The Italians, naturally, copied just about anything the Greeks developed.
The Egyptians could be horrendously 'snobbish' or 'arrogant', reference being taken especially from a former owner of Harrods.
Hastings Forum
Digital radios
Re: Digital radios
Some scholars have gone so far as to ask whether the Greeks came up with anything new at all, or whether they merely acted as a conduit through which the combined wisdom of all the civilisations of the eastern Mediterranean was disseminated across the territories conquered by Alexander the Great, before arriving at Rome and posterity.
The Italians, naturally, copied just about anything the Greeks developed.
The Egyptians could be horrendously 'snobbish' or 'arrogant', reference being taken especially from a former owner of Harrods.
The Italians, naturally, copied just about anything the Greeks developed.
The Egyptians could be horrendously 'snobbish' or 'arrogant', reference being taken especially from a former owner of Harrods.
Re: Digital radios
Must have been scholars who didn't do their research properly. The Ancient Greeks were responsible for many innovations and advances - in architecture, sculpture, poetry, drama medicine, philosophy and most of all of course political thinking. Before then, there was virtually no tradition of democracy across a Middle East dominated for millenia by autocratic regimes, let alone of free thought, free debate and questioning of traditionally held beliefs and rules. The Greek city-states changed everything ..
The Romans did copy to some extent, especially Greek architecture and sculpture (the Romans admired and venerated Greek culture), but the Romans developed their own unique strain of pragmatism and practical genius - hence their superb military and engineering skills. Then as now, technology won the war. They invented the rounded arch and a form of concrete (the secret of both was lost for centuries) and their Samian Ware pottery was the most beautiful and finest quality up to that time (save arguably for some very fine Greek pottery from Crete and Attica).
The modern Egyptians are not the race which built the pyramids - they are heavily infused with the blood of countless invaders ending of course with the great Arab migration across the ME and into Africa/Europe. I'm not sure who or what the ex-Harrods owner represents. Himself only maybe, he's out on his own and not quite in touch with reality!
The Romans did copy to some extent, especially Greek architecture and sculpture (the Romans admired and venerated Greek culture), but the Romans developed their own unique strain of pragmatism and practical genius - hence their superb military and engineering skills. Then as now, technology won the war. They invented the rounded arch and a form of concrete (the secret of both was lost for centuries) and their Samian Ware pottery was the most beautiful and finest quality up to that time (save arguably for some very fine Greek pottery from Crete and Attica).
The modern Egyptians are not the race which built the pyramids - they are heavily infused with the blood of countless invaders ending of course with the great Arab migration across the ME and into Africa/Europe. I'm not sure who or what the ex-Harrods owner represents. Himself only maybe, he's out on his own and not quite in touch with reality!
Re: Digital radios
Ancient Egypt was 2 kingdoms at first; a southern kingdom of darker skinned Nubians and a northern kingdom, of the lighter skinned race. The two kingdoms were unified almost 2,000 years before the pyramids were built. So even back then Egyptians were a diverse culture.
The 'slaves' who actually built the pyramids were more probably operating inside the equivalent of a feudal system, with even higher orders owing allegiance to a lord or master.
(Egyptian bakers used barley and emmer wheat for their bread. Emmer has very little of the gluten that makes modern bread "spongy and gives it a nice crust).
Lime cement was used by the Ancient Egyptians as a primitive ‘lime concrete’ mortar between blocks and as in-fill to stone walls.
The use of lime cement then spread to other parts of the Mediterranean and by about 500 BC it was in use in Ancient Greece, being used to cover sun-dried brick walls. Initially copying the Greeks the Romans made a major improvement by discovering that the addition of volcanic ash made the cement stronger, even able to set under water.
In Greece, democracy involved 'people power' yet still produced a ruling elite, much the same way that democratic Britain produces leaders who still go on to do bad things in the face of a, largely, apathetic public.
However, in the 5th century BC there was not one democracy but hundreds among the city-states which were scattered round the Mediterranean and Black Sea shores – "like frogs around a pond", as Plato once engagingly put it. But of these the oldest, the most stable and enduring democracy was the radical one of Athens.
The Greeks were always at war and that produced a plentiful supply of slaves allowing more free time for thinking by philosophers.
One thing that our politicians might learn from ancient Athens, the most dramatic example of early and direct democracy, is the system known as ostracism. Under it each citizen writes one name on a broken shard of pottery (an ostrakon). If a massive number write the same name the ostracised individual had to go into exile for 10 years...
