Conference back40::soapbox

    "Before the Dark Ages" is a pretty good yard stick to use for modern
    times.  I believe we have many parallels in place or emerging.  The
    suppression of science especially genetics in the name of God.  The
    resurgence of creationism, the deepening of isolationist sentiments
    internationally as well as at the state, local and personal level.  We
    are about to implode which is most likely necessary for long term
    growth of the species.  All it will take is to further the suppression
    of free thought and control of the citizenry.  If the pendulum swings
    to the far right with a strong religious component, this will
    accelerate the collapse.  If it swings to the far left, there will be a
    slight skip before the rose colored glasses become too smudged to see
    through.  
    
    Before the Dark ages is applicable when talking about ancient or recent
    history, makes no difference.  It is a timeless cliche. IMO.
    
    Brian

    -1 that's pretty deep for this early in the mornin'...

    .0
    
    There was no such time as the "Dark Ages."  Uneducated people think of
    the "Dark Ages" as the time that is more properly called the Middle
    Ages, more specifically the first half thereof.  But during that time
    a subtle growth of science and technology was happening, and it laid
    the foundation for modern technology.

    -1 according to who? i seem to remember this term through my grammer
       and h/s years used in the texts.

    So far as I can tell, they are 30,31 and 32.

    <- Ain't them the the dork ages?

Dark Ages is a euphemism for the time when the religious/political establishment
forced extreme irrationality upon the populas, causing a decline in human 
advancement. This was generally considered to be during the middle ages. One can 
look at the attempts of these establishments today, attempting to repeat this 
travesty. The difference today is that there are many who see the outcome, if
this trend continues, and will stop it. Businesses creating values as they hide
from the government, Medical research that moves forward outside the grip of the
destructive FDA, Tax rebellion and other underground movements that will soon 
put those who would stifle human advancement out of business forever.

    .4
    
    According to the authors of a book called _Cathedral, Forge, and
    Waterwheel,_ which looks at the amount of advancement that went on
    during the 500 years or so after Rome fell in 476.  The preface of the
    book discusses the term "Dark Ages" and how that term is no longer used
    by responsible historians or sociologists.

    
    There's a bit of Euro-centricity in the concept of "Dark Ages".
    Although Europe may have been gathering for the next technological
    jump, other societies were more advanced or had peaked and were
    decaying.  The Pueblo indians were demonstrating their prowess as
    masons long before the gothic mason made his flying buttresses and
    fan-vaulted ceilings.

    
    	And here I am thinking The Dark Ages were the years leading up
    	to the invention of the light bulb.
    

    
    
    Isn't "The Dark Ages" some sort of PC game like "Doom"??
    

    
    	No, I hear Doom is a really violent game, unlike "The Dark Ages"
    	where they have rubber swords and cardboard shields and play
    	Trivial Pursuit to determine the best knight.
    

    
    >to determine the best knight.
    
    To do what???
    
    :)
    

    .9
    
    The Pueblo Amerinds never built an arch.  In fact, no Amerinds did -
    the corbeled vault was as close as they came.  This is  not to say they
    were losers in the civilization game, however; but there are still some
    really odd anomalies in Amerind history.  For example, the Mayas'
    calendar was, and still is, far more accurate than the one we use
    today - it wont' require a correction until some 200,000 years in the
    future - but the Mayas also failed utterly to realize the practical
    value of the wheel despite their having made wheeled pull-toys for
    their children.
    
    You're right about Eurocentricity, but then you gotta remember that the
    winners write the history.  When Eurporeans got to the Americas, all
    the great Amerind civilizations - Toltec, Olmec, Mixtec, Aztec, Maya,
    Inca - were dead or moribund.  And of course the heathen Chinee never
    was civilized, was he?

    Yes, and they were also charting stars and the heavenly bodies as were
    the Egyptians before Galileo et al. dared blaspheme and suppose the 
    universe was not terracentric.  There was an amount of scientific
    research going on and some amazing discoveries were made despite the
    suppressive nature of the times.  We get to look forward to the past as
    we repeat our mistakes.  Same chite different century.  
    
    Brian

    -Before Celular phones.:)
    
    -Before Carpets
    
    -Before Cheating
    
    -Before Chairs
    
    -Before Chruchs
    
    -Before Cds
    
    

    -Before Cats
    
    -Before Cans
    
    -Before Cars (Arg!! Perrish the thought!)
    
    -Before Children (for you Dual Incomes No Children, and found out
     			parent hood)
    

before charman

    .18 NOW there is a sticky thought. Eeeeeuuuuu!:)
    

    .18
    But not befoer John Wayne?

    
    .16
    
    I dunno, I've still never seen a "Chruchs".
    		  ^^^^^
    
    

    You know, those wooden things you get when you break a leg.

    Woof! I type me tooo fast sometimes.:(
    

    Clogs?

    Before Clogs! Another one!:)
    

| <<< Note 630.22 by SMURF::WALTERS >>>

| You know, those wooden things you get when you break a leg.

Citizen....

    BP= Before puberty
    ATFM= after the first mortgage
    JBYBARVAFTBPONA= jus before you buy a recreational vehicle and fish the
    better part of North America
    BIMHM= before i met her mother
    AIMHM= after i met her mother