Wheel of Fortune is the name of this week's Connections episode. In last week's episode, James Burke began with communications networks, and followed the path to computers.
What happened long ago, when, like computers, we first mastered the ability to work with data to try and predict the future? Among other things, we accidentally gained knowledge from the past that would take us farther into the future than we could ever expect.
Following the video are links to further research on the major topics of this episode, with ones that reveal the ending, as always, purposefully left out.
Links:
Punch card
Computer
Planetarium
Astronomy
Zodiac
Planet
Ptolemy
Almagest
Geocentric model
Astronomy in medieval Islam
Astrolabe (Astrolabe history)
Al-Mansur
Gundeshapur
Academy of Gundishapur
Salerno/medical learning revival
Toledo, Spain
Spanish Inquisition (I bet you didn't expect that!)
Jocelyn de Brakelond
Water clock
Verge and foliot
12-hour clock
Clockspring
Fusee
Nuremberg eggs
Nuremberg
Hans Lippershey
Telescope
Galileo Galilei
Pendulum
Christiaan Huygens
Celestial navigation
Benjamin Huntsman
Jesse Ramsden
Polelathe
Henry Maudslay
Block (sailing)
Marc Isambard Brunel
Honoré Blanc
Frank Bunker Gilbreth, Sr.
It's time for this week's episode of Connections: Wheel of Fortune!
ReplyDeleteWhere does the ability to predict and analyze the future take us this week?
Way to go, Pi Guy! It's quiet enough that I may even be able to watch this one over a cup of coffee or two today.
ReplyDeleteLooks great.
Corre∫pondence Committee said...
ReplyDeleteWay to go, Pi Guy! It's quiet enough that I may even be able to watch this one over a cup of coffee or two today.
Looks great.
You're welcome. I think you'll enjoy it.
The ordinarily measured Victor Davis Hanson takes no prisoners this time:
ReplyDelete"I am not a big fan of saying that officials should resign for stupid remarks. But interim White House communications director Anita Dunn's praise of Mao Zedong as a "political philosopher" is so unhinged and morally repugnant, that she should hang it up, pronto.
Mao killed anywhere from 50 million to 70 million innocents in the initial cleansing of Nationalists, the scouring of the countryside, the failed Great Leap Forward and Cultural Revolution, Tibet, and the internal Chinese gulag. Dunn's praise of a genocidal monster was no inadvertent slip: She was reading from a written text and went into great detail to give the full context of the remark. Moreover, her comments were not some student outburst from 30 years ago; they were delivered on June 5, 2009. Her praise of Mao's insight and courage in defeating the Nationalists was offered long after the full extent of Mao's mass-murdering had been well documented. Mao killed more people than any other single mass killer in the history of civilization.
So where do all these people, so intimate with our president (Dunn is the wife of his personal lawyer), come from? A right-wing attack machine could not make up such statements as those tossed off by a Dunn or a Van Jones. There seems to be neither a moral compass nor even a casual knowledge of history in this administration. And now we have the avatars of the "new politics" claiming it's okay to praise Mao's political and philosophical insight and his supposed determination ("You fight your war, and I'll fight mine") because Lee Atwater supposedly once evoked Mao too.
Ms. Dunn should simply duck out of her D.C. suburb and ask any Tibetan or Chinese immigrant in his 70s and 80s what life was really like in Mao's China."
I threw in a sort of bonus after the Spanish Inquisition link for Monty Python fans (sorry, Mel Brooks fans).
ReplyDeleteI love Monty Python. : )
ReplyDeleteHey, Pi, did you get that custom av I sent?
F2 - looks like a good VDH piece. Obama has surrounded himself with far left radicals - but he isn't one, we're apparently supposed to believe.
Yep - I'm working on adding the custom avatar right now.
ReplyDeleteThanks!
Ah, I love this stuff!
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised, tho that he didn't go into the use of the astrolabe as a navigational tool.
AtillaTheHoney said...
ReplyDeleteAh, I love this stuff!
I'm surprised, tho that he didn't go into the use of the astrolabe as a navigational tool.
In his other series, "The Day The Universe Changed", he actually does go more into the use of the astrolabe.
Sorry if somebody already posted this, but: Whiskey? Tango? Foxtrot?
ReplyDeleteMagazine industry awards with special category: Best 0bama magazine cover
Thank C2 for the far more attractive generic icon we now have!