The 'slaves' who actually built the pyramids were more probably operating inside the equivalent of a feudal system, with even higher orders owing allegiance to a lord or master.
(Egyptian bakers used barley and emmer wheat for their bread. Emmer has very little of the gluten that makes modern bread "spongy and gives it a nice crust).
Lime cement was used by the Ancient Egyptians as a primitive ‘lime concrete’ mortar between blocks and as in-fill to stone walls.
The use of lime cement then spread to other parts of the Mediterranean and by about 500 BC it was in use in Ancient Greece, being used to cover sun-dried brick walls. Initially copying the Greeks the Romans made a major improvement by discovering that the addition of volcanic ash made the cement stronger, even able to set under water.
In Greece, democracy involved 'people power' yet still produced a ruling elite, much the same way that democratic Britain produces leaders who still go on to do bad things in the face of a, largely, apathetic public.
However, in the 5th century BC there was not one democracy but hundreds among the city-states which were scattered round the Mediterranean and Black Sea shores – "like frogs around a pond", as Plato once engagingly put it. But of these the oldest, the most stable and enduring democracy was the radical one of Athens.
The Greeks were always at war and that produced a plentiful supply of slaves allowing more free time for thinking by philosophers.
One thing that our politicians might learn from ancient Athens, the most dramatic example of early and direct democracy, is the system known as ostracism. Under it each citizen writes one name on a broken shard of pottery (an ostrakon). If a massive number write the same name the ostracised individual had to go into exile for 10 years...
Re: Digital radios
As I said, it all rather contradicts your suggestion that the Greeks may not have come up with anything new!
Certainly there were different kinds of city state across all parts of the Aegean sea but many modelled their political systems on ideas generated at Athens (a number were anyway allies of Athens or even colonies). It was the only pure democracy - you stuck your hand up and were counted, do we go to war or not? What we have in the West is representative democracy - decisions made by proxy. Probably still the least flawed and most workable system.
Certainly there were different kinds of city state across all parts of the Aegean sea but many modelled their political systems on ideas generated at Athens (a number were anyway allies of Athens or even colonies). It was the only pure democracy - you stuck your hand up and were counted, do we go to war or not? What we have in the West is representative democracy - decisions made by proxy. Probably still the least flawed and most workable system.
Re: Digital radios
I am more inclined to believe the Greeks were the first to come up with democracy but that the Italians were good at copying ideas in art, religion and architecture from the Greeks.
Human nature is inclined to copy and adapt as its own, earlier developments in many fields, from music to religion.
The democracy in Greece was not without it's critics, however, and a leading Athenian philosopher said poor democracy was just as bad as poor rule by other forms.
It was against the increasingly harsh rule of Peisistratus's eldest son that Cleisthenes (a progressive aristocrat) championed a radical political reform movement, laid out 100 years earlier, 600BC, by Solon (a poet and a wise statesman, but not a democrat). He did not believe in people-power as such.
But it was Solon's constitutional reform package that laid the basis on which democracy could be pioneered almost 100 years later, which in the early 500's BC ushered in the Athenian democratic constitution.
Even then a birth criterion of double descent - from an Athenian mother as well as father - was strictly insisted upon. Women, even Athenian women, were totally excluded - this was a men's club. Foreigners, especially unfree slave foreigners, were excluded formally and rigorously. The citizen body was a closed political elite.
Interesting to knock such ideas about, MJ and I have no idea where the digital radio went to but perhaps I should stop here as otherwise Geoff will have to create a new thread and he probably has enough on his hands already!
Human nature is inclined to copy and adapt as its own, earlier developments in many fields, from music to religion.
The democracy in Greece was not without it's critics, however, and a leading Athenian philosopher said poor democracy was just as bad as poor rule by other forms.
It was against the increasingly harsh rule of Peisistratus's eldest son that Cleisthenes (a progressive aristocrat) championed a radical political reform movement, laid out 100 years earlier, 600BC, by Solon (a poet and a wise statesman, but not a democrat). He did not believe in people-power as such.
But it was Solon's constitutional reform package that laid the basis on which democracy could be pioneered almost 100 years later, which in the early 500's BC ushered in the Athenian democratic constitution.
Even then a birth criterion of double descent - from an Athenian mother as well as father - was strictly insisted upon. Women, even Athenian women, were totally excluded - this was a men's club. Foreigners, especially unfree slave foreigners, were excluded formally and rigorously. The citizen body was a closed political elite.
