we have a brisk breeze coming in from the ocean that pushes any significant amounts of smoke and ash inland. For example, look at the ash cloud generated by Mount Saint Helens http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:1980_Mount_st_helens_ash_distribution.svg
Unless of course Mt Diablo decided to finally live up to its name ... although being on the other side of the Oakland hills you'd still be pretty safe. Hmm. Oh! I know! You could go to Hawaii for vacation! Problem solved. I think.
I swear, I'm still alive, despite Will's efforts to thwart that by drawing the wrath of the volcano gods. One more assignment and then I can return to blathering on about dead people. For now, talk amongst yourselves, I'll give you a topic: History podcasts!
There's two I really enjoy. First, History According to Bob. I love Professor Bob, like me, he loves really random neat stories in history and talks about them frequently but, unlike me, he does so in small bites and you never think he's gone on too long.
I also like Hardcore History. It's more like if there was a history show on talk radio. I don't always agree with his conclusions but he makes good arguments and the topics are always interesting.
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Ok kids, I have returned! I apologize for the absence, though I was here at Telltale, every moment outside of that for the last week or two has been focused on schoolwork due to a deadline that came up yesterday. Now, I am very happy to say that I am the business master!
Now that that boring stuff is out of the way, let's get back to what's truly important: how ill signore Machiavelli is, in actuality, like our own, beloved?umm, beliked?err, kinda tolerated??Harry Moleman. In short: he wasn't that successful and was somewhat of a suck up.
Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence and spent his whole life in service to, or at least trying to be in service to, the Florentine republic. Though he is most famous for his very, well, Machiavellian, treatise The Prince, he was a very strong believer in the ideals of the republic and the superiority of the ability of the citizenry to protect their own territory, which he espoused in his Art of War. After quite long time of lobbying to try out his military ideas, he was finally allowed to try with a militia in Florence. He did have limited success in fighting again Pisa, however, when it came time to defend his home city against the Medici army of mercenaries (which, as he wrote in The Prince and in The Art of War, he absolutely hated), the militia was stomped pretty soundly and the Medici regained control of Florence. Due to his strongly pro-republic stance, he was effectively exiled to his estate outside Florence after this.
Of course, what he is most known for is The Prince which, given his proclivities in his earlier works, seems like a large departure, and it was. The whole point of The Prince was to suck up to Leonardo di Medici in the hopes of getting a sweet job in government again. It didn't work. He was hired by the Medici for writing but never got a cushy government job again.
I have to dig up some sources, this was all from memory of lectures and, as I realized when looking for some info previously, my biggest notebook from university got left back home.
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Thanks, good to be back. I'm very tired but becoming the master of business is well worth it. That last post was very blathering (not that anyone should be surprised by that) and sent out right after finishing my last assignment so I'll make up for that by putting together something that's actually well researched in the next few days...after I take tonight off to celebrate my Irish heritage that is.
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I had been doing some research in preparation for an in-depth discussion of Machiavelli's military theories and how they didn't quite work when he put them into practice...and then I realized I was going well into an area that pretty much just S@bre and I would have really gotten into.
I'd just decided to switch gears and work on an intro to Mongolian religion when I was reminded that today is a very important day and must be discussed instead. So, this weekend, look forward to religion in Mongolia. Today, we'll be talking a little (and sorry for it just being a little but things are rather hectic) about Ada Lovelace.
So, who is Ada Lovelace and why should you care? In short, she laid the groundwork for what's brought us all here: she's generally regarded as the first computer programmer. She was the daughter of Lord Byron and a mathematical genius and, thankfully, encouraged by her mother in her studies. She became an associate of Charles Babbage and her notes on his proposed Analytical Engine that detailed a method for calculating a sequence of Bernoulli numbers (somebody better at math want to explain what these are?) are considered the first computer program.
Aside from being an important figure herself, the Internet has declared March 24th as Ada Lovelace Day, a day for blogging not just about Ada but other great women in science.
Time to bring this thread back from the dead using the power of the plague.
