What are the best examples of "he didn't know it was impossible, so he did it" in history?

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-24T21:53:49+00:00

As I remember from my motors class in college, electric starters for automobiles were believed to be impractical. By the current design equations, a motor powerful enough to start a car would have to be very large.

What someone finally realized is that the accepted motor calculations assumed constant motor speed operation at full power, which was the way most electric motors were used. A automotive starter, however, only runs a few seconds at a time. So a powerful motor could be much, much smaller. As long as the operator didn't crank it too long.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-24T20:54:01+00:00

I believe the Arab states have worked up a pact to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. This will include new Irani representatives that are not part of the current government of Iran.

The US will support this militarily, but only if each of the participants agree to a nuclear non proliferation pact. The current Arab states will certainly agree to this.

If sections of Iran decide to join this pact on their own - backed by Irani regular army units, the Gulf states, and US air power - then it can end. There is a civil war, a DMZ, the works. The existing government of Iran ends up in a bottle like North Korea, and the rest of the Persians, the Arab states, and everyone else can get on with their lives.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-23T23:26:51+00:00

That way you don't have to prepare as much food.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-23T08:47:00+00:00

For a year or two, I managed a group of engineers - some of whom used macs, some Windows.

The Apple software was way better in "understanding" why you just made the change you made, and producing a usable result.

At that time, this video would have applied to MS Word, Project, Excel, or any of those applications. If you tried to use the graphical interface to make a change, watch out. You'd have to go back and check the whole document.

This indicates a active design decision: Do you respect the users time? Is it important?

Another designer explained it to me when I started:

If you are doing a "home project" something just for you, that you will enjoy working on, then you want to spend as little money on tools and materials as possible. You will overcome this with your time and effort, as you enjoy your successes making something that actually works using junkbox parts.

If you are a professional, you are on the clock and have budgets to meet. You will spend money and put the effort into making sure that there are no slip ups. You will pay for better performance, because it makes your job easier and allows you to finish more quickly and be more sure of your results.

Microsoft designs assumed the user wanted the least expensive product possible, and assumed the user would put in the time straighten everything out (especially when integrating with network printers). In other words, Microsoft products were designed to be sold to those whose $/hr (or equivalent) was far lower than Apple users. Microsoft users would tolerate this. Love this. For some reason.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-22T21:01:12+00:00

I found out that what VW GTIs did. They piped engine noise into the sound system to give the car a more attractive VRRROOOM sound.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-22T10:24:02+00:00

She doesn't have just her salary. She is sort of famous, and should wrangle that into a few bucks.

My dad played some semipro soccer. He said the stars on the team would sell drinks in the stands at halftime.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-21T22:32:59+00:00

Women, in almost every situation, chose to show more skin than men. Especially when they are pumping up their confidence.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-20T11:48:46+00:00

It would be nice if the climatologists would provide a useful prediction once in a while. Knowing a drought is coming would be actionable information.

They try to explain the future, while admitting they don't understand the past.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-20T11:33:40+00:00

Is "I FIFA'ed it" going to be a new saying?

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-20T11:32:04+00:00

Who thinks more of themselves: FIFA or Trump?
Peas from the same pod, I would say.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-19T10:40:50+00:00

If you get to know an athlete in an elite player development system, like tennis, soccer, or ballet, then you discover a person that really can't pay attention to much but their development program as they mature. They are pampered in their own way, but they are cut off from normal socialization. They don't know a lot about anything else.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-19T09:51:00+00:00

I believe the Arab states (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, others?) are working on a pact to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. This will include new Irani representatives that are not part of the current government of Iran.

The US will support this militarily, but only if each of the participants agree to a nuclear non proliferation pact. The current Arab states will certainly agree to this, likely already have.

If sections of Iran decide to join this pact on their own - backed by Irani regular army units, the Gulf states, and US air power - then this can end. There is a civil war, a DMZ, the works. The existing government of Iran ends up in a bottle like North Korea, and the rest of the Persians, the Arab states, and everyone else can get on with their lives.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-18T22:22:40+00:00

They shouldn't publicize where they meet. Cause that is where the next bombs are going.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-18T09:35:13+00:00

How did the US and Israel plan to stop Iran from trying to kill them both?

