Wednesday, January 30, 2013
How Much Would A Death Star Really Cost?
Details at Transterrestrial Musings:
To the disappointment of thousands who signed the petition, the Obama administration recently informed us that it has, and will have no plans to build a Star-Wars-style death star. Now, there may indeed be good reasons to forgo this addition to the nation’s defense, but the first one listed, that it would cost 850 quadrillion dollars, was based on an extremely flawed estimate. Which isn’t surprising, because among the people doing the estimating, only one has any experience in aerospace engineering (and probably none in costing of such projects).
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
"These are the times that try men's souls": Thomas Paine was born 281 years ago today
These are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have the consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; 'tis dearness only that gives everything its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as freedom would not be so highly rated.
- Thomas Paine (The Crisis, Introduction)
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving. It consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.
- Paine (The Age of Reason, Pt. 1)
Persecution is not an original feature of any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all law-religions, or religions established by law.
- Paine (The Rights of Man)
When, in countries that are called civilized, we see age going to the workhouse and youth to the gallows, something must be wrong in the system of government.
- Paine (The Rights of Man, Pt. 2)
Such a mongrel between pig and puppy, begotten by a wild boar on a bitch wolf, never before in any age of the world was suffered by the poltroonery of mankind, to run through such a career of mischief.
- John Adams (1735-1826) (of Tom Paine, letter, 1805)
Today is the 281st anniversary of the birth of Anglo-American political theorist and writer Thomas Paine (1732-1809). Born in Thetford, England, Paine emigrated to America in 1774 and supported himself by contributing to various contemporary periodicals. His pamphlet, Common Sense (1776), played a significant role in stirring up enthusiasm for independence from Britain, and subsequently, his series, The Crisis, publicized the American cause during the revolution. Returning to England in 1787, Paine wrote The Rights of Man (1791-1792) in defense of the French revolution, even urging the British to overthrow their own monarchy. Accused of treason and convicted in absentia, he fled to France but was eventually imprisoned there during the Reign of Terror and was only released by the efforts of the American minister, James Monroe.
Paine wrote The Age of Reason (1794-1796) in France in defense of his deistic beliefs but returned to the United States in 1802, where his extreme political and religious views led to his ostracism from public life. Sadly, he died in relative poverty in New York City.* English essayist G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) wrote of him,
"Thomas Paine invented the name of the Age of Reason; and he was one of those sincere but curiously simple men who really did think that the age of reason was beginning, at about the time when it was really ending."
- Thomas Paine (The Crisis, Introduction)
It is necessary to the happiness of man that he be mentally faithful to himself. Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving. It consists in professing to believe what one does not believe.
- Paine (The Age of Reason, Pt. 1)
Persecution is not an original feature of any religion; but it is always the strongly marked feature of all law-religions, or religions established by law.
- Paine (The Rights of Man)
When, in countries that are called civilized, we see age going to the workhouse and youth to the gallows, something must be wrong in the system of government.
- Paine (The Rights of Man, Pt. 2)
Such a mongrel between pig and puppy, begotten by a wild boar on a bitch wolf, never before in any age of the world was suffered by the poltroonery of mankind, to run through such a career of mischief.
- John Adams (1735-1826) (of Tom Paine, letter, 1805)
Today is the 281st anniversary of the birth of Anglo-American political theorist and writer Thomas Paine (1732-1809). Born in Thetford, England, Paine emigrated to America in 1774 and supported himself by contributing to various contemporary periodicals. His pamphlet, Common Sense (1776), played a significant role in stirring up enthusiasm for independence from Britain, and subsequently, his series, The Crisis, publicized the American cause during the revolution. Returning to England in 1787, Paine wrote The Rights of Man (1791-1792) in defense of the French revolution, even urging the British to overthrow their own monarchy. Accused of treason and convicted in absentia, he fled to France but was eventually imprisoned there during the Reign of Terror and was only released by the efforts of the American minister, James Monroe.