The outbreak began in July 1518, when a woman, Frau Troffea, began to dance fervently in a street in Strasbourg. This lasted somewhere between four to six days. Within a week, 34 others had joined, and within a month, there were around 400 dancers. Most of these people eventually died from heart attack, stroke, or exhaustion.
Historical documents, including "physician notes, cathedral sermons, local and regional chronicles, and even notes issued by the Strasbourg city council" are clear that the victims danced.It is not known why these people danced to their deaths, nor is it clear that they were dancing willfully.
Were they victims of the plague or bad rye? Sounds more like ergotism to me. Also, Mongolian religion? Is it too late to ask about that, because I was busy for a bit and wasn't on the forums much.
I'm not sure if I remember correctly, but I think it was that they were so desperate and miserable, they couldn't help but dance. People thought they were beating out bad spirits by doing so, and they encouraged it. Needless to say, it wasn't working, and many (or some?) of them died from exhaustion.
Imagine how miserable you have to be, to suddenly dance like that.
Thanks for picking up my slack Kroms. Aside from being rather busy at work (I've got a couple projects going at the moment), I managed to get sick twice (a cold that lingered for a week, then moderately bad food poisoning right after) so I've not been around the forums much and have felt up to studying less.
I did get back to my big book of Mongolian religion today, read a couple of Zen books while I was semi out of it (Zen in the Art of Archery and Zen and the Beat Way - both recommended). Rather than one long post that'll take me a good long time, I'm going to take it episodic. I'll cover 3 areas: 1) the base of Mongolian spirituality 2) Religious tolerance in the Mongol Empire and 3) The integration of Buddhism under Kublai Khan. I'm not going to make any time promises, still not feeling 100% and next week is going to be rather nuts at the office, but I will get them posted.
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Comments
Can we get a nice bullet-pointed list? The early gunpowder era is where I start getting confused by the thought process...stand in a line and shoot at each other? Really?
Ginny: Wow, I'm a California native so I'm used to earthquakes but the earthquakes you get are well beyond what we've seen. Most of the US doesn't get earthquakes so we also run into a lot of people that are very afraid of them. Our German pals seemed to take the couple of small ones we've had pretty well, at the least I haven't heard any screaming from their direction.
I am working on finishing up my next step in my quest to the be most over-educated tester so it'll be a few days before I can put together anything of any substance for this thread, glad to see there are plenty of you picking up my slack.
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I was just finished a long resume about O'Higgins and Carrera, but the forum decided to hate me and I lost everything I wrote... Anyhow... the Wiki articles are pretty much a bad translation from a source in Spanish, so, they are good in they own way (The Accurate way).
The point with those guys is the Chilean Historians can't decide which one is the actual Founding Father of our country. To the point those guys divide theyselfes as Carreristas and O'Higginistas. Officially, the Founding Father of our Country is O'Higgins, but, in defense of Carrera, he was the first of the most awesome family in the chilean history ^^!
The first documented case originated in the US, when an army private in bootcamp reported that he was feeling ill and was admitted to the sick wing. In two days, he had died of pneumonia, and dozens more recruits were being admitted for similar symptoms.
The Spanish Flu was contracted easily and did its damage frighteningly fast. What seemed most frightening about the disease was the healthiest people in the prime of life had the highest mortality rates. It is thought that these military origins during wartime spread the flu globally, and I do mean globally. Cases cropped up everywhere, even in the Arctic.
Modern estimates place the death toll at about 80 million people, which in a world population of 1.6 billion is FIVE PERCENT of all people, dead. That's more than five times the death toll of World War I. It's estimated that as many as 500 million people were infected, or one THIRD of the world's population.
The Pandemic lasted from March of 1918 to June of the same year, when the virus mutated and there were declining infections. In the darkest hour it disappeared almost as quickly as is came, just in time for the Allies to win the war and steal all the headlines.
In the US the cultural memory of the Spanish Flu pandemic is almost non-existant. But it's not a very romantic tale. There were no great triumphs, no great demons slain. Just a virus that kicked us in our collective faces for a few months, and could have killed the human race in a few years, but decided to mutate instead.
It's look like the flu were created by God or the Nature just to remain us we can die in any moment and in mass, if the Earthquakes and Tornados weren't enough. They come, they attack us, we can do nothing about it, and then they gone. Or maybe I'm just in that mood.
