u/taclubquarters2025

Thought I would share this story because it still gives me a laugh. I loved Bradbury growing up, I did read some rudimentary type sci-fi in very early life but I think it was late elementary school that I hit my stride with he and Asimov, and that just continued. Completely visionary and I could still go back and read every one of them. My aunt was a schoolteacher, and in the late 1990s, Bradbury spoke at the Texas State Teachers Convention in Austin and I was very excited that she invited me to go with her to hear him speak. Fantastic speech, and then he got on importance of libraries, of which I wholeheartedly agree. He was talking about whether or not books could ever be replaced, and during this segment, paused, and then said: "The internet is crap!". Wild applause afterwards. You know, looking back, I can't say I disagree.

I posted a similar question quite a while ago on askhistorians, and I didn't have any takers, so I was wondering if someone on this forum may have any insights. One of the things that has always blown my mind is the tiny, tiny detail on inscribed artifacts from Ancient Egypt and other cultures. Most of the google searches that I have found indicate that magnification was done using water-filled vessels. However, I suspect there had to have been magnification through convex lenses, as it seems like the water situation wouldn't have been the sole source for as long as indicated. I'm wondering if anyone in this forum has a history or other tidbit about when convex lenses were first discovered and how used. Thank you!

I'll be visiting Rio in September to watch the Dallas Cowboys at Maracana stadium. My best friend will be joining me. We're both men in our late 40s, and we speak fluent Spanish. Through all the websites, and everything I've looked at, I can read Portuguese. However, I have watched videos and can't understand it at all. We will be staying for a few nights near Barra and a few more in Ipanema. My question is--when we talk to people, should we try the Spanish first since it's just a little closer, or should we just go English immediately. Looking forward to your answers!

Hi Everyone,

I'm American but have interacted with both British-origin South Africans as well as Afrikaners. I'm curious as to how the two groups get along--is it a friendly kind of rivalry or dislike? Or does it make no difference whatsoever?

I've had a hard time finding a place to post this, but I want to let it out and this seems like it might be a community to do so. I was raised by a single mother, divorced when I think I was 5 or 6, but overall things were as good as they could be for a long time. We moved into a pretty rough lease house when I was in 6th grade, and that's when her drinking really started to take off. I'm talking about James Joyce kind of stuff--drinking in the morning, all night, just whenever. She was a self-employed editor so her hours were not set. Anyway, one night when I was probably about 15 and totally asleep, mom came in after drinking heavily, totally naked, and tried to have sex with me. I pushed her off several times, but she just kept at it. Finally. I was able to get her out the door and lock it.

I "forgot" about this for many years. I would have nightmares about my mother trying to have sex with me, and get this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. That feeling also manifested itself when I would see here--I absolutely couldn't sit next to my mother, looking at family photos, because I had this feeling. It wasn't exactly the stomach, just a wrong feeling I can't explain. A couple of years ago she said "I have an apology to give you" and I didn't know what it was, turns out it was that night and she's sober now. But I still get "that feeling" whenever I'm around her. Still can't explain it, it just feels "weird". Anyway, wanted to share that. Particularly if any other males have had a similar situation, it's OK, there are other guys that have gone through this.