13th Century Mass Murderer Identified By Modern 'Criminal' Investigation.

[merithyn]

my degree is in medieval history.

What a waste of time!

No shit. Why do you think that I went back to school?

[The Brain]

Somehow, we have strayed somewhat from bits of Indonesia exploding. 

We could go back to it, by remarking that a nice eruption makes for glorious sunsets, making going outside for a stroll more interesting. 

We get it. You're rich.

[The Brain]

my degree is in medieval history.

What a waste of time!

No shit. Why do you think that I went back to school?

It was a nice contrast?

[mongers]

Somehow, we have strayed somewhat from bits of Indonesia exploding. 

We could go back to it, by remarking that a nice eruption makes for glorious sunsets, making going outside for a stroll more interesting. 

Personally I suffered from the post-war british under-16 school's consensus that Tudors and Stuarts were at the core of British history, its' unimaginative* near rote-learning of kings and queens,battle dates and endless acts of parliament, nearly killed of my interesting in history several times.

Which is what I was getting at in my original post, I nearly wrote "name the six wives of Henry VIII, that he'd succeed his father Henry VII, who himself had defeated the previous king at Bosworth field in 1485", you get my drift. 

Now if us impressionable schoolboys had been taught about sometime more recent, like the Napoleonic wars and that in one of its' climatic battle, the preceding nights bad weather and the morning rain had crucially delayed the battle may have been caused/influenced by the explosion of a massive volcano on the other side of the world, then I think that 'fact' might have lit out imaginations and enthusiasm for the subject, far more than an alternative somewhat dry diet of kings,queens and dates. 


*  It's rather different nowadays in state schools, but no longer compulsory for many school years.

[Maximus]

Did GF hijack Valmy's account?

Looks more like Martinus did.

[Valmy]

Did GF hijack Valmy's account?

Looks more like Martinus did.

Now that is just low.  I swear to God this was an honest question and I meant to approach it with zero bile.

[frunk]

Did GF hijack Valmy's account?

Not that I am aware of.  This was just something that always bothered me in reading history so I brought it up.

This sentence baffles me:

I was commenting on how you have been oppressed all your life by dismissive history types so like hell you are bend over and apologize now.

[Malthus]

Somehow, we have strayed somewhat from bits of Indonesia exploding. 

We could go back to it, by remarking that a nice eruption makes for glorious sunsets, making going outside for a stroll more interesting. 

Personally I suffered from the post-war british under-16 school's consensus that Tudors and Stuarts were at the core of British history, its' unimaginative* near rote-learning of kings and queens,battle dates and endless acts of parliament, nearly killed of my interesting in history several times.

Which is what I was getting at in my original post, I nearly wrote "name the six wives of Henry VIII, that he'd succeed his father Henry VII, who himself had defeated the previous king at Bosworth field in 1485", you get my drift. 

Now if us impressionable schoolboys had been taught about sometime more recent, like the Napoleonic wars and that in one of its' climatic battle, the preceding nights bad weather and the morning rain had crucially delayed the battle may have been caused/influenced by the explosion of a massive volcano on the other side of the world, then I think that 'fact' might have lit out imaginations and enthusiasm for the subject, far more than an alternative somewhat dry diet of kings,queens and dates. 


*  It's rather different nowadays in state schools, but no longer compulsory for many school years.

Shit, you think you had it bad? Try Canadian history teaching in the late 70s early 80s.  That pretty well defines boredom.

[mongers]

I wish that I could have joined you.

Anyway, who are you going to meet with tomorrow? You never said.

Damnit, Mongers! Who is it??

The Lecture ?

It's Alex Langlands of those tv programmes, next Tuesday he's given a talk about travel/transport within Anglo-Saxon Wessex, apparently he'd recently completed a PhD on the subject. 

Should be interesting and also literally in an area that interests me.   


http://www.alexlanglands.com/

[Valmy]

Somehow, we have strayed somewhat from bits of Indonesia exploding. 

We could go back to it, by remarking that a nice eruption makes for glorious sunsets, making going outside for a stroll more interesting. 

Personally I suffered from the post-war british under-16 school's consensus that Tudors and Stuarts were at the core of British history, its' unimaginative* near rote-learning of kings and queens,battle dates and endless acts of parliament, nearly killed of my interesting in history several times.

Which is what I was getting at in my original post, I nearly wrote "name the six wives of Henry VIII, that he'd succeed his father Henry VII, who himself had defeated the previous king at Bosworth field in 1485", you get my drift. 

Now if us impressionable schoolboys had been taught about sometime more recent, like the Napoleonic wars and that in one of its' climatic battle, the preceding nights bad weather and the morning rain had crucially delayed the battle may have been caused/influenced by the explosion of a massive volcano on the other side of the world, then I think that 'fact' might have lit out imaginations and enthusiasm for the subject, far more than an alternative somewhat dry diet of kings,queens and dates. 


*  It's rather different nowadays in state schools, but no longer compulsory for many school years.

Okay I guess I get that.  The main thing I remember about my history classes in school is that they decided somehow history itself was not interesting so they kept making us do dioramas and other arts and crafts things to I guess make it interesting or something.  I think the generation before me had the same sort of experience you did though because you could almost put money on the fact that the instructor would say something on the first day of class like 'we are not going to make you memorize dates'.  Since nobody ever did I always thought it was weird they thought that was our expectation.

[mongers]

Did GF hijack Valmy's account?

Looks more like Martinus did.

[merithyn]

For those who may still be interested ( ), this is the book that my friend has. It's been reprinted, which has brought the price way down:

http://www.amazon.com/Before-Mast-Aboard-Archaeology-Volume/dp/0954402944

Used books were selling for over $300, but now I can get a new one for closer to $100.

[merithyn]

The Lecture ?

It's Alex Langlands of those tv programmes, next Tuesday he's given a talk about travel/transport within Anglo-Saxon Wessex, apparently he'd recently completed a PhD on the subject. 

Should be interesting and also literally in an area that interests me.   


http://www.alexlanglands.com/

Ooooo...... I'll have to check to see if he puts the lecture online after.

[mongers]

Shit, you think you had it bad? Try Canadian history teaching in the late 70s early 80s.  That pretty well defines boredom.

OK you win, no contest there. 

[merithyn]

Okay I guess I get that.  The main thing I remember about my history classes in school is that they decided somehow history itself was not interesting so they kept making us do dioramas and other arts and crafts things to I guess make it interesting or something.  I think the generation before me had the same sort of experience you did though because you could almost put money on the fact that the instructor would say something on the first day of class like 'we are not going to make you memorize dates'.  Since nobody ever did I always thought it was weird they thought that was our expectation.

So, to put that in context, I'm a generation older than you... or close to....