I remember the Spanish flu (not from being there, obviously). That and the one time I had the flu and reached 42°C body temperature (I should have died, technically) are the reason why I always go for flu shots. People don't seem to realise it's a deadly disease, even nowadays.
Also, I really don't like when people have a cold and say "oh, I've got the flu"... No you don't! What's next, get a papercut and say "oh, I cut off my arm"?
That make me remember a story I read in deviantart, of an artist I follow, who was called by the School Teacher because her daughter has a band aid in her knee. They believed that was probably Domestic Violence.
*FACEPALM*
Ah... this world...
Considering the worldwide rate is still higher than 2 when I think it should be at least lower than 1 until we reach a population that's not causing all that trouble, I wouldn't say we're taking care of it already, not by a long shot.
Yeah, but the third world countries are the ones who are make up the problem. There's a reason why some developed countries (And Chile) are accepting all the inmigrants they can. Those countries just have catch up the development and if we don't realise that problem soon, we'll strink eventually.
After saying that, I'm not that fatalist. I believe the humanity will realise the problem and soon or later (Probably more later than soon, but hey, eventually) we will react. Really.
By the way, here's a short column about the Chilean Economy dedicated (By the author) to all Obama Critics there in the North of Me. It's the most hilarious thing I read it today.
Yes and no. I mean, sure they have more children, but all problems linked to pollution, over-consuming and stuff are caused by developed and developing countries. As they develop they might have more children but each child would consume and pollute much more so I'm not sure the situation will be better (Well, it will be better for the people of course, I mean it will be a better quality of life).
So I think having one less child in a developed country has more impact that having 10 less children in a poor, third-world country, as far as environmental impact (footprint, etc) goes.
Now if we're talking problems linked to sheer numbers (which I guess would be stuff like running out of room or of food?) then it's a different issue, but it's something that worries me less personally.
This being said I too believe things can get in check, I mean people are realising the situation. It just makes me sad that the people who suffer from it are rarely the same who could be blamed for it, you know?
But it might be getting too political. I know politics and history go hand in hand but I don't want to start a heated debate or something.
Either way, I'm sure it's still hard for you over there so I hope things will get better. I hear you're more prepared for earthquakes which avoided a lot of damage.
Incidentally, you mentioned Germans not knowing how to act. I'll be honest, I have no idea either, is there a way you're supposed to act? I mean I guess run away from stuff that could fall on you might be one thing, but apart from that? I don't think France has earthquakes either, and if it does they must be tiny.
We did have a storm in 99 that was pretty bad though, like roadlights and trees pulled out of the ground and falling on people bad, but still I imagine it would be nothing compared to an earthquake. I mean I was sleeping during the storm and I only woke up and thought it was noisy, the buildings didn't even get damaged or anything.
I guess my point is, I had no idea there was a way to act during an earthquake. What are you supposed to do? Are there rules like "do that if you're at home" "do that if you're in the street" "do that if you're in a public place"?
- Revolutionary Wars had already produced the concept of a division for the French army - a sort of mini-army consisting of cavarly, infantry and artillery - capable of as part of a group or independently. Boney took it one step further with the creation of the corps, basically the same, but larger (30-60,000 men), with a more defined staff structure headed by one of the Marshals.
- The improved logistics enabling rapid French movement (the army set for the invasion of England rapidly redeployed to counter the Austrian threat in 1805), reducing reliance on supply lines through living off the land.
- Officer corps: contrast the merit-based Marshals of France with the aristocracy based officer corps of the Coalitions. For every Duke of Wellington you get multiple Gregorio de la Cuestas; with the likes of Massena, Soult and Ney, that's not an issue in France.
- I'm still not entirely sure how it all worked in practice, but yes, for the most part of the eighteenth century, you lined your army in about ranks of three and fired at the lines of the enemy. The French revolution however, introduced the idea of using a strong line flanked by columns and screened with skirmishers, in the ordre mixte. Napoleon perfected the technique. Skirmishers and artillery (Boney's an artillery officer by trade, and he likes to pound lines into dust with cannon) weaken the enemy lines, the French line will give volley fire on the enemy line, while the columns will basically be a human battering ram against the enemy. Its the columns that break the enemy line and go on to conquer Europe.
