u/Whole-Lychee1628

What’s the B for?

THINK ON, MAM!

My friend’s now sadly departed Cat. With the catnip toy Christmas Present I got the kitties a few years back.

Behold. CRIVENS! Ah’ve kicked mahsel’ in mah ain heid!

Hiya!

Currently watching a Time Team Special on the Battle of Hastings, and recently watched the latest episode of House of the Dragon, where Crowsfeet/Caltrops feature.

And it got me thinking. If in times when cavalry was decisive, and you were poor in that regard? Would it have been possible to load Trebuchets/Catapults with caltrops, and fling them en-masse to spike the areas of the battlefield most favourable to Cavalry? Kind of like a primitive landmine.

The main issue with this that I can think of is difficulties in getting the now airborne caltrops to spread out suitably. Without a decent spread, all you’ve done is heavily spike a very specific, very limited patch of ground.

Do you think, if we go down a trouser leg of time where this was explored, that smaller, dedicated catapult systems were developed, relying on overall saturation of the line, and potentially held until the enemy cavalry had committed before some rapid maths was performed to better ensure the caltrops landed right in the path of the advance?

Other downside is the spiking goes both ways of course. Yes they’re less crippling to a human than a horse, but at the very very least you’ve still introduced trip hazards, and any infantry advance can only hold cohesion if the line is maintained. The more folk trip up or tread on a caltrop, the greater the disruption, and the closer you come to arriving in front of the enemy relatively piecemeal.

I’ve nothing riding on this, just a fanciful notion that I felt would be interesting to explore.

Compulsory 8% Football Content.

Bloody well done to England. Whilst as a Scotch a second title would’ve made it all intolerable? They’re a fine bunch of lads and should hold their heads up high. Even if some of them have weighty chins.

Tuchel? Well….maybe his time is up? But based on that last match, he’s clearly not a Boots McUseless.

I’m in a right fluffery-buffery right now. But the ref surely deserves a Fun & Laughter Bar.

I think it might‘ve only been in Old Gold Rope, Biffa Bacon. May have come from an earlier issue.

Sadly I lost my Old Gold Ropes when I moved out of my parent’s place.

Hi

Was in Tokyo for my holiday at the end of April, and stayed in Shinjuku. Had a terrific time exploring and sampling the city.

I walked through the grounds of the Hanazono a couple of times, and one on of said times there was a market on, selling antiques and trinkets.

Sadly I didn’t have cash on me at the time, so wasn’t able to buy anything, as after I walked on I got distracted by other stuff and forgot to go back.

I’m back in Shinjuku same time next year, and I’m hoping to revisit that market. Does anyone know if it’s a regular thing there? Really want to find the seller of little bells that was there.

Hiya.

First, let me preface this by confirming I’m not an archaeologist, nor am I particularly up on the current consensus. What follows is essentially my own Chinny Reckons on why Henges and other ancient monuments, such as Gobekli Tepe might’ve been built.

And I’m looking for informed critique to further my understanding of what evidence exist, and what evidence might directly conflict with it.

Now, I don’t want to jump straight to Stonehenge, because it’s far from the oldest henge in Britain. And as I understand, such monuments first manifested as wooden constructions, though I don’t know if there’s enough evidence left outside of Seahenge off the coast of Norfolk to suggest whether, like Stonehenge and the Ring of Brodgar, whether the constituent timbers might‘ve been brought from quite far away.

But either way? A henge (yes I know that refers to the ditch rather than anything upright) represents a considerable project in terms of planning and manpower. Even if the construction materials were locally sourced, it’s still lots of work to move it into position.

That fact suggests to me that as well as astronomical aids (solstice alignment and that), they were also celebrations of cooperation between multiple tribes/clans/villages/people. A statement that all those communities were able to live side by side, and collaborate on such monuments. To an outsider, it might’ve served as a warning that to attack one, would likely be to attack all.

My pet theory even includes the possibility they originated as a joint celebration of victory over another tribe or tribes. And they continued to develop as an ongoing commitment to the unity of purpose that brought such a victory. And over time, as a way for the younger folk to meet other Tribes/Clans/Whatever and find a spouse to have children with.

And so, they may represent the first tentative steps toward civilisation. Ongoing works which required and encouraged inter-tribe cooperation. A testament to the fact we can indeed live together in relative peace with one another.

Explanation concludes.

Now, can anyone weigh in with whether it’s just a pretty story but otherwise wishful thinking, or is there perhaps something to it?

Hi.

My first ever tattoo, now one of many, was Rocky Horror themed. Its the lips vertically bracketed by “science fiction double feature”, the colouring red fading into black.

I‘m overall really happy and proud of it., and about a year or so ago I had the red touched up for better depth and saturation (Scottish Skin).

But, the red is once again not quite as bright and glossy as I would like. The two artist that have worked on it (original and retouch) were and remain fab. But if i wanted a third attempt at really, really making it pop and stay popped? What’s the appropriate etiquette on requesting a spedific ink, whilst respecting my artist’s own preferences?

Oh fuck fuck fuck! Constantly reheated Goat’s arses! That’s got me popping!