Anyone know anything about the Mayans?

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Nemesis 1

Lifer
Dec 30, 2006
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I know you will find this hard to comprehend . Read the book of Mormon . About the 2 lost tribes of the hebrew. It does make sense I believe. If we all believed the story to be true we would destroy the Mexican indians as they are from evil. The north american indians. The Slaves they are run aways.( Gods true choosen who recieved the land of milk and honey) 1492 was big event the bigger event was the conquestadors arriving as prophecy stated on the exact date as prophecy stated. This really does mean we already knew that prophecy and made it happen as prophecy. Which also means 1492 is and always was a lie . The only reason europe waited to steal American gold was they were powerless with equal weapons . black powder changed all that . Whites are liars and theives unequaled in the world.

Romney as president would be interesting Half evil white half evil hebrew tribe. Romney be interesting . But Obummer He is Half white half black. Just as the first world king was the one who had bable built .Nimrod was his name the evil bastared. I would say if history is a conspirecy . Than Those in power want Obummer to be like nimrod. So Romney loses Nimrod wins. Now if Ron Paul wins the rep nominee . We all agree that would be like a miracle. That would be the miracle that prophecy talks about which makes all three = to the same. Anti christ The unholy trinity no matter who wins prophecy is fulfilled and anti christ revealed
 
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May 11, 2008
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Eulerian vs LaGrangian systems are hard enough for modern sophisticates to understand.

I think you misunderstood me. I was asking about the language, not about mathematics. How did the Mayans or the ancient Egyptians specify the location of a given object. Did they use sentences with north ,east, west or south to point a direction of an object. A sort of absolute system or did they use an egocentric system, a more or less relative system : For example : "1 meter to the left of me is a pen."

Because it would make sense to use the cardinal direction system only if everybody has the same automatic sense of direction. I am beginning to wonder that that might be much easier to do around the equator than closer to the north or south pole. If that may be because of cryptochrome in the eyes or the ethmoid bone filled with magnetite work better as a sense around the equator remains of course to be seen. But it sure is interesting.
 
May 11, 2008
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I have almost finished my Feynman book.

It is fun to read how Richard Feynman deciphered the Dresden codex while recovering from exhaustion in his holiday.
It is however not mentioned in the wiki page about the Dresden codex . Why ?
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,894
10,720
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True fact, the Mayans were real pissers.

They're favorite phrase was, "What's urine is Mayan." :p
 

Dumac

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
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Who are these Mayans you keep talking about?

Just kidding. Back to the topic at hand:

In contrast, later researchers said that, while the end of the 13th b'ak'tun would perhaps be a cause for celebration,[3] it did not mark the end of the calendar.[23] "There is nothing in the Maya or Aztec or ancient Mesoamerican prophecy to suggest that they prophesied a sudden or major change of any sort in 2012", said Mayanist scholar Mark Van Stone. "The notion of a 'Great Cycle' coming to an end is completely a modern invention."[24] In 1990, Mayanist scholars Linda Schele and David Freidel argued that the Maya, "did not conceive this to be the end of creation, as many have suggested".[25] Susan Milbrath, curator of Latin American Art and Archaeology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, stated that, "We have no record or knowledge that [the Maya] would think the world would come to an end", in 2012.[3] Sandra Noble, executive director of the Foundation for the Advancement of Mesoamerican Studies, said, "For the ancient Maya, it was a huge celebration to make it to the end of a whole cycle", and, "The 2012 phenomenon is a complete fabrication and a chance for a lot of people to cash in".[3] "There will be another cycle", said E. Wyllys Andrews V, director of the Tulane University Middle American Research Institute. "We know the Maya thought there was one before this, and that implies they were comfortable with the idea of another one after this."[26] Commenting on the new calendar found at Xultun, one archaeologist said "The ancient Maya predicted the world would continue - that 7,000 years from now, things would be exactly like this. We keep looking for endings. The Maya were looking for a guarantee that nothing would change. It's an entirely different mindset."[27]
 

Pohemi

Lifer
Oct 2, 2004
10,906
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Which would suggest to me that they weren't that great at predicting the future.
The ability to predict the future does not imply the capability to avoid it. I.E. I predict I will die some day. Can I now live forever? :p
 

Perknose

Forum Director & Omnipotent Overlord
Forum Director
Oct 9, 1999
46,894
10,720
147
The ability to predict the future does not imply the capability to avoid it. I.E. I predict I will die some day. Can I now live forever? :p

Well, maybe in some scenarios. For instance, you somehow know you are going to die in a vehicular accident today, so you wisely stay at home all day.

Of course, you then perish under the wheels of an out of control bread truck that leaves the road and comes crashing through your living room.

Okay, I give up. :p
 

WelshBloke

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
33,292
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The ability to predict the future does not imply the capability to avoid it. I.E. I predict I will die some day. Can I now live forever? :p

As a nation it would give you a massive advantage against invaders though.

Maybe they had sent the crystal balls back for service that century?
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
37
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Well, maybe in some scenarios. For instance, you somehow know you are going to die in a vehicular accident today, so you wisely stay at home all day.

Of course, you then perish under the wheels of an out of control bread truck that leaves the road and comes crashing through your living room.

Okay, I give up. :p

Isn't that the plot to a series of B horror movies that somehow made it to the big screen?
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
37
91
The ability to predict the future does not imply the capability to avoid it. I.E. I predict I will die some day. Can I now live forever? :p

It does however enable you to be wealthy.


Even if you could see 20 seconds ahead you would clean up at a roulette table....
 

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
12,043
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You only hear about their successes, I bet they've had way more failed predictions than actualized ones. :cool:

good point if I predict a solar and lunar eclipse everyday then I'm sure to get them all.

I don't see them setting up their calender to end during a specific event. That's just not a logical way to make a calendar. Though our calender is screwed since they didn't want to have 13 months (we could have had 28 day months/lunar months), so maybe logic isn't the prime driver.
 

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
12,043
1,136
126
The ability to predict the future does not imply the capability to avoid it. I.E. I predict I will die some day. Can I now live forever? :p

No but you can kill yourself today to avoid dying in the future.
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
73,189
34,518
136
I think you misunderstood me. I was asking about the language, not about mathematics. How did the Mayans or the ancient Egyptians specify the location of a given object. Did they use sentences with north ,east, west or south to point a direction of an object. A sort of absolute system or did they use an egocentric system, a more or less relative system : For example : "1 meter to the left of me is a pen."

Because it would make sense to use the cardinal direction system only if everybody has the same automatic sense of direction. I am beginning to wonder that that might be much easier to do around the equator than closer to the north or south pole. If that may be because of cryptochrome in the eyes or the ethmoid bone filled with magnetite work better as a sense around the equator remains of course to be seen. But it sure is interesting.
What you've just described are Eularian (reference system tied to some fixed background: north/south/east/west) and LaGrangian (self referenced systems: left/right/forward/backward) systems.