This is the best image I can find on that. The line is screened by the skirmishers (who will withdraw before the line starts firing, they're just there to harrass the enemy line and stop enemy skirmishers), and flanked by the columns. The line can maximise its firepower against the enemy line, while the columns can advance quickly into the line and give them the cold steel of the bayonet.
- However, failure to keep tactics fresh, Napoleon's ultimate failing. Ordre mixte was highly effective against nearly everyone but the British (British rate of volley fire in the Peninsular War was generally higher than their allies, and was able to drive the columns back, see Talavera and Bussaco), but when the allies found counters themselves, Napoleon's tactics remained static. Hence Wellington's comment after Waterloo: "they came on in the old way and we beat them in the old way" (though he also said "it was the damn nearest run thing you ever saw in your life", Waterloo was an extremely close call)
- Use of manoeuvre sur les derrières, a battle plan by which Boney would fix his enemy's attention at one spot, then hit them in the flanks or the backside with a corps. This generally broke the enemy, but as the flanking manoeuvre has cut off their line of retreat, the French can happily annihilate the enemy. The destruction, as opposed to merely the defeat, of an enemy army is a somewhat novel concept over 1700s warfare, but enabled the Napoleon's quick campaigns focused on finding the key enemy army, blowing the hell out of it in a decisive battle, and then getting the now undefended nation's surrender (best examples: Austerlitz and Jena-Auerstedt). Generally reduced the focus on siege battles prevalent in the last 200 years: Boney didn't go for the cities, he went for the armies.
- Again, countered by the allies without any further innovation by France. Most notably in Russia, where the Russians just retreated across their vast land and denied Boney his much desired decisive battle of annihilation. They then burned Moscow to prevent Napoleon even being able to claim any propaganda prize from capturing the capital. Later Trachenberg Plan, where the Coalition simply avoided the emperor in battle and picked on someone else until they could overwhelm Napoleon's own force (as happened at Leipzig). Didn't hold up well on multiple fronts either, especially when you've got the Russians, Germans and Austrians coming from the east, and the British, Spanish and Portuguese from the south.
Next bit of work from me is an analysis of whether or not there was an Angevin Empire. Short answer: there wasn't, its an invention of the 19th century trying to find a precursor to the British Empire. Its actually a complicated mess of politics where various dutchies nominally under the King of France have a duke who also happens to be King of England; that creates major problems. Hilarity and the Hundred Years War ensue.
Probably is the demostration of our Black Humor, but the most hilarious stuff you can read after an earthquake, is how the foreigners reacted after that. (Yeah, we're that bad).
Anyway, I found this page about what to do in a earthquake. In the earthquake, because is quite difficult to know when one comes exactly. In resume, the only thing you have to do is not panic and running away from the buildings. Avoid stay near of lamps and always under some furniture like tables or doorways. If you are outside, run away from any near building and keep yourself in a open space. After the earthquake, go outside using the the stairs (Never the Elevators) and remain calm. If you are in the coast, take a look to the sea and if the sea draw back too much, it's a tsunami, so run away to the nearest hill possible.
And I think I'll keep the birth rate discussion for another day...
On the side note, we have no tornados and plagues, so, probably if I were trapped in the middle of another Katrina, I will be the most desesperate person of the bunch. One thing for another.
Last Year we have the awake of a Volcano we didn't know was a Volcano: Chaitén, more to the south of the country. Just for tell to you.
I think I would be terrified if I lived in a place with these risks. I mean, I know humans get used to lots of stuff and adapt to them, but... it's scary.
Well.... yes and no. Volcanos are most commonly associated with Subduction Faults, such as you guys have in Chile. Here in San Francisco, we are situated on a sheer fault, which generally just creates friction, but not large quantities of superheated molten rock, needed to create the volcanic magma.
