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What did you learn today?

#1,281
Just now, for me, the most verdant of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World gets cast in a different light. To this day, no one really seems to know exactly where those hanging gardens were situated.

From the shifting sands of Wikipedia, "The name "Babylon", meaning "Gate of the Gods" was applied to several Mesopotamian cities. Sennacherib renamed the city gates of Nineveh after gods, which suggests that he wished his city to be considered "a Babylon". Hanging Gardens of Babylon - Wikipedia.

The wonder of the Archimedean Screw, being probably the principle means for irrigation in The Hanging Gardens, also warrants a mention but I learnt that a while back :)
 
#1,284
I'm gonna take this back to a bass theme for a moment....

I learned about tertian harmony. All the music we know and love is based on it. It's all about stacking thirds.

A major chord consists of the root, a major third (4 half-steps) and a minor third (3 half-steps). Add another major third if you want to add the 7th.

From a bass perspective, at least for me, it was a light bulb moment. I've only been playing bass for a little over 3 years, after 40-some years on guitar. I never took the time to really learn much about music while playing guitar. I played chords and sang and had fun. When I switched to bass, it didn't take long to realize that I could get better, faster, if I learned more about music.

It has been a real renaissance for me and I've been loving every minute of it. It reminds me of when I was 15 and learning to play guitar.

I was watching a live-stream of Mark at TalkingBass and he was talking about tertian harmony and what it was and my mind just took off with it. You can build any chord you want. How easy it makes it to find the arpeggios.

I've discovered, while learning about music the past year or so, that music isn't really that difficult, it's just a lot of stuff to remember. When someone says it's not rocket science, it literally isn't. The concept (to me anyway) is so simple, but it really is a lot of stuff to have to remember, e.g. scales, patterns, etc. Discovering tertian harmony just made it even easier. There's just four chord patterns you need to remember.

Anyway, it excited me to learn it and I thought I'd share it with y'all. That's what I learned today. Well, this past week.
 
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#1,285
Somehow, today I found myself back in the foggy midst of this series, learning a little more about the ponging pitfalls of lead-lining the limo. I've been entertaining these ideas since unleaded loomed large. And I'm getting better mileage now, with a little hindsight.

The term "environmental Kuznets curve" is getting a free-ride in the rumble-seat because "[…] it makes intuitive sense. If you're poor, you prioritise material gains. As your income grows, you may choose to spend some of it on a nicer, safer environment." So Invalid Link Removed and what should our priorities be in this day and age?
Facing sceptical reporters at a press conference in October 1924, Thomas Midgley dramatically produced a container of tetraethyl lead - the additive in question - and washed his hands in it.

"I'm not taking any chance whatever," Midgley declared. "Nor would I... doing that every day."

Midgley was - perhaps - being a little disingenuous. He had recently spent several months in Florida, recuperating from lead poisoning.
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Tragically, in the end, the misguided Midgley wound up wound up and breathless in the loving tentacles of another of his not-so-brilliant inventions, and in his wake he left us with lead in our pencils and a fascinating, resonating history. That's today's affray.
 
#1,287
slobake said:
Today I learned that there are people in the world that really do care about others. I have moments when I can see clearly, other times I am too wrapped up in my own life to see or hear anything else.
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Today I learned that many who start/participate in boycotts, aren't seeking justice, they are seeking revenge.
 
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#1,288
It's 'time' for some learning. Tricky subject for some: the fashionably late, the fast, the slow, the punk, the faux, the on-the-go. So, Why does time seem to fly ... or not? It's all in your mind.

Most interesting musing: something called the insular cortex - this may be the guiding star in the cortical constellation of the good time-keeper. It makes sense - helps to determine why some of us can keep time beyond five second intervals while some of us fall flat - a neat little cortex to help map the vortex :) It's "responsible for integrating signals from all over the body, and enables us to "sense our self" — and the passing of time…".

It's news today but has been aired elsewhere in recent days - The enigma of time.

Intriguing from any number of perspectives, time seems such a concrete element of our waking lives and yet it has some interesting quirks, when you think about it - understatement of the century ;)


Time's up - beyond dreams and music anyway - so I'll punch out now with a little quote from dear old Auntie.

Cheerio!

Well, if you ask physicists, time may not be anything like we think it is.

In fact, according to some of the latest theories of physics, time may not be a fundamental building block of the universe.

In other words, it's an illusion.
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#1,289
I learned that wolves are beautiful & misunderstood animals that need our care & protection.

P1590175.jpg
 
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#1,290
superdick2112 said:
I learned that wolves are beautiful & misunderstood animals that need our care & protection.

View attachment 2749643
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You're not fooling anybody...

... you are secretly working on a sequel for 'Bytor and the Snowdog', with this used as a promo pic...

... misunderstood? Maybe... but, I'm still putting in a pre-order for both the CD and DVD...
 
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#1,292
There's something called an Asian lady beetle that mimics the American ladybug, except the Asian lady beetle can emit an unpleasant odor in self-defense, and can also deliver a mild bite.

You can't even be sure about ladybugs anymore?:cautious::confused:o_O:(
 

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