We have been to San Antonio and visited The Alamo. Essentially a land grab to increase slave loving Texas, so we were informed by the period dressed guide. Also told that the first people to arrive there to defend The Alamo were Brits, Irish and Germans (were they slave owners - it wasn’t made clear).I've just has a very interesting discussion with Neil about Fake News and the concept of "He who wins writes the history". I've been quite concerned over the way people these days, so easily believe the stories told by one source without checking for alerrnative views or supporting fact. A mention was made on a TV cookery programme about The Alamo and the battle between "the Spanish" and the state of Texas. I queried Neil about the Spanish element and he told me that that was the least of the issues around the story.
The tale I had in my head was that the Mexican state in the 1800's was oppressing Texan citizens and those citizens were fighting for their rights and for liberty from a corrupt and oppressive Mexican dictator who wanted to annex the state. I learned that in the late 50's/early 60's. Davy Crockett was a hero who gave his life defending the Alamo (I never thought to ask why or what he was defending) and the right of Texas not to be annexed.
For the first time now I've looked up what I could and found that the story was very different. It was a war over whether or not Texans should be allowed to uphold slavery and benefit from it in their cotton growing enterprises. Texas was part of Mexico, not one of the American states. Mexico had passed laws outlawing slavery and Texans had a lot of money to lose. Texans were not really looking for independence because they pretty soon joined the US which still, of course, endorsed slavery. OK there's more to it than that but the point is that way back then, I accepted the given version because I didn't realise that what was written or produced in the media was not necessarily so. And the same kind of myths are being perpetuated now across all the media and most of us never check any alternative sources for our potentially prejudiced information.
The irony is that Whitney himself believed his invention would reduce the need for slave labor instead it had the opposite effect.The increase in slavery in the southern states, was for the demand in cotton from Europe particularly the northern cotton towns of England. The need for African people to work the cotton fields. Because only African coloured people could be out in the sun all day. The ever expanding new states that were coming into the union. And the new markets that included the northern states, and, finally an invention that meant that the amount of cotton crops that could be grown multiplied by so much, the price of slaves also multiplied.
And a famous historian of the beginnings of the American civil war gave this discovery as one of the biggest causes of inevitability of the war.
The cotton gin created by Eli Whitney.
Their are so many conflicting reports of history. And a lot of English history is full of it!
It won’t get better any time soon despite so many complete screw ups.Trouble is - these days it's not so much a question of can AI replace people as can people replace AI when it breaks down. Seems that AI systems are a bit like solid state - humans are not allowed to intervene; there is no access to the systems to allow them to do so. Who is in control here?
Is that c.8.5. miles Krystyna?Have just caught up with the posts. Had a lovely day today. Not so tired. Did nearly 17K steps, quite a lot of admin and also some relaxing and reading.
Ordered a new rucksack for work from Osprey. My current one is getting past it. The new one has got more pockets than my current one so more places to lose my keys and phone
That kind of ham is known as slippery ham and I don't know anybody in our family that likes it.Thanks @lindisfel. Proper ham - cut thickly from the bone - nobody should be subjected to that thin wet stuff crammed into sealed plastic. We buy our eggs from our local butcher - he gets them from a small free range producer just outside town.
That’s the plan and includes the local college. There is some growing resistance but what could possibly go wrong by pumping hydrogen through existing gas pipes and into peoples homes? Can you see the burning? No because it’s broad daylight - kaboom! Sounds like net zero land clearance.Hi Dunelm,
Did I hear that they are going to experiment on Redcar with a government blessed Red Hydrogen project?
Hydrogen will find any minor leaks in the delivery system.That’s the plan and includes the local college. There is some growing resistance but what could possibly go wrong by pumping hydrogen through existing gas pipes and into peoples homes? Can you see the burning? No because it’s broad daylight - kaboom! Sounds like net zero land clearance.
Yes, it is. I broke it up into 3 walks. Normally a lot of my walking consists of racing up and down the huge halls I teach in correcting class members so it was lovely to walk outside in the fresh air.Is that c.8.5. miles Krystyna?
I think that they may be out of my price rangegood news on feeling relaxed and about time you bought a new backpack - were Louis Vitton out of stock?
We also like the Osprey backpacks. Very comfortable and lightweight and hold enough for a day out. Also you can neatly get a water bladder inside it.I think that they may be out of my price rangebut actually I do love the really practical Osprey backpacks. So much more practical than a handbag.
I like what you have done with this @dunelmGood morning everyone on an as yet overcast start here in the dark and dangerous north so room for improvement. 5.4 this morning and yesterday evenings chatter was all about walking down through the woods and down to the beach. Ice cream was being mentioned but only every 9th word so can’t be that serious. Collections of rocks and shells pile up and will probably be added to today. Not many though as they are on foot. We may end up in a pub for lunch or it may be fish and chips sitting on a wall. Art bit - I did eventually decide to add a bit more but hopefully not too much - difficult to tell sometimes and Bob Ross is now with all his happy little trees. Hope you get to smile at least once today. I shall make koffy and await the deluge of the grandchildren.
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Thank you @gennepherI like what you have done with this @dunelm
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