Month: December 2020

The Magna Carta: Still kicking arse after 805 years

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn History

I want to talk about the Magna Carta. Why? Because when I told my wife what I was going to write about, she asked if the Magna Carta was a Harry Potter spell. No, it’s not.

So…what is the Magna Carta? It’s one of the famous and most important documents in the world. However to me, and only to me; it’s an amazing piece of legislation that is still relevant in 2020, as it was when it was created in 1215. 1 To understand what the Magna Carta aka the Great Charter, truly is and it’s importance, we need to jump inside our TARDIS and travel back to the High Middle Ages; in particular, England.

So, let’s set the scene shall we? At that time, different countries around the world were using the feudal system. Feudalism was a way that land ownership and duties were administered and exchanged. For an example, in England, the king would own all of the land in the kingdom. Now, owning all of the land sounds great…but it’s not really practical. I meant being the landlord of the country; think of the paperwork!

Because of this, the king would parcel out land to lords, barons and nobles in exchange for service and soldiers. These lords would be called vassals, which they in turn would parcel out smaller sections of land to lesser lords, local lords and to the peasants.

Now King John was the ruler of England in 1215 and he wasn’t exactly popular. Because of this, he is remembered as being one of the worst kings in English history. He had been king for 16 years and in that time, he had lost various wars with France; gained an annulment for his first marriage; was accused of murdering his own nephew; starved 22 knights to death; implemented heavy taxes to fund his foreign wars; excommunicated by the Church and sleeping with some of the wives and children of his barons. Also he was supposedly an enemy, of one green cladded archer that lived in Nottingham Forest. 2

Anyway, the barons and lords of England were very tired of his shenanigans. If they refused to pay the taxes, King John would confiscate their properties or punish them severely. They needed to stop the never ending and increasing taxes, so they could avoid losing their lands.

The barons wanted everybody in the kingdom to obey the laws of the land. To them, nobody was above the law, not even the king. Because of this, the barons; led by Robert Fitzwalter in 1213, took their concerns to Stephen Langton, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

After a meeting with the barons aka the rebels, 3 Langton went to see King John, to remind of the Charter of Liberties. This was a set of rules, laid down by Henry I in 1100, for a king to be bound by, to safeguard certain rights for their subjects. Langton wanted King John to honour that charter, but in a surprise to nobody, King John did not share the same ideas as the Archbishop or the rebels.

WASHINGTON – MARCH 03: A copy of a 1297 version of Magna Carta is on display during a press viewing at the National Archives March 3, 2008 in Washington, DC.

Photo by Alex Wong via UK Human Rights Blog

King John looked to Pope Innocent III for support and protection from the rebels and their allies. However, after two years of negotiating and stalling, the rebels were sick of the situation; they decided to create a solution. In May 1215, the rebels met, broke their allegiances to the king and started a military campaign against him. They captured London in the same month, which forced King John back to the negotiating table.

On 10th June 1215, King John met with the barons at Runnymeade, to discuss reforms and they did this with a document. After some editing and discussions, the Great Charter was signed on 15th June 1215, by King John, the barons and various other people. 4

Magna Carta has been annulled, reinstated and had many revisions over the years, but what is so special about it? I mean, it was created over 800 years ago, how is it relevant to governments and their citizens in 2020? The answer is all about legacy.

There are many clauses in Magna Carta, but the two most famous ones are about liberty and rights:

“No free man shall be seized, imprisoned, dispossessed, outlawed, exiled or ruined in any way, nor in any way proceeded against, except by the lawful judgement of his peers and the law of the land.

“To no one will we sell, to no one will we deny or delay right or justice.”

This is profound because of the changes Magna Carta would bring, not just to England, but to the world, throughout the centuries. The Great Charter helped in creating the first Parliament of England; it was used in creating the Petition of Rights in 1628, to challenge King Charles I and was used at his trial; the United States of America’s Declaration of Independence of 1776, was based on Magna Carta; it led a movement in England for all men to have the vote, which in turn became a movement for women to have the vote, years later.

The importance of Magna Carta had also gained strength internationally, because subjects of the British Empire, began to demand the same rights granted to British citizens, under Magna Carta; many leaders around the world, fighting for freedom, were citing Magna Carta for their rights; and 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was created, based on Magna Carta, to promote the rights of people all over the world.

Over the years, Magna Carta has become a beacon for justice, liberty, freedom and rights the world over. Not bad for a document that is 805 years old. Though to be fair to Magna Carta, the world and Judge Dredd, the greatest piece of legacy the Great Charter has given us is quite simply this: That everybody must obey the law and that nobody is above the law; not even a king.

Thanks for reading and see you in a fortnight!

1 I’m not an expert, but I think Judge Dredd would have approved of the Magna Carta.

2 Does the name Robin Hood ring any bells?

3 The answer is no. The rebels did not have X-Wings nor did King John have a Death Star.

4 Even though King John did sign the charter, he actually didn’t believe in it or follow it.

Bruce Wayne and Peter Parker paid for my wedding

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Comics

I want to talk about comic books. This is because I’m a comic book fan, so I’m also a reader and collector. It’s funny, because I have a hard time remembering when comic books were not part of my life. For some reason, I had a large cardboard box filled with comics, underneath my bed, when I was young. Where the comics actually came from, I have no idea.

Maybe they came from older cousins; maybe they were donated from family friends; or maybe my future self, travelled backwards through time and placed them there, in order to maintain a linear timeline. 1

Before I ramble on any more about comics, I need to clarify something. When I am talking about comics, I am not just discussing superhero comics, but comic books of any and all genres. 2

Great, let’s crack on then.

Let’s talk about the stigma that comes with comics, especially with adults. What I mean is, why would a grown adult choose to read literature that has hand drawn pictures to guide the reader through its narrative? Why bother reading about something that is like a child’s fantasy, as well as looking at female characters whose physical dimensions are grossly exaggerated? Why read something that is obviously designed for children and the illiterate, along with people that are not intelligent enough to read a real book? Or something like comics appealing to people with poor social skills, unable to grow up or face reality? 3

Harsh words I know, but I have heard similar and even worse than this about people that like comics. Sometimes directed at me and sometimes directed at comic fans in general. Because of this, it’s amazing what time and self-confidence can do to someone.

I think maybe for nearly twenty years, I was ashamed and embarrassed for people to learn that I read and collected comics. Nearly twenty years. I think I was afraid of what people would think of me; however now…it doesn’t bother me. If someone wants to think less of me, because I read comics, then I can’t help that.

Over the years, I had collected hundreds of comic books and I was running out of room. So I decided to start selling some online via Trade Me; it’s basically the number one website in New Zealand, for buying and selling anything! Anyway, after eight years of selling second hand comics part-time, had provided me with a small fund.

The problem was that I was saving that money for something special, but I didn’t know what. Enter the solution; my fiancée. I got engaged and suddenly I had an expensive wedding to pay for, but with no money…except my secret comic book selling fund. In a nutshell, Bruce Wayne, Peter Parker and all of the other uncountable comic book characters, paid for my wedding.

Sorry, I got side tracked. Over the years, my taste in comics has changed, because of the different genres that are available. You can read horror, romance, superheroes, thriller, crime noir, fantasy, all ages, foreign, science fiction, drama