tell me about

[abracax]

Bump>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

[CandleLite]

Well, if you want one, of many answers to that question, read Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond, which analyzes how geographic luck determined which civilizations rose to power, and how the Europeans were able to conquer most of the known world, in one way (directly) or another (controlling all trade [Opium War ring a bell?])

now i've aparntly confused myself. are you talking about inhareting stratgic land or the effects of said land on the ppl that inhabit it??

[bob19991]

The effects of the land, and more importantly, the animals, plants and climate, or said land, upon the civilization that arises on said land.

[CandleLite]

ahh ok so we are on the same page then. and you agree that the land shapes the people befor the people shape the land?

[bob19991]

Yes, the fact the Mid. East, and then Europe, had pigs, cattle, chicken, etc. gave them the deadly diseases, and provided better food, more labor, allowing for them to wage biological warfare on an unprecedented scale, upon the Americas, allowing a few hundred men with steel, and guns to conquer a land with an estimated 25 million people while being an ocean away from reinforcements.

[CandleLite]

your pulling farther froward in to history then i am, but i follow you. continueing on this same vain, what part does the land we live on play in our lives now that we have mastered the shaping of it to the point we feel the need to limit our own powers of change?

[bob19991]

Well, lets see- Your still can't move mountains, and the amount of water *should* determine what plants you should grow, but instead you either get saltwater intrusion into the aquifer- Fl south of I-4 (mainly, but also happening elsewhere)...
It plays a part- Switzerland just moved a border about 150 yards based on a shifting water flow, so it shapes that country, literally.

[CandleLite]

dare i breach the subject of climet change??

[bob19991]

Of course- that isn't controversial at all...
It all depends on your view, but you cannot argue that it is warmer than say... the 1400s, even the paintings show to being overcast, and snowing constantly, in addition to the other research, but there are so many factors, you cannot predict the outcome..
Partially to chaos theory as well..

[CandleLite]

now i dont remember where i was going with it. i agree that its always changeing and the best climatolegets can to is say "well according to history, it should be doing this" following the theory that history repeats its self