Archives for May 2024

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Lots of folks know I like ancient places, and that I visit them.

They are kind enough to send me articles about these places.

This exposes me to things I might not have seen. Of course, a lot of it is stuff I already knew, but often presented in a slightly different way.

One of the things that I’ve seen are these reports that suggest they know “How the rocks were moved” or carved, or whatever. Some of these are absolutely fantastical.

The Sphinx has had its share of illustrations of secret compartments and staircases. To be fair, there is a cavity in the Sphinx. Mark Lerner, noted Egyptologist, has been inside it. He recounted how he had heard that during repairs to the Sphinx work crews had noted an opening near the back of the monument. He managed to find one of the older workmen who had been in the crew. The man stood at the back of the Sphinx, looking. Finally, he pointed to a stone and said, “that one.” They removed it and a few more and sure enough there was an opening in the limestone. A natural opening. That was it. Big enough to crawl inside and move to the end a few feet away. But that’s the end of the Sphinx and secret compartments and openings. There is no trap door on his head, or back.

Recently, I saw an article that claimed they knew how the Pyramids were built. The article said they had experimented with dragging large stones. They had use sand underneath them to make the job easier. The investigators then added some water to the sand and discovered that with just the right amount of water the friction was reduced and the stones were easier to drag. And that’s how the Pyramids were built! – they claimed.

I’m like, wait a sec. There are a few other details, like how did they get the stones up to the top 480 feet from the ground?

Yes. Maybe they dragged the blocks on ramps with sand as a lubricant and maybe they added some water, but that doesn’t explain how the pyramids were built, only how the stones might have been dragged.

We know they used sleds to move the stones because we have one. It was in the Cairo Museum, but last time I was there I couldn’t find it. It has probably been moved to the GEM (the new Grand Egyptian Museum).

But it looks a lot like this sled from LLBean, only bigger:

I’ve seen articles suggesting the limestone blocks were floated to a pool at the base of the Pyramids where they were carved to fit.  Problem: no pool has ever been found, and no pictures on walls, etc. have ever been discovered showing such a thing.

I’ve had a buddy that was asked to bring a large kite to see if it could pull a large block of stone. It did.

There are numerous books and articles suggesting various ways that could have been employed to move the stones: ramps, rollers, sleds, block and tackle, cranes.

The problem being that many of these are guesses and there is no evidence to support most of the claims.

It seems ramps and sleds were the main way the ancient Egyptians moved the blocks. There is evidence of ramps at the base of some pyramids. We know the ancient Egyptians were excellent rope makers because we have the ropes. We also have evidence that at quarries it seems they used a system of vertical poles to place ropes around to help leverage the blocks.

But all the other ideas? No. No evidence.

Then there are the Incas. How did they move the large stone blocks? How did they carve them? Etc. Etc. Etc. Typically, Saqsaywaman is mentioned because there are huge stones in place there. Archaeologists have discovered a roadway that runs to the site from below where the stones were quarried. The road has round stones placed at spaced intervals. Why? To reduce the friction when they dragged the stones. How did they carve the stones so precisely? We can see nubbins on the bottom of many stones, leading to the conclusion that the nubbins were used to wrap rope around o the could be carried on the shoulder of four men who help long poles attached to the ropes, much like a stretcher can be carried. It has been shown that the blocks could be held on a stand close to where they would be finally placed and the bottom and edge could be compared to the adjoining blocks and they could be shaped to match at this point in time. 

So, although we don’t know for sure you can be reasonably certain of the techniques involved.

For the best, ie most reasonable, theories on how the pyramids were built look up the papers and National Geographic video on Jean-Pierre Houdin, and History for Granite on YouTube. Both resources are terrific.

Jean-Pierre believes that a ramp built inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu was used to finish the top third. It would be easy to see if that is true. Yet, for reasons I cannot understand it hasn’t been done. A few years ago many people who are knowledgeable about such things said they no longer believed in the internal ramp theory as it is called. When I asked, “Why not?” or “How do you think it was done?” I received silence.

