tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1752027331714385066.post1125774017112972938..comments2024-03-19T14:38:21.141-07:00Comments on Terra Forming Terra: Thanksgiving 2009 with Aubie againarcleinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05942529252160087271noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1752027331714385066.post-26879950055437499522009-11-26T09:37:10.315-08:002009-11-26T09:37:10.315-08:00By the way, you make a very interesting comment. ...By the way, you make a very interesting comment. That the majority of their tools were made from copper or more properly brass and bronze.<br /><br />The dominance of steel for military use led me to never question the idea that iron and steel had replaced copper long since in the manufacture of tools leaving copper for pots and pans.<br /><br />An analysis of that would be welcome.arcleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05942529252160087271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1752027331714385066.post-90953952825742508792009-11-26T09:28:25.613-08:002009-11-26T09:28:25.613-08:00Thanks
As they say, never let the facts get in th...Thanks<br /><br />As they say, never let the facts get in the way of a good story.<br /><br />Too bad it wasn't true.<br /><br />Otherwise, happy thanksgiving.arcleinarcleinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05942529252160087271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1752027331714385066.post-87685132045633160432009-11-26T08:01:04.302-08:002009-11-26T08:01:04.302-08:00Aubie Baltin's "Thanksgiving" articl...Aubie Baltin's "Thanksgiving" article is one of the most egregious piece of analysis I've ever seen.<br /><br />Aubie takes us back to the pilgrim's harvest of 1622 -- their third harvest -- and the one where these brave settlers faced near starvation.<br /><br />He then goes on to what he claims is a little-known part of the story. The ideologically driven pilgrims were practicing "farming in common" better know by it's now 'evil' nomenclature as socialism. The situation becomes so bad that by the spring of 1623 these now enlighten souls allocated individual individual plots of land and "capitalism" comes to save the day.<br /><br />The colony survives, thrives and a new country eventually emerges where mild mannered Clark Kent flies around protecting the American way of life.<br /><br />Just one wee problem with the facts.<br /><br />On March 22, 1622, some 6 to 7 months before that year's 'poor' harvest, there was a wee little incident called Powhatan's Uprising - surprise attacks upon thirty-one separate English settlements and plantations, mostly along the James River.<br /><br />Those claimed the lives of 347 colonists -- some 25% of the total colonial population.<br /><br />The colonists who survived the attacks, in turn spent that spring and summer raiding the tribes -- particularly their corn crops -- so successfully that Chief Opechancanough decided in desperation to negotiate.<br /><br />So it's little wonder food was in serious shortage everywhere along the James that particular year. For everybody. Pale face and Indian alike.<br /><br />Moreover, the Indians had been trading food to the colonists for their tools. During the uprising, many such tools -- mostly made form copper -- were simply stolen.<br /><br />Now lets us ponder where does one get critical copper and other metallic made tools needed for both agriculture and defense in Virgina in 1622?<br /><br />No Aubie, not at Home Depot at Jamestown on a MasterCard, but back in Mother England....many months away by return journey.<br /><br />Way too late to effect the 1622 growing season.<br /><br />The colonists had to recover from a loss of a quarter of its manpower and a huge loss of in its technology.<br /><br />I let you, gentle reader, decide if such a devastating attack -- one that came perilously close to extinguishing England’s most promising outpost in North America -- might effect that fall harvest of 1622?<br /><br />BTW, I did send Aubie an email noting the error of his time lines. Neither capitalism nor socialism existed in 1622. He did not take too kindly to my pointing out economists who don't know history are just as dumb as historians who can't read a supple and demand curve.<br /><br />He call me the idiot and said flatly: "Capitalism began with Adam and Eve and their two sons."<br /><br />There you have it. The Bible as the ultimate word.<br /><br />Perhaps by "Adam" Aubie meant Adam Smith - whose 1776 book "The Wealth of Nations" was a work so important many historians point to as a key milestone in ushering in our modern capitalism and indirectly a key driver in the emerging industrial revolution.<br /><br />Or maybe he really did mean those guys in the Garden of Eden?<br /><br />No wait.<br /><br />The 'garden' was a full ride provided by God. Sounds suspiciously socialistic to my ears.Thaidiamondhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06907233315591393279noreply@blogger.com