Random Thought of the Day

The whole trailer reg / truck reg / bald tires / loose pistol stop. No fine, have a nice day =)

A highly speculative, very preliminary, very simplified work points towards the possibility that a contracting universe may have preceded the Big Bang. In this context, it means it is possible a contracting universe existed, that it contracted itself to an infinitesimal point just short of a singularity, and then expanded in the Big Bang we know.

By possible it means this model explains much about the current state of the universe, about as well as the Inflation model does. Which doesn't sit well with many theorists who favor Inflation.

It should sit less well with theists who think there's no conflict with science's fact-based, verifiable findings, and religion's imaginary, made of whole cloth, improvable, untestable assertions.

Don't think it's the official slogan of Lib candidate Gary Johnson, but...

Quote:

Don’t go for the Left nut, don’t go for the Right nut, go for the Johnson!

If I ever get an opportunity to ask Obama a question, I'm going to ask if he thinks he was ever approached by a pretty political operative trying to get him into a personal sex scandal.

I could ask him a more substantive question but it's a bit late to enact policy.

If the Union side had lost the USCW, would the USA had split into two countries, or into several?

Once in a while I get a glimpse of how often Sacajawea's history is run past our youngsters, at the point they first teach history, 3rd grade or so. I should ask a kid about her, then ask if they ever heard of Lewis and Clark. Might say no to the latter, or know little about what those two were doing.

I know there have been surveys of American Indians asking if they are offended by sports teams with Indian names. A surprising number say 'no', a majority often, I think. I wish they would ask if they are glad that Sacajawea is presented so much to the kids. I think the vast majority would say they don't give a hoot about Sacajawea!

It's harder for us older folks to remember her name. Think Saskatchewan, then drop the second s ... comes close then. The syllable emphasis is different though.

Everything we are taught is nonsense.

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery were not exploring a vast wilderness; they were following existing trade routes pioneered by the French.

It is true perhaps that the presence of Sacajawea indicated 'peaceful intentions' rather than 'raiding warriors' to those who spotted the Corps, but most statements made to the Indians wen't thru three translations (or more) so this 'Great White Father in Washington' stuff was probably irrelevant.

Quote: Fleastiff

Everything we are taught is nonsense.

Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery were not exploring a vast wilderness; they were following existing trade routes pioneered by the French.

Having read the journals, it sure didn't sound like they knew where they were most of time. Of course it's been awhile since I read it.

Quote: rxwine

Having read the journals, it sure didn't sound like they knew where they were most of time. Of course it's been awhile since I read it.

They knew where they generally were,
they had to or they would have wandered
for years and never gotten anywhere.
They pretty much went right to where they
wanted to be. They might have thought
they were lost at times, but really weren't.

Quote: Evenbob

They knew where they generally were,
they had to or they would have wandered
for years and never gotten anywhere.
They pretty much went right to where they
wanted to be. They might have thought
they were lost at times, but really weren't.

Well, it did take them years.

Sources say they traveled 8000 miles. That would take them about a 1/3 of the way around the world.