Archaeology is a weird and wonderful place for the mind to dance.

Saturday, May 11, 2024

I have a friend, He’s a lawyer. He reads my posts. On the documents case he wrote that if it was anyone but you-know-who they’d be in prison for a long time. and that the case is a slam dunk.

In the New York fraud case, the one currently being held. That case is a slam dunk as well. It’s not about the witnesses, it’s about the documents. From the signed checks by Trump to the written out plan of the crime by the Trump CFO. There’s a salacious component to this one as it involves adultery with a Playboy bunny and a woman who worked as an adult film actress. There’s no question as to what happened. The arguments of the defense are “it’s not a crime,” and “so what?”

In the case of the January 6th insurrection the pity there is he isn’t charged with the most egrigious crime, but once again it would be hard to deny that he isn’t guilty.

In fact, in every case and every time he actually – actually – has a judgement he loses.

He might be the biggest loser in our history. What is the current count on bankruptcies? Seven, I think. How about failed business ventures?  What about losing business ventures? (All of them? I’ve never heard of one that made a profit.)

And yet. and yet. He manages to get senators, congressmen, judges and regular people to bend over in both directions (front and back) to aid and abet him. Why is beyond me.

Like Starbucks coffee – I don’t get it.

Every Trump case that I can think of is never about guilt or innocence. The facts speak for themselves. He’s always guilty. The only question seems to be can he bully enough people to skirt the rules?

Friday, May 10, 2024

Before I get to the main topic let me say that I have the perfect way to prove whether Stormy Daniels had a sexual encounter with the former President. She has described his manly anatomy in such a way that if he were to show it to the jury either Stormy is correct in her description or she is not. Let us leave it up to the jury to decide. How would she know such an intimate detail if she did not have sex with him? I wonder if we could get a court drawing of that scene?

In other news, Bobby Kennedy Junior had a worm in his brain. He claims it destroyed part of his brain, and it probably did, but we are told the real problem is tuna fish! Well, the mercury that comes with tuna fish. In other words mercury poisoning. And it wasn’t really a worm but a parasite. Parasite? Worm? Tuna Fish? Mercury Poisoning? Does it really matter? The guy is more than half a loaf short. And his candidacy could be the thing that tips the balance of the presidency one way or the other. How did we get here? OMG.

Moving on. The Virgin Slut.

I was thinking about what has been reported of Stormy Daniels time on the witness stand and contrasting that with Hope Hicks’ time. Hicks is described as beautiful, a model, coming from Greenwich Connecticut. The implication being she has had all the adantages. Stormy has been described as a porn star, as having a difficult hard scrabble upbringing and therefore not had the advantages that Hope had. It has also been reported that Daniels was a top student and had a full ride to veterinary school, but couldn’t go because her family couldn’t afford the incidentals.

On the witness stand Hicks broke down in tears and they went easy on her. It wasn’t clear why. Maybe, she was coming to the conclusion that she had sold her soul? Daniels was slut shamed. Or the defense attorney attempted to slut shame her. Didn’t work out too well. Stormy never broke down, or backed down. Daniels is smart. She wasn’t taking any of the defense attorney’s crap. This made me think about the age old question (problem?) of what is sometimes described as the battle of the sexs or maybe the battle betweenhe sexes is more accurate. (Does an “e” come after the “x”? So many questions.)

But it raises a question about class. What is class? Ah, there’s the nub.

When I took a course on race relations, many years ago, the conclusion of the course was not so much that the U.S. had a race problem as a difference in class. It is usually described as a class problem, but what does that mean?

In the case of the race relations course it came down to saying people valued different things. There was the upper class and the lower class. What was the difference, or the differentiators? There seemed to be two things: education and money. But even that is not quite correct. It wasn’t money per se, but rather what money could buy. And education gave you knowledge and the ability to appreciate. 