Mt. Lassen is the lowest of the Cascade chain, which is caused by the Juan de Fuca plate being subducted under the Pacific North West. Since the Juan de Fuca plate is pretty far north of here, it really doesn't cause too many problems for us. 200 miles is a large enough distance that I feel pretty safe here
That's what the volcano gods want you to think.
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Oooooookkkkkk... New things to know
Safe of what? The worst thing about a volcano eruption is the smoke provoked for it. The Smoke produced by the Chaitén Volcano went all the way to Buenos Aires, Argentina. But, yes, pretty much more than look like the end of the world and have volcano ashes in your hair, well, it's not that much. Except maybe the health problems caused for breath volcano ash, but, since the awakening of a volcano is really rare, you can still feel safe.
In fact, that Smoke went all the way and comes back to Chile, crossing the Atlantic, the Indian and the Pacific. Somehow, because no one notice it, except maybe the experts of the Navy
There's two I really enjoy. First, History According to Bob. I love Professor Bob, like me, he loves really random neat stories in history and talks about them frequently but, unlike me, he does so in small bites and you never think he's gone on too long.
I also like Hardcore History. It's more like if there was a history show on talk radio. I don't always agree with his conclusions but he makes good arguments and the topics are always interesting.
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Now that that boring stuff is out of the way, let's get back to what's truly important: how ill signore Machiavelli is, in actuality, like our own, beloved?umm, beliked?err, kinda tolerated??Harry Moleman. In short: he wasn't that successful and was somewhat of a suck up.
Niccolo Machiavelli was born in Florence and spent his whole life in service to, or at least trying to be in service to, the Florentine republic. Though he is most famous for his very, well, Machiavellian, treatise The Prince, he was a very strong believer in the ideals of the republic and the superiority of the ability of the citizenry to protect their own territory, which he espoused in his Art of War. After quite long time of lobbying to try out his military ideas, he was finally allowed to try with a militia in Florence. He did have limited success in fighting again Pisa, however, when it came time to defend his home city against the Medici army of mercenaries (which, as he wrote in The Prince and in The Art of War, he absolutely hated), the militia was stomped pretty soundly and the Medici regained control of Florence. Due to his strongly pro-republic stance, he was effectively exiled to his estate outside Florence after this.
Of course, what he is most known for is The Prince which, given his proclivities in his earlier works, seems like a large departure, and it was. The whole point of The Prince was to suck up to Leonardo di Medici in the hopes of getting a sweet job in government again. It didn't work. He was hired by the Medici for writing but never got a cushy government job again.
I have to dig up some sources, this was all from memory of lectures and, as I realized when looking for some info previously, my biggest notebook from university got left back home.
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I'd just decided to switch gears and work on an intro to Mongolian religion when I was reminded that today is a very important day and must be discussed instead. So, this weekend, look forward to religion in Mongolia. Today, we'll be talking a little (and sorry for it just being a little but things are rather hectic) about Ada Lovelace.
So, who is Ada Lovelace and why should you care? In short, she laid the groundwork for what's brought us all here: she's generally regarded as the first computer programmer. She was the daughter of Lord Byron and a mathematical genius and, thankfully, encouraged by her mother in her studies. She became an associate of Charles Babbage and her notes on his proposed Analytical Engine that detailed a method for calculating a sequence of Bernoulli numbers (somebody better at math want to explain what these are?) are considered the first computer program.
Aside from being an important figure herself, the Internet has declared March 24th as Ada Lovelace Day, a day for blogging not just about Ada but other great women in science.
To learn more, check out:
The Wikipedia article(where I got most of the info)
Finding Ada, the center of blogging activity, you can find who's posting where.
A neat little cartoon for kids about Ada.
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Imagine how miserable you have to be, to suddenly dance like that.
I did get back to my big book of Mongolian religion today, read a couple of Zen books while I was semi out of it (Zen in the Art of Archery and Zen and the Beat Way - both recommended). Rather than one long post that'll take me a good long time, I'm going to take it episodic. I'll cover 3 areas: 1) the base of Mongolian spirituality 2) Religious tolerance in the Mongol Empire and 3) The integration of Buddhism under Kublai Khan. I'm not going to make any time promises, still not feeling 100% and next week is going to be rather nuts at the office, but I will get them posted.
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