OT: Russian men on the American frontier using
teams of women in harnesses plowing the prairie when they
were too poor to afford horses.
I hope any reader understands it takes a lot of strength to
steer and hold an oldfashioned plow, and that only one
can do that part of the job, while many can do the
pulling part.
(and that chinese fields are still the most efficient in
terms of soil erosion and recycling nitrogen, but very labor
intensive)
--
I've spent considerable time in USA, first time in the
70s.
Satellites and luckily internet (for CSPAN, PBS) has made
it possible to stay up-to-date.
Btw, it is an interesting experience not being to able to
speak "properly", not knowing the basic words,etc of opening
a bank account, etc, what "doesn't understand a word" sallad
dressing to pick, etc.
My favorite was figuring out how the door knobs work
from inside the restroom, another area of orthogonal
standards. (scandinavia use door handles, probably worse
for americans)
But there is enough of human common ground to enjoy the not
so common, and the US diversity (except in terms of
political parties) was maybe the most enjoyable thing
(compared to homogenous, boring finland).
Well, besides CSPAN :-)
(I would also guess the first to use webcasts to break
the licensed monopoly of the ether and even the cables)
Ilmarinen
Btw, two years ago most horses would have starved to death
in Finland and also in Sweden if in the 1800s, it wasn't for
imported barley (??).
A horse is obviously a pretty expensive investment if
it tends to die every 6th-7th year, same for cows. |