Then we get to the nouveau riche. They have money, but they try to buy class. How many videos have I seen where some young man is singing and showing himself surrounded by gaudy jewelry, fancy cars, and wearing a tux? s this classy? No.

While the defense lawyer, someone who has regularily cross examined prostitutes in other cases to make them cry, tried this on Daniels it didn’t work, because Daniels is smart and she grew up in a tough world. She knows how to handle herself. At least she learned along the way. After her run in with Trump.

But now we get to the question of the virgin. Throughout history young beautiful women have been prized. Virginal women especially. They are in harems, given as brides for diplomatic relations to be solidified, and as guardians of a temple. In the modern era we can look to the talk of Osama bin Laden and his promising his followere 72 virgins when they got to heaven. Me? Seventy two women all bitchin’ – I don’t know. And none of them know about sex? What?

This of course leads me to talk about vampires, and vampire virgins. I mean how is it that you are a young innocent; you get bitten on the neck; and now you understand everything about being a vampire? What, no training? No indoctrination? One bite and you understand. Same with virgins. Young innocent. They have sex (or “deflowered” what a euphemistic term – so nice.) one time and now they know it all and can’t help themselves to wanting more. Really weird.

Then there’s the weird thing of boys wanting sex with a girl and if they get it they degrade her by calling her a slut. This is what the defense attorney was trying to do to Daniels.

I’ve never understood the I-want-sex-you’re-a-slut thinking. If I were a psycologist I’d probably try to frame it as a deep seated feeling of inferiority on the male’s part. What of the girl? She’s in a real bind. Jennifer Lawrence put it even better, “what if you do too much?” 

In the fairly tale the princess marries the prince and they live happily ever after. As I think about it now I have to wonder, “What about a few years down the road?” What if the old prince casts an eye at a young wench? What about menopause? What is she like after the fifth kid? etc. etc. etc.

Joseph Campbell wrote of The Hero’s Journey, but that journey was of a young boy becoming a man. What happens to the hero when he gets old? Or fat?

The one fairy tale that really makes sense to me is “The King’s New Clothes.” How many fools do we have? Donald Trump sure is bringing them out of the woodwork. The latest one is Rick Scott. The man whose company carried out the biggest medical fraud in history. He is attacking the judge’s daughter. Really? Can’t they arrest him?

Rick Scott, what a slut.

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

In listening to the news reporting on Stormy Daniels’ testimony and the attendant commentary I was struck by similarities in her story and that of Fiona Hill and E. Jean Carroll. Also, there was an SNL skit about the protests on campus that really hit home. Let’s look at all four.

Stormy Daniels was a top student in high school. She had a full ride to veterinary school. But she couldn’t go because even with a full ride there are incidental expenses. Those expenses were too much and so she didn’t go and became an exotic dancer instead. 

Fiona Hill, the woman from the State Department that testified in a House hearing to the first impeachment. I remember her talking about the shenanigans of Bill Barr where she said once she realized “they were on a political errand,” and therefore it had nothing to do with her duties and statecraft, she stopped being concerned in terms of what The State Department was doing.

In Hill’s book entitled There’s Nothing for You Here she wrote how she had been awarded a full ride to a prestigious high school in England, but she couldn’t go because her parents were so poor that they couldn’t afford to buy the school uniform. She also recounted how later she interviewed at Oxford where they made fun of her accent and her clothes. Reportedly, the most embarrassing time in her life.

Daniels spoke of the embarrassment of being trapped in a room with a man over forty years her senior. She had gone thinking that this was going to be a night out at dinner to discuss business opportunities. It turned out to be an uncomfortable sexual encounter. Not rape, but let’s call it an unwanted sexual experience. It was so … scary? Humiliating? that she had trouble strapping her shoes back on because she was shaking so much.

This is not unlike Carroll’s experience. She was thinking she was kidding around with a big time real estate magnate. It quickly turned into a sexual assault. This shattered her life. 

