Today I Learned #4: Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
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TIL (okay, yesterday) how to make rushlights:
This guy's channel is great if you want to learn hands-on things about life in medieval times (even though he cheated and used a heat gun for convenience!). The host plays the part of a knight, and of course many of the videos are to do with knightly life - what weapons and armor do they use, how was horse armor developed and used (he's got some horses that feature in some videos), what was the daily life of a knight like, and so on.
Of course this means that parts of my story are completely anachronistic, but in my own defense, my project did start out as a novelization of a computer game and it wasn't until several hundred thousands of words later that I realized that I'm going to have to either change a LOT of things or at least explain them.
And here's how to wash when you don't have any soap handy:
The channel is Modern History TV.
This guy's channel is great if you want to learn hands-on things about life in medieval times (even though he cheated and used a heat gun for convenience!). The host plays the part of a knight, and of course many of the videos are to do with knightly life - what weapons and armor do they use, how was horse armor developed and used (he's got some horses that feature in some videos), what was the daily life of a knight like, and so on.
Of course this means that parts of my story are completely anachronistic, but in my own defense, my project did start out as a novelization of a computer game and it wasn't until several hundred thousands of words later that I realized that I'm going to have to either change a LOT of things or at least explain them.
And here's how to wash when you don't have any soap handy:
The channel is Modern History TV.
TIL that like Jaffa Cakes at least for tax purposes shortbread is not a biscuit. It is a speciality item of flour confectionary.
I seem to remember there was a court case about it, and the definition they came up with is cakes go hard when the go off and biscuits go soft. Jaffa cakes go hard so they are not a luxury so do not have VAT.
EgonSpengler
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I think there are also threshholds for sugar content for what's considered a confection. iirc, there was a brand of bread - maybe one of the American brands, which probably would have been how I read about it - that was classified as "cake" in the UK rather than "bread" because it had so much sugar in it.
EDIT: Oh, yeah. It was Subway, the chain sandwich shops.
TIL: a brief history of credit
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
AMANDA FOREMAN
Paying With Plastic Is New, But Credit Isn’t
ON MARCH 6 , Amex, Mastercard and Visa announced that they were suspending their operations in Russia. The move will deal a blow to Russian commerce, as a life tied to cash and checks can be cumbersome in the extreme.
The Mesopotamians were among the first known to grasp the usefulness of the charge account. The extensive trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley made regular shipments of gold highly impracticable. Instead, traders used seals and clay tablets to keep running tallies for settlement at a future date.
Greek and Roman travelers relied on letters of creditworthiness from their personal banks. But this practice died out during the Dark Ages. The Knights Templar revived it during the 12th century as one of their services to Christians traveling to Jerusalem. Pilgrims could deposit their money at any Templar house, receive a “letter of credit” and use it to withdraw funds from the Temple stronghold in Jerusalem.
The letter of credit eventually evolved into the bill of exchange, or promissory note, between banks, used for business transactions. In 1772, the London Exchange Banking Company in England offered its clients a version for everyday use: Called “circular notes,” they were issued in set denominations, could be cashed in many major cities and were guaranteed against loss and theft. The idea was slow to catch on in the United States until a freight transport business called the American Express Company decided its real profits lay in facilitating the movement of money. Having already enjoyed considerable success with money orders, in 1891 it rolled out the American Express traveler’s check, which merely required the owner’s counter signature to be valid.
The traveler’s check was by no means the only alternative to cash. By the late 19th century, most department stores had tokens, often personalized metal key fobs, that loyal customers could present in lieu of immediate payment. After World War I, oil companies went a step further, offering “courtesy cards” that could be used at their gas stations. Airline companies and hotels did the same.
The profusion of charge cards soon became onerous. In 1946, a Brooklyn bank experimented with the Charg-It Card, which could be used at local businesses. Three years later, so the story goes, New York businessman Frank X. McNamara was dining at a restaurant with clients when he realized he was out of cash. The ensuing embarrassment inspired him to propose a new kind of charge card: one that was members-based, would work anywhere and earned its profit by charging each customer an annual fee.
The Diners Club card had more than 10,000 members by the end of its first year. The first bank to copy the idea was Bank of America in 1958. Its BankAmericard—which became Visa in 1976—allowed card owners to pay interest rather than settling their monthly bill. By the mid-’60s, other banks were scrambling to imitate what had effectively become a cash-cow. The most successful competitor was a consortium of banks behind the Interbank Card, today known as Mastercard. The first bank outside the U.S. to offer a credit card was Britain’s Barclays Bank in 1966. But by then Visa and Mastercard were already expanding to other countries, setting the stage for the global duopoly they are today.
Vladimir Putin may have difficulty charging his next holiday to his Visa. But he can still use his China-backed UnionPay card—for now.
HISTORICALLY SPEAKING
AMANDA FOREMAN
Paying With Plastic Is New, But Credit Isn’t
ON MARCH 6 , Amex, Mastercard and Visa announced that they were suspending their operations in Russia. The move will deal a blow to Russian commerce, as a life tied to cash and checks can be cumbersome in the extreme.
The Mesopotamians were among the first known to grasp the usefulness of the charge account. The extensive trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley made regular shipments of gold highly impracticable. Instead, traders used seals and clay tablets to keep running tallies for settlement at a future date.
Greek and Roman travelers relied on letters of creditworthiness from their personal banks. But this practice died out during the Dark Ages. The Knights Templar revived it during the 12th century as one of their services to Christians traveling to Jerusalem. Pilgrims could deposit their money at any Templar house, receive a “letter of credit” and use it to withdraw funds from the Temple stronghold in Jerusalem.
