Comments | jrittenhouse: Projects: overview

jrittenhouse

Projects: overview

Jul 03, 2008 18:25

At various times, I get into research projects; some simmer on for decades in various forms, and some break off and pick up speed because I happen to run into something that really fuels the fire, so to speak.

My library here is largely one that I use for reference. I have a huge amount of material that isn’t in book form, and I’m going through ( Read more... )

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carandol July 4 2008, 11:05:41 UTC

What an interesting list! :-) if you *really* feel a need for allied research (looks to me like you've enough topics to keep a university going for a lifetime!) I reckon you'd enjoy delving into the history of science, particularly the early stuff, when the borders of science, magic and religion were rather hazy. A good introduction is Steven Shapin's "The Scientific Revolution". Or if you want to dive in on the web, there are some good links from here: http://www.lancs.ac.uk/fass/history/resources/science.htm You could lose yourself for hours!

You don't happen to have any recommendations for information on Brazil between the wars, do you? I'm currently working on an alternate history which is partly set in Brazil in 1938.

jrittenhouse July 4 2008, 15:52:24 UTC

Yes, I do. I can suggest some stuff for that period - you want heavy or light Vargas with that?

carandol July 4 2008, 17:08:19 UTC

Cool! A reasonable amount of Vargas wouldn't go amiss. I'm particularly interested in the relationship between Brazil & Nazi Germany, the attitude of the government to the natives of the Amazon Basin, and relations with neighbouring countries, particularly Venezuela. Zeppelin flights to Brazil I think I have enough info on, and which particular species of dinosaur were still alive and well in Brazil at that time is, I think, my own problem :-)

jrittenhouse July 4 2008, 17:28:55 UTC

OK, here's an idea for you:

Set up a helium trade between Bolivia and Brazil on the one hand, and Nazi Germany on the other.

Helium is basically a byproduct of natural gas extraction. Hard to find in Europe, but Brazil and Bolivia have plenty. They don't have tech knowhow for the infrastructure to pull the stuff out, or the capital.

Nazi Germany desperately wants the stuff for Zeppelins.

http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/Brazil/NaturalGas.html

carandol July 4 2008, 18:05:52 UTC

Aha! So the Nazi trade in dinosaurs from the Lost World is actually just a cover for their fiendish helium import scheme! I knew it couldn't *just* be because dinosaurs look good in parades.

jrittenhouse July 4 2008, 17:30:16 UTC

As for the rest, give me a day or three while we set off fireworks celebrating how we got rid of a lot of British guys.

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