Interesting to knock such ideas about, MJ and I have no idea where the digital radio went to but perhaps I should stop here as otherwise Geoff will have to create a new thread and he probably has enough on his hands already!
Re: Digital radios
Harking back to complaints by Derek and MJ about the quality of a DAB (or other) radio being somewhat 'tinny'.
The sound is often but much better from earphones/headphones, wireless (bluetooth) versions are avilable for both.
The sound is often but much better from earphones/headphones, wireless (bluetooth) versions are avilable for both.
Re: Digital radios
The sound quality on my recently-acquired small DAB radio is good - clear and crisp but, yes, slightly more treble and "tinnier". But the larger radio I bought is excellent, a nice fairly mellow sound, good for listening to music.
Both radios are so good compared to the FM radios I was using that I wish I had switched years ago. They are dead easy to use and I can get Classic FM in Hastings for almost the first time in 17 years.
Both radios are so good compared to the FM radios I was using that I wish I had switched years ago. They are dead easy to use and I can get Classic FM in Hastings for almost the first time in 17 years.
Re: Digital radios
DAB+ is an upgrade of the current DAB system, the main advantage being that it is three times as efficient meaning that it can carry far more stations and at a far higher audio quality than on DAB alone. However not all radio stations are 'compatible' yet.
I will try DAB one day or internet radio perhaps.
I will try DAB one day or internet radio perhaps.
Re: Digital radios
I asked about DAB+ radios in Currys - the answer was "Duh...?" Clearly a longer wait needed before they are very available.
Re: Digital radios
This is an old thread and I didn't think I would end up backtracking somewhat on my original comments re: digital radios .. there you go.
The medium-size Logik radio which I bought for the kitchen remains a good device for background music when I am busying around, although the sound is indeed more "tinny", sharper and less natural than on an analogue radio. Not so good for listening to a fine Beethoven symphony. But the press-button controls are particularly well laid-out too and easy to operate. However, the latter is not always the case - I have discovered that, like everything else, different brands and models vary greatly. I never truly liked the push-button business for tuning, volume and pre-setting stations (what could be simpler and easier than turning a couple of knobs?) and on some of the cheaper radios the controls are just awful. I recently bought an analogue clock-radio (but with push-button settings) and the whole thing is ghastly. So complicated that I struggled for two hours merely to preset some BBC stations and set the morning alarm. Several times I almost gave up and resolved to chuck the thing back into Robert Dyas with some added imprecations.
I realised that one reason I hardly ever use the radio in my sittingroom is again because the push-button controls are impossible and it takes ten minutes to switch to the station you want!
Blow that. Life is too short. I am moving back towards oldfashioned analogue radios with knobs- I am surprised to see that there are still a number around. It's not about disliking modern technology, it's about speed and convenience. I hate the obsession for complicated devices with lots of buttons, I just don't see the point. The best technology is simple to operate and to understand, leaving time for more important things! Remember all the people who couldn't work the video player unless their grandchildren were around? Thank God those devices have bitten the dust.
The medium-size Logik radio which I bought for the kitchen remains a good device for background music when I am busying around, although the sound is indeed more "tinny", sharper and less natural than on an analogue radio. Not so good for listening to a fine Beethoven symphony. But the press-button controls are particularly well laid-out too and easy to operate. However, the latter is not always the case - I have discovered that, like everything else, different brands and models vary greatly. I never truly liked the push-button business for tuning, volume and pre-setting stations (what could be simpler and easier than turning a couple of knobs?) and on some of the cheaper radios the controls are just awful. I recently bought an analogue clock-radio (but with push-button settings) and the whole thing is ghastly. So complicated that I struggled for two hours merely to preset some BBC stations and set the morning alarm. Several times I almost gave up and resolved to chuck the thing back into Robert Dyas with some added imprecations.
I realised that one reason I hardly ever use the radio in my sittingroom is again because the push-button controls are impossible and it takes ten minutes to switch to the station you want!
Blow that. Life is too short. I am moving back towards oldfashioned analogue radios with knobs- I am surprised to see that there are still a number around. It's not about disliking modern technology, it's about speed and convenience. I hate the obsession for complicated devices with lots of buttons, I just don't see the point. The best technology is simple to operate and to understand, leaving time for more important things! Remember all the people who couldn't work the video player unless their grandchildren were around? Thank God those devices have bitten the dust.
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