http://tspwiki.com/index.php?title=1602
Here are some one liners...
Shakespeare Gets All the Babes (No Kidding) -- A young lady admirer invites Burbage to meet her, but she insists that he dress in costume. Shakespeare hears of the plan and shows up in costume himself. She was just fine with the substitution.
Dutch Ships Ramming Spanish Galleys and Pictures from Vietnam -- This picture of a sea battle of 1602 is breathtaking. It reminded me of the differences between a picture then and pictures of Vietnam. Two wars with two very different reactions to the pictures.
The Ethics of the Boomtown: 'Everyone Does It' -- Silver mining is accompanied by organized crime. I talk about the founding of Bank of America. No connection. Really. None at all. Hey! Stop laughing!
Shakespeare Gets All the Babes (No Kidding)
Actors are real celebrities and when their show comes to town the babes just love it. Not only do the major actors get more money, they also get more admirers. A young woman is enamored with James Burbage and his portrayal of Richard the 3rd. She asks him to drop by in full costume so that she can review his performance.... personally. (I'm not kidding.) William Shakespeare happens to hear this young woman's request, dresses up as Richard the 3rd himself and shows up at her place a little early. When Burbage arrives and sends a message that "Richard the 3rd is at the door", Shakespeare sends a message back... "William the Conqueror is before Richard the 3rd." (It's a joke based on the linage of Kings and if I have to explain it more, it ruins the whole thing.) [1]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
This story has been told over and over again. You can understand why but something is odd here. Burbage was the man who built "The Theatre," yet Shakespeare was bird-dogging his chicks. That could only mean that they believed they were equals. (Burbage was not starving for admiring women so I doubt he cared.) But Shakespeare seemed to have more money than could be accounted for from his acting and writing. Some historians suggest that his father was engaged in the illegal sale of wool. Was his father smuggling wool across the Channel to avoid the export duties? That would be like someone buying cigarettes in a low-tax state and selling them in a high-tax state like New York. It is simple to make a lot of money that way but if you are caught the consequences could be deadly. Eric Garner died while in a police choke hold... deadly force for failure to pay the taxes on his cigarettes. [2] [3]
This story has been told over and over again. You can understand why but something is odd here. Burbage was the man who built "The Theatre," yet Shakespeare was bird-dogging his chicks. That could only mean that they believed they were equals. (Burbage was not starving for admiring women so I doubt he cared.) But Shakespeare seemed to have more money than could be accounted for from his acting and writing. Some historians suggest that his father was engaged in the illegal sale of wool. Was his father smuggling wool across the Channel to avoid the export duties? That would be like someone buying cigarettes in a low-tax state and selling them in a high-tax state like New York. It is simple to make a lot of money that way but if you are caught the consequences could be deadly. Eric Garner died while in a police choke hold... deadly force for failure to pay the taxes on his cigarettes. [2] [3]
Dutch Ships Ramming Spanish Galleys and Pictures from Vietnam
Muskets at the ready. Sails unfurled. Wind from the stern, quarter full. The Spanish galley grinds under the keel of the Dutch three-master and breaks in two. The men chained to their oars slip below the water. Blood, bone and cries of despair. The Spanish reinforcements are engaged before they can reach the English coast. Fifteen years from now the artist, Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, and his son, Cornells, will paint this battle in oil on canvas. It is the first time that a battle at sea will feel so personal. The Dutch ship seems on a collision course with the viewer. It takes the breath away. [4] [5]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
This is one magnificent picture of an event that really occurred in 1602. The 17th century was a violent place. They knew that only too well and artists could capture those feelings of triumph and ruin. During the War in Vietnam we thought that it was the pictures coming back of the violence of war that caused us to lose heart, but that can't be true. Our hearts were already lost. The pictures just confirmed it.
This is one magnificent picture of an event that really occurred in 1602. The 17th century was a violent place. They knew that only too well and artists could capture those feelings of triumph and ruin. During the War in Vietnam we thought that it was the pictures coming back of the violence of war that caused us to lose heart, but that can't be true. Our hearts were already lost. The pictures just confirmed it.
The Ethics of the Boomtown: 'Everyone Does It'
Here comes organized crime. The Basque work about three-fourths of the silver mines in what is present day Bolivia and they lean real hard on everyone else: "That's a mighty fine silver mine you have there. It would be ashamed if something happened to it." And mining is taxed. Tax collectors are making a tremendous amount of money for their "tax help." Those who play along get ahead. Those who don't, get dead. Let's work this out: "Dead" verses "Rich." It is boomtown ethics and prices are insane. A single fish can cost 5,000 pesos or $64,450 in modern dollars. This year two Basque crime bosses duel for territory. Exactly what happened is still in dispute because, according to official records, one of these men doesn't exist, but during the fight Vasco "the Basque" is wounded and Pedro de Montejo dies of a stab wound to the chest. After that, it turns into a major gang fight. The governor sends troops to restore order but this is typical behavior in the richest city in the New World. [6] [7]
My Take by Alex Shrugged
Conditions unique to a boomtown ensure than a significant number of people will be ethically challenged. If a guy needs $60,000 to buy a meal, he will consider doing things he never would have considered before. Is he doing something wrong? Good question. Lots of things we consider wrong today were once perfectly fine or at least tolerable. In 1904, Amadeo Giannini founded the Bank of Italy (now Bank of America). He bought a safe, collected small deposits from his fellow Italian immigrants and kept the money at home until he finally rented a building. If I tried that today, I would be arrested. In the past if we wanted justice we had to hire a private company or gather friends (also known as a mob) to capture the accused and wait for a circuit judge to show up ... or maybe NOT wait. We want to help the poor, preserve our health and protect our community. That hasn't changed. What changes over time are the ways our community thinks is the best way to accomplish those goals. [8]
Conditions unique to a boomtown ensure than a significant number of people will be ethically challenged. If a guy needs $60,000 to buy a meal, he will consider doing things he never would have considered before. Is he doing something wrong? Good question. Lots of things we consider wrong today were once perfectly fine or at least tolerable. In 1904, Amadeo Giannini founded the Bank of Italy (now Bank of America). He bought a safe, collected small deposits from his fellow Italian immigrants and kept the money at home until he finally rented a building. If I tried that today, I would be arrested. In the past if we wanted justice we had to hire a private company or gather friends (also known as a mob) to capture the accused and wait for a circuit judge to show up ... or maybe NOT wait. We want to help the poor, preserve our health and protect our community. That hasn't changed. What changes over time are the ways our community thinks is the best way to accomplish those goals. [8]
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