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We take ourselves way too seriously, at times; and think we have things under control...

 

Layouts, trains... whatever,  we think we're precise; until, you remember that we're living on a spinning blob, that's skewed... tilted 23 degrees. Sort of sobering to think about; and, kinda hard to get worked up about things being precise, when your footing's...

 

Good enough seems to make sense, for some reason.

 

 

Rick

 

 

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If the 23 degree tilt was caused by a significant random collision, during the universe's formative years... like some have speculated; then, not only are we living on top of a lopsided sphere(that's pretty Dr Seuss-like in itself) we're also spinning at a pleasant 1670 kilometers/hr(1070 miles/hr) 24 hours a day.

 

None of us has too much influence/say in these matters... it's just how things are. Kind of puts the T in trivial, re: our human concerns...

 

I don't think we're built to accept... it is what it is, though; a sobering thought, though, helps put things in perspective.

 

 

Rick

 

 

 

 

I'm as guilty as anyone, at times, of being too precise conscious... A while ago, I actually lost some of my enthusiasm for my trains, because of what I saw as some of their failings, re: prototypical accuracy etc. I have an excellent collection that for a period of time, I couldn't see... I was too focused on what they didn't have.

 

I was headed for more of a 2-rail type product, because of it's slightly better accuracy, but I found shortcomings there, too.

 

These days, I'm rediscovering the enjoyment I used to get from my the current collection; moving pilots and all...

 

I'm glad!

 

 

Rick

 

 

BTW,

 

I'm just finishing up sprucing up my bathroom; and I, recently, bought a few decorative pieces, including a 9" tall globe; to display(I've always liked the look of globes).

 

Nah, well maybe... might have provided some inspiration for this thread.

 

I just got off the phone with my train dealer, I ordered a new Premier 3.0 UP SD70ACe with moving pilots(the hi-rail model); been wanting one of those wearing UP paint(I already have a few ACe's, but in different liveries) for a long time.

 

 

Rick

Originally Posted by Rick B.:

If the 23 degree tilt was caused by a significant random collision, during the universe's formative years... like some have speculated; then, not only are we living on top of a lopsided sphere(that's pretty Dr Seuss-like in itself) we're also spinning at a pleasant 1670 kilometers/hr(1070 miles/hr) 24 hours a day.

 

None of us has too much influence/say in these matters... it's just how things are. Kind of puts the T in trivial, re: our human concerns...

 

I don't think we're built to accept... it is what it is, though; a sobering thought, though, helps put things in perspective.

 

 

Rick

 

 

All of the above, plus the fact that we are also spinning around the sun, which has its own problems regarding staying in one place, all explains why I can never find anything as the place where I left it is thousands of miles away from where I'm now looking for it! 

 

 

 

Originally Posted by Texas Pete:

I simply readjust the universe so the tilt is 0° and all is well.

 

Pete

I'm with you, Pete!

 

One of my favorite books from my working years was A Whack on the Side of the Head, by Roger von Oech.  It was a stimulus on how you can be more creative, break out of stale thinking.  One of the processes he encouraged was to 'Think like a Fool!'.

 

In many early civilizations there was an individual who played 'The Fool' to kings, pharaohs, emperors, chiefs, etc..  Not at all like the brainless twits we now regard as 'fools', these individuals were extremely intelligent and played a vital role in challenging their master to think differently about things...lest he fall prey to 'groupthink', accepting what everyone else considered 'the norm', the 'correct answer', conformity, etc....all potentially dangerous when faced with some of the heavier problems of their day.

 

Roger's example of how a fool might counsel someone to reverse standard assumption...

'If a man is sitting on a horse facing the rear, why do we assume that it is the man who is backwards and not the horse?'.

 

Which is how you and I might view the orientation of this rock's axis!?!

 

KD

 

P.S.  "The nail that sticks up will be pounded down."   ....Japanese Proverb

(also from Roger's book)

 

Watch out for that hammer!

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