Paine wrote The Age of Reason (1794-1796) in France in defense of his deistic beliefs but returned to the United States in 1802, where his extreme political and religious views led to his ostracism from public life. Sadly, he died in relative poverty in New York City.* English essayist G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936) wrote of him,
"Thomas Paine invented the name of the Age of Reason; and he was one of those sincere but curiously simple men who really did think that the age of reason was beginning, at about the time when it was really ending."
* N.B. In a somewhat bizarre note, the agrarian radical William Cobbett (1763-1835) exhumed Paine's bones several years after his death and brought them back to England with the intention of seeing them buried there. Apparently, however, the planned reburial never took place, and the final disposition of Thomas Paine's remains is still a mystery.
Thomas Paine:
via Ed's Quotation of the day, only available via email. Leave your email address in the comments if you wish to be added to the list.
Thomas Paine:
via Ed's Quotation of the day, only available via email. Leave your email address in the comments if you wish to be added to the list.
Monday, January 28, 2013
1699 illustrated book "The Art Of Swimming"
Go to Bibliodyssey and see the whole thing.
To cut the Nails of the Toes in the Water
"It is possible to perform actions in the Water, which one cannot do on Land; I my self have often brought my Great Toe to my Lips in the Water, which I could never do on Land, not on my bed. You must hold your knife in your right hand (if you are right-handed) and take up your left Leg, and lay the Foot on the right Knee; there you make take if from the left hand, and with the right cut your Nails without any danger. Thus you may also pick your Toes; and if this way has no other use or advantage, yet the dexterity of the management may serve to recommend it."
To cut the Nails of the Toes in the Water
"It is possible to perform actions in the Water, which one cannot do on Land; I my self have often brought my Great Toe to my Lips in the Water, which I could never do on Land, not on my bed. You must hold your knife in your right hand (if you are right-handed) and take up your left Leg, and lay the Foot on the right Knee; there you make take if from the left hand, and with the right cut your Nails without any danger. Thus you may also pick your Toes; and if this way has no other use or advantage, yet the dexterity of the management may serve to recommend it."
Man Got Replacement Candy 60 Years Later
It took him 60 years to collect on a complaint he sent to the Pearson’s Candy Co. in St. Paul.
Bell received a package of candy last week after sending an email reminding the company of an incident that occurred as a teen.
He was a 14-year-old living in Cold Spring when he found a twig in his nut roll. “I bit into it,” Bell said. It was 1952, and he decided to take action.
“I sent them a letter to obviously get some candy.”
He included the twig with his letter.
He received a letter from George E. Pearson, the son of one of the company’s founders. Pearson apologized for the twig, saying it came from one of the peanut vines. The letter was sent using a 3-cent stamp.
But Pearson failed to send candy. Bell filed the letter away.
“That was the end of the story,” Bell said.
Fast forward six decades to 2012; Bell and his wife, Joan, moved from Greenwald to St. Cloud, and he found the letter.
“No one saves as much as he does,” Joan Bell said. “You wouldn’t believe what he saves.”
Dave Bell sent an email in December to the company.
“It might still be in the mail,” he joked. “I wanted to remind them.”
Bell received a package of candy last week after sending an email reminding the company of an incident that occurred as a teen.
He was a 14-year-old living in Cold Spring when he found a twig in his nut roll. “I bit into it,” Bell said. It was 1952, and he decided to take action.
“I sent them a letter to obviously get some candy.”
He included the twig with his letter.
He received a letter from George E. Pearson, the son of one of the company’s founders. Pearson apologized for the twig, saying it came from one of the peanut vines. The letter was sent using a 3-cent stamp.
But Pearson failed to send candy. Bell filed the letter away.
“That was the end of the story,” Bell said.
Fast forward six decades to 2012; Bell and his wife, Joan, moved from Greenwald to St. Cloud, and he found the letter.
“No one saves as much as he does,” Joan Bell said. “You wouldn’t believe what he saves.”
Dave Bell sent an email in December to the company.
“It might still be in the mail,” he joked. “I wanted to remind them.”
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