The letter of credit eventually evolved into the bill of exchange, or promissory note, between banks, used for business transactions. In 1772, the London Exchange Banking Company in England offered its clients a version for everyday use: Called “circular notes,” they were issued in set denominations, could be cashed in many major cities and were guaranteed against loss and theft. The idea was slow to catch on in the United States until a freight transport business called the American Express Company decided its real profits lay in facilitating the movement of money. Having already enjoyed considerable success with money orders, in 1891 it rolled out the American Express traveler’s check, which merely required the owner’s counter signature to be valid.
The traveler’s check was by no means the only alternative to cash. By the late 19th century, most department stores had tokens, often personalized metal key fobs, that loyal customers could present in lieu of immediate payment. After World War I, oil companies went a step further, offering “courtesy cards” that could be used at their gas stations. Airline companies and hotels did the same.
The profusion of charge cards soon became onerous. In 1946, a Brooklyn bank experimented with the Charg-It Card, which could be used at local businesses. Three years later, so the story goes, New York businessman Frank X. McNamara was dining at a restaurant with clients when he realized he was out of cash. The ensuing embarrassment inspired him to propose a new kind of charge card: one that was members-based, would work anywhere and earned its profit by charging each customer an annual fee.
The Diners Club card had more than 10,000 members by the end of its first year. The first bank to copy the idea was Bank of America in 1958. Its BankAmericard—which became Visa in 1976—allowed card owners to pay interest rather than settling their monthly bill. By the mid-’60s, other banks were scrambling to imitate what had effectively become a cash-cow. The most successful competitor was a consortium of banks behind the Interbank Card, today known as Mastercard. The first bank outside the U.S. to offer a credit card was Britain’s Barclays Bank in 1966. But by then Visa and Mastercard were already expanding to other countries, setting the stage for the global duopoly they are today.
Vladimir Putin may have difficulty charging his next holiday to his Visa. But he can still use his China-backed UnionPay card—for now.
GinandTonic
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19th and early 20th century credit was ubiquitous amongst the "respectable classes" in the UK. Seriously "respectable" women basically never used cash.
It's rather back to the future. In the past the lady of the house selected stuff which was then delivered and the grubby matter of settling the bill was left to someone else. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
It's rather back to the future. In the past the lady of the house selected stuff which was then delivered and the grubby matter of settling the bill was left to someone else. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Mr Hyde didn't get his signature on a check accepted (he signed as Dr Jekyll), leading to more suspicions against him.
Reminds me of that sequence in Gai-Jin by James Clavell in which Angelique asks about cash and the men just laugh off the idea of carrying money instead of signing a bill.
GinandTonic
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Man, those books were great-terrible. Blast from decades ago.
Zardnaar
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Went for a walk today and found a park bench with a view. Never been there before just going down various side tracks and park areas.
Looking out over the Oval (sport field) and the harbor and peninsula visible in the back ground.
Looking out over the Oval (sport field) and the harbor and peninsula visible in the back ground.
Ferocitus
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Fred Gwynne, who played Herman in The Munsters, wrote and illustrated children's books.
The battle of the frogs and the mice wasn't homeric (it was a parody of the Iliad), and obviously wasn't written by George Martin 
(it's an ancient greek epic-parody).
Not sure what Martin did, other than plagiarize?
(edit: now I read that some ancient sources do argue it was composed by Homer, so can't say)
That glorious war started when a noble frog took his equal in nobility mouse to his back, for a swim in the pond, but a water-snake appeared and the frog quickly dived to safety, leaving the mouse to drown.
War councils formed immediately, and when the noble frog was formally accused for the start of the war, he claimed that the mouse was reckless and tried to imitate a frog, entering the pond of its own volition. Ares already filled both species hearts with enthusiasm for war.
(it's an ancient greek epic-parody).Not sure what Martin did, other than plagiarize?
(edit: now I read that some ancient sources do argue it was composed by Homer, so can't say)
That glorious war started when a noble frog took his equal in nobility mouse to his back, for a swim in the pond, but a water-snake appeared and the frog quickly dived to safety, leaving the mouse to drown.
War councils formed immediately, and when the noble frog was formally accused for the start of the war, he claimed that the mouse was reckless and tried to imitate a frog, entering the pond of its own volition. Ares already filled both species hearts with enthusiasm for war.
Last edited:
Berzerker
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swimming with piranha
PBS Expedition w/Steve Backshall
dude caught one and showed its teeth, he said the key to surviving was dont panic, piranhas go after distressed, wounded animals
PBS Expedition w/Steve Backshall
dude caught one and showed its teeth, he said the key to surviving was dont panic, piranhas go after distressed, wounded animals
Ferocitus
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TIL that some people thought this was a good idea at the time.
We have that today, only it works differently. If you're married and have children, you have tax exemptions. So if you're single you don't have those exemptions, and thus pay higher tax.
TIL that Peter Pan will never go out of copyright, and the Great Ormond Street Hospital will be able to keep collecting royalties for ever.
The argentinian one was the other way around; tax exemption if you were rejected.
Pretty interesting, actually
GinandTonic
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The argentinian one was the other way around; tax exemption if you were rejected.
Pretty interesting, actually
This could significantly impact my tax liabilities...
Peter Pan is one of those stories that I loved as a child and even had a modicum of fun working on in a theatrical production (working with the actors, that is, as I'd worked with several of them before and had good rapport with their requests and requirements for some of the props they had to use; working with the stage crew and production team, on the other hand, was a nightmare and I nearly walked off the production in mid-run).
But I saw a live televised performance of it a few years ago and realized something that I never understood before: This story is racist as hell.
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