ReplyDeleteHey Pi Guy, I found a site devoted to the astrolabe - perhaps you might add it as an info link?
ReplyDeleteAstrolabe History
AtillaTheHoney said...
ReplyDeleteHey Pi Guy, I found a site devoted to the astrolabe - perhaps you might add it as an info link?
Astrolabe History
Thank you! I just added it right after the Astrolabe entry.
Pi Guy
ReplyDeleteIn his other series, "The Day The Universe Changed",
THIS series, 'Connections', I remember quite well, But 'The Day the Universe Changed' doesn't ring a bell.
Off to look..........
AtillaTheHoney said...
ReplyDeletePi Guy
In his other series, "The Day The Universe Changed",
THIS series, 'Connections', I remember quite well, But 'The Day the Universe Changed' doesn't ring a bell.
Off to look..........
It was released 3 years after Connections, in 1981.
I'll be posting it weekly after I finish posting the Connections epsidoes. Both series have 10 episodes, so this may take a while to get through.
Found it.
ReplyDeleteThe Day the Universe Changed
AtillaTheHoney said...
ReplyDeleteFound it.
The Day the Universe Changed
Hey! You're jumping ahead!
;)
/As if we all didn't look ahead in the book in school
What's wrong with looking ahead when this is what the episode is about?
ReplyDeleteKosh's Shadow said...
ReplyDeleteWhat's wrong with looking ahead when this is what the episode is about?
Absolutely nothing.
That's why I put the smiley face emoticon and line about looking ahead in school, so you'd know I was kidding.
Seen Connections series two or three times now. Might go and watch "The Day the Universe Changed". :)
ReplyDelete/after I go looking for a bunch of beginning tutorials.
I knew you were kidding, but I said it anyway, I had to make the connection.
ReplyDeletePi Guy
ReplyDeleteIt's probably too early in the series, but you might want to mark this as another info link.
It's the Royal Observatory's post on John Harrison and how he solved the problem of longitude.
John Harrison and the Longitude Problem
Fascinating story.
Kosh's Shadow said...
ReplyDeleteI knew you were kidding, but I said it anyway, I had to make the connection.
D'oh!
PaladinPhil said...
ReplyDeleteSeen Connections series two or three times now. Might go and watch "The Day the Universe Changed". :)
/after I go looking for a bunch of beginning tutorials.
The source I'm using for these posts is YouTube's JamesBurkeWeb channel, which contains Connections, The Day The Universe Changed, Connections² and Connections³.
AtillaTheHoney said...
Pi Guy
It's probably too early in the series, but you might want to mark this as another info link.
It's the Royal Observatory's post on John Harrison and how he solved the problem of longitude.
John Harrison and the Longitude Problem
Fascinating story.
Thanks! I've got it bookmarked.
Hi, y'all!
ReplyDeleteAnybody still here?
What time zone is this place in, anyway?
Ahhh... got it! Pacific!
ReplyDeletePi Guy: I didn't really like Connections² that much. Seemed to be going over some of the same ground as the original series. Still a lot of good information in it. Just seemed a little repetitive.
ReplyDelete{{{LEEPRO}}}, it's so good to see you again. :)
ReplyDelete/poster formerly known as BlueCanuck...
I'm here, LeePro.
ReplyDeleteWhen I put up a 45-minute program, people watch it at different times, so the comments speed up and slow down.
BTW, LeePro, welcome.
ReplyDelete/poster formerly known as gmsc
{{{BLUE}}} ...I knew that was you.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you, too --- outside of Mafia Wars, that is!
Pi Guy... hunh?
Oh HI LeePro!
ReplyDelete/poster formerly known as wahabicorridor
Now everyone has the same avatar. Oh...the homogony!
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding it, Pi!! I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteHI, Atilla
ReplyDelete[geez... hope I did that link right!]
LeePro said...
ReplyDeletePi Guy... hunh?
I was frequently called Pi Guy "elsewhere", so I just adopted that name when I moved here.
Welcome, LeePro - is this your first visit here? I must have dreamed that you were here before! : )
ReplyDeleteDesertSage said...
ReplyDeleteNow everyone has the same avatar. Oh...the homogony!
It's a blogspot bug. Bare has notified them of the problem, and now we wait while it gets fixed.
On every blogspot blog, the first 5 posts have avatars, and the rest are generic avatars.
This also shouldn't be a problem on the upcoming .com site.
Pi Guy said...