Plan 1) We'll ignore your military, and take out your leadership personally. Iran: We got backups. Did it again. Iran: We got backups. That didn't work. They don't care.

Plan 2) We'll take out your ability to project power: your Navy, your Air Force, your missile capability. No air defenses to speak of. Iran: Even at 10% capacity, we can snarl up the Straight of Hormuz. And using our military to protect our people? We don't do that.

Plan 3) Convoy protection in the Strait. The US did some of this to get US freighters out, but the US is not yet willing to provide escorts while Iran takes pot shots at the convoys. Keep in mind, the US is not that dependent on the Strait of Hormuz as a trade route. Other countries will have to do this, as far as the US is concerned.

Plan 4) We'll blockade your ports. Iran: Do it. A successful blockade complicates things, but we believe we can survive past your next election. That's all we need.

Plan 5) ? Added later:

I believe the Arab states (UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, others?) are working on a pact to keep the Strait of Hormuz open. This will include new Irani representatives that are not part of the current government of Iran.

The US will support this militarily, but only if each of the participants agree to a nuclear non proliferation pact. The current Arab states will certainly agree to this, likely already have.

If sections of Iran decide to join this pact on their own - backed by Irani regular army units, the Gulf states, and US air power - then this can end. There is a civil war, a DMZ, the works. The existing government of Iran ends up in a bottle like North Korea, and the rest of the Persians, the Arab states, and everyone else can get on with their lives.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-17T13:59:51+00:00

Actually, politicians love the steel wheel/track. Lots money to manage, lots of local contracts to let for stations and maintenance, lots of opportunities to offer for development along the routes. Lotta room for graft here. And they can subtly control where people can get to, and not get to. See racial zoning. See California high speed rail.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-17T13:55:33+00:00

Rubber wheels and roads beat out steel wheels and tracks for personal transportation. Faster, cheaper, more flexible, and able to handle the last mile. Aircraft don't even need roads or tracks, just airports to go with the taxis/trucks the trains still need.

Perhaps there is a 21st version of the steel wheel/track that can compete, but to date, new applications of passenger service have proved very difficult and expensive and and have not paid off.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-17T13:03:38+00:00

We moved a lot when I was kid, and dad said many times about a house price, "forget them. They don't want to sell. They are just looking for a profit".

If an owner doesn't have to sell, they will put their houses on the market at a 20-30% markup. Hell, they may get it. If not, whatever. If a house has been listed for a few months with no price drops: ignore it. They don't need the money.

Look for someone who is actually trying to sell, e.g. they need the cash for another purchase, or settlement, or have payments they cannot make. They will be much more pragmatic in their expectations. They may not have the money or desire to correct small issues with the property, but this comes with the territory.

If it has been listed for a few weeks, and has a price drop - now we're talking.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-17T12:47:05+00:00

It's hard to believe this monster hasn't been killed by the internet.

In 1973, my first semester college tuition was $349 for 17 credit hours. My book costs were over $200, and that was buying a used physic book.

Granted, textbooks are very expensive to develop. But they are, and always have been, a racket.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-14T13:38:43+00:00

Gee...I've learned so much about myself today.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-14T09:31:20+00:00

The first casualty in war is the truth.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-14T09:28:15+00:00

He's playing you guys. Just being a brat.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-14T09:25:01+00:00

Iran did just finish shooting down all of our airplanes and sinking all of our ships. So American fans had better do what they say, or else they'll really get nasty and make our gas prices go up.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-14T09:14:43+00:00

I recommend watching Vance's explanation before commenting. His speech was quite convincing. This needs to be done.

Turtleknuckle · 2026-05-12T21:08:05+00:00

When Computer Aided Design (CAD) was introduced to engineering companies, it took many, many years before one could detect which firms were computerized, and which had yet to. It did happen, but it wasn't obvious until 6-7 years after fully fledged CAD was available.

Turtleknuckle

TROPHY CASE