Thursday, May 07, 2020
When the whole world existed
Now that the Ancestral Clocks project is released, I'm looking for another old 'patient' technology to study and animate. Need to keep the brain and hands busy with MAKEFORCE.
Running through old science publications, especially French, is good exercise for the language gland.
One thing that stands out DRAMATICALLY in these pre-1914 journals is the total lack of polarization. There is no distinction between Capitalist vs Communist, Democracy vs Fascist, Republican vs Democrat, Masked vs Unmasked. All countries are included on equal terms, and all inventors and researchers are praised or criticized objectively. Good work is good work no matter who you are or where you are. Crappy work is crappy work no matter who or where.
The BIG division, of course, started in 1946 when US and Britain put up the Iron Curtain. It was briefly torn in the '60s when Brits treated Russian science on equal terms, but the rip was re-welded in the '70s.
Since then, absolutely everything is treated by Witch Hunt standards. Any fact or opinion or import from Witch People or Witch Ideologies or Witch Places is not merely bad; it's NONEXISTENT. Outside the Holy Universe is VOID AND NOTHINGNESS.
= = = = =
Example of CRAPPY idea:
If you can send signals by telegraph, why not send packages and RESCUE CAPSULES? And why hasn't Elon re-invented this one yet? Definitely in his wheelhouse.
In case the crappiness isn't obvious to modern eyes: Telegraph lines always ran next to railroads. In the 1880s trains were fast and frequent. This proposal seems to have been hand-cranked. Even if the mechanism worked (which it wouldn't) there's no way you could beat train service.
If you can send signals by telegraph, why not send packages and RESCUE CAPSULES? And why hasn't Elon re-invented this one yet? Definitely in his wheelhouse.
In case the crappiness isn't obvious to modern eyes: Telegraph lines always ran next to railroads. In the 1880s trains were fast and frequent. This proposal seems to have been hand-cranked. Even if the mechanism worked (which it wouldn't) there's no way you could beat train service.Labels: Alternate universe, Make or break
¶ 10:48 AM