Lastly, there was a skit that had two white people and one black person (Keenan Thompson) playing parents of kids in college. They were being interviewed about the protests happening on college campuses. Both of the white parents were talking about letting their kids express themselves. When they got to Keenan he said (I paraphrase), “My kids? Hell no. It’s okay for your kids. But my kid is walking across the stage at graduation. I worked extra hours, did Uber, delivered Doordash. All so my kid could walk across that stage at graduation.”

I think Keenan’s dialogue was a microcosm on how people regard college. 

How did we get here? Part of the reason lies in the fact that 50% of our population gets there information from unreliable sources that lie, spout right wing nonsense, and Russian propaganda. Unfortunately, they believe it.

In other news the eighth Wonder of the World according to Donald Trump turns out to be a dirt covered lot. Like many Trump things, it was a press conference and then they moved on. 

Today, Joe Biden came to that dirt lot and actually did something that built something and created jobs. yeah, weird, huh?

Meanwhile, the judge in Florida has put the espionage documents case o eternal hold. This will clear the way for the other case, the one about trying to overthrow the government to go forward, provided the Supreme Court gets off their collective behind and rules Trump is not king (ie that he’s not immune from prosecution. Of course, if they rule he is immune then Joe can ready Seal Tea Six.)

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Remember the Steve Martin bit about “How to make a million dollars and never pay taxes”?

It was a two step process: 1st – Make a milion dollars, 2nd – When the IRS comes around tell them these two simple words, “I forgot.”

Okay the cure for poverty, and the cheapest way to do it is remarkably simple. So is the solution to homelessness. It’s even simpler that Steve’s bit.

The cure for poverty, and the chepest way to do it is …

wait for it …

Give people money.

Yup. That’s it.

There’s reluctance by some to do this. FDR resisted Social Security because he didn’t want people “on the dole.” Understood, it’s a natural reaction. Something for nothing, and all that. However, it is the easiest and cheapest way to solve the problem.

Get a job, you say? Okay. The job doesn’t pay enough for you to live. What to do? Either, you force employers to pay more or you supplement what people are earning. Guess what? We are already doing it. Do you know the company that has more people on welfare than any other? 

Walmart. In fact, it’s a well known economic fact that every Walmart costs the community $400,000 a year. So you are already paying for it. But instead of having poor people running to emergency rooms and needing to find a way to get extra food or go without medicine we could do something different. We could give them money. Maybe just add to what they are making. (Or have the companies pay enough.)

Homelessness. Big problem. Do you know you can’t rent an apartment unless you can show a year’s worth of paychecks showing you can afford the place? So what do you do if you can’t? (Like, maybe you got tossed in jail for some nonsense reason and just got out.) Live in your car, until it’s repossessed and then sleep in the park or under a bridge overpass in a tent I guess. So here’s a clever proven idea – give people homes! What? Yeah. Houston did it and wiped out their homeless problem. So did one of those non-shithole countries: Denmark or Sweden, maybe Finland – I forget. But in both cases the government stepped in and helped people get a roof over their heads. Funny thing, when people have a bed to sleep in and a safe place to put their stuff, they can start putting their life in order. In Houton’s case 80% of the time those people got their act together and can start working and paying taxes, etc.

It’s not like we don’t have enough housing. There’s lots sitting empty. When we had the housing crash at the end of W’s administration housing prices plummeted. Big money came in and bought up the inventory. As they say they saw an opportunity. An opportunity to raise rental rates. There was no longer any cheap housing. Where were the poor supposed to live? Oh, not your problem. Bull.

It’s our problem. Stop with the ads of the homeless veterans, the run away from home teen, the abandoned child, and the deranged drug addict. Give them a home. It’s simple and cheaper than any other way to do it.

There’s a guy at Amazon whose job it is to help with poverty. He pointed out that kids come out of foster care at age 18. They have no where to go. He suggests creating dorms at community colleges and giving them an education and training in trades. We could do that or we can ignore them. Don’t wonder why crime goes up. You ignored the problem.