ReplyDeleteIt's a blogspot bug. Bare has notified them of the problem, and now we wait while it gets fixed.
I don't mind the same avatars. It's just that you all look the same now.
I guess this Obama Socialist/Marxist ting is really working.
Pi Guy -
ReplyDeleteMy "hunh" was for your earlier comment... I was asking about time zone, you said
this
Got the answer anyway, so never mind. ;)
Hi LeePro. Welcome.
ReplyDeleteI don't know...Kosh's Shadow's avatar looks different from the rest.
ReplyDelete;)
LeePro said...
ReplyDeletePi Guy -
My "hunh" was for your earlier comment... I was asking about time zone, you said
this
Got the answer anyway, so never mind. ;)
Oh, I was responding to your question about anybody being here, and was explaining why the comments waxed and waned.
DesertSag
ReplyDeleteI don't mind the same avatars. It's just that you all look the same now.
Could be worse. We could all look like Helen Thomas.
Re: Corre∫pondence Committee
ReplyDeleteNope, been here a few...
Good to see everybody!
Hi C² community!
ReplyDeleteWelcome LeePro!
Thanks, Callahan23!
ReplyDeleteDid you have another name in a former life?
Hey Callahan! What's new in Germany?
ReplyDeleteFunny, my avatar is different because I don't have one, so it puts the generic blogspot one over the custom avatar.
ReplyDeleteI keep meaning to come up with one, maybe re-use the old one, or not, but I'm not going to until they work again.
Good to see you, too, LeePro! I had to remove one upthread - I'm sorry - I know it was really, really benign, but we mostly pretend "it" doesn't exist while we're here. ; ) It helps to keep things on track, which is really the primary reason we do it.
ReplyDeleteI hope you understand. I hate having to do it, especially when it's so benign.
hey LeePro! Good seeing ya. Welcome
ReplyDelete{Callahan} How you doing, hon?
ReplyDeleteI was too busy watching Connections, blame PiGuy
ReplyDeleteHey, {{{Sage}}}!!! ♥
ReplyDeleteStill on that job hunt?
Kosh, that looks funny! Too bad they didn't stick it on the left side...it would have looked like a Blogspot flag. : )
ReplyDeleteAtillaTheHoney said...
ReplyDeleteDesertSag
I don't mind the same avatars. It's just that you all look the same now.
Could be worse. We could all look like Helen Thomas.
Hey! There's an idea...
Desert Dog said...
ReplyDeleteI was too busy watching Connections, blame PiGuy
I accept full responsibility!
AtillaTheHoney,
ReplyDeletenope, always was , have been and will be Callahan23.
{midwestgak} I am really doin' fine darlin'!
How are you doin' did you find yourself a cheaper mechanic?
gotta go do the dinner cleanup
ReplyDeleteCallahan23 said...
ReplyDelete{midwestgak} I am really doin' fine darlin'!
How are you doin' did you find yourself a cheaper mechanic?
I'm doing okay. I checked with other mechanics like PepBoys (labor $99/hr). Midas and Carx charge $90. My guy charges $65. So, I'm getting the best deal with him, whenever I decide to get the repair done.
Thanks for asking.
Sooo, what's happen here today?
ReplyDeleteWell, geez, C2, Sorry! I thought I was being rather complimentary.
ReplyDelete:/
When Mountain Dew is outlawed, only outlaws will have Mountain Dew...
ReplyDeleteBootlegging Mountain Dew?
Callahan23, how'd you get that superscript "2" upthread? Preview tells me I can't use the < sup > code here.
ReplyDeleteMuch work has you to do, young Padwan
ReplyDeleteThe Empire Strikes Barack
LeePro said...
ReplyDeleteCallahan23, how'd you get that superscript "2" upthread? Preview tells me I can't use the < sup > code here.
You need to use the code:
²
to get a superscripted 2 like this: ²
Naturally, ³ will give you a superscripted 3: ³
midwestgak,
ReplyDeleteI do have a similar problem soon I need to have repairs done in excess of k/euros.
Cooling water is leaking (water-pump exchange), motor-oil seepage (close to the camshaft drive chain), exchange of the whole front bumper and spoiler-lip and probably a whole set of new tires.
Luckily I am employed, bad thing it is a crapy wage and I am in the process of buying a second household due to my coming divorce.
Life is friggin' expensive.
Or just ² and don't forget the semicolon
ReplyDeleteComplete list of codes available here
ReplyDeletePi Guy
ReplyDeleteAha and aha²...
Thanks!
You're welcome.
ReplyDeleteI am just tryin' somefin' here:
ReplyDeletePsh&subshsssssss;
Here are a few more hugs {{{Callahan}}.
ReplyDeleteWTF headline of the day...
ReplyDeleteGPS Causing Truckers to Crash Into Bridges
New York state wants to crack down on truckers who rely on satellite devices to direct them onto faster but prohibited routes and end up crashing into overpasses that are too low for their rigs.
GPS isn't causing anything, it's and ID10T error. If a driver is willing to follow a box into a solid object I question that they should be behind the wheel of rig to begin with....
JCM, yes, NY should crack down on truckers who don't read signs or know the height of their rig.
ReplyDeleteMake the fine high enough to pay for the damage to an overpass, or the inspection to make sure there isn't any, and they'll stop.
Callahan - after the ² you NEED a semicolon, or it doesn't work.
ReplyDelete² see what I mean? This had a ; and this one ² doesn't
{Gak} much appreciated
ReplyDeleteAndrew Klavan - Craptacular!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kosh!
ReplyDeleteLove this code sh*t! And I'm just a little old biddy, not a techie geek!
Kosh,
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with nail truckers who run into bridges....
It was the headline... Like the poor guys are victims of GPS units controlled by Skynet looking to create havoc.
Kosh,
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to do subscript this time and not superscript. Obviously that didn't turn out right. With some things I'll probably have to wait until C² goes dot com.
I have GPS units in my delivery vehicles, but sometimes, I tell the guys to just look it up on a map, or use common sense. It becomes a crutch. I have one driver that cannot find an address without it....that is pretty bad...I guess I am old school and think they are a bit overrated....
ReplyDeleteDD,
ReplyDeleteI got my wife one she's directionally challenged. But I'll play with it. About 20% of the time I prefer a different route.
I've noticed that Blogger accepts some html tags but not others. Actually, most of the others.
ReplyDeleteI have a great sense of direction. My wife, on the other hand, could get lost in an empty room.
JCM said...
ReplyDeleteDD,
I got my wife one she's directionally challenged. But I'll play with it. About 20% of the time I prefer a different route.
I have been dispatching drivers in this city for 25 years, I have it memorized. When my wife insists on using her Garmin, I change the route myself, just to confuse it....
Does the Garmin nag you?
ReplyDeleteDD,
ReplyDeleteBeing on the FD we learned the underlying grid system used to address stuff, I also have a memory for places I've been, I can remember roads and places from 20-30 years ago. Just about any address in the Tacoma - Seattle - Everett area I don't need a map.
Drives my wife nuts, she'll ask if I know where to go, I'll ask for the address, and drive straight there. Add insult to injury she'll ask how long will it take, I'll say 1:23... usually when we pull up at the time I've stated I get a punch to the shoulder for my efforts.
Does the Garmin nag you?
ReplyDeleteTurn left in 500 ft.
Turn left in 300 ft.
Turn left in 100 ft.
Turn left now.
I TOLD YOU TO TURN LEFT!
I got a GPS for my wife, but she doesn't use it. I've used it, and it has sent me to the wrong town; tells me to take an exit road that has two exits off it, but get back on the highway, tells me there are turns coming up that are curves in the road (turn or run off the road) but doesn't mention actual intersections, etc.
ReplyDeleteMagellan. You'd think AAA would partner with a company that gets it right, but no.
And Lucius, I almost never get lost, but my wife is like yours.
Antelope freeway, 1 mile
ReplyDeleteAntelope freeway, 1/2 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/4 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/8 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/16 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/32 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/64 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/128 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/256
I guess I'll take the old Antelope. Less traffic
-- Firesign Theatre. I guess they had a GPS back in the 1970's /
Kosh's Shadow said...
ReplyDeleteAntelope freeway, 1 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/2 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/4 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/8 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/16 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/32 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/64 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/128 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/256
I guess I'll take the old Antelope. Less traffic
-- Firesign Theatre. I guess they had a GPS back in the 1970's /
What are you using? Xeno's GPS?
Pi - LOL
ReplyDeleteAntelope freeway, 1 mile
ReplyDeleteAntelope freeway, 1/2 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/4 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/8 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/16 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/32 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/64 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/128 mile
Antelope freeway, 1/256
Are we there yet?
JCM, there needs to be an "Are we there yet" after each of the other lines.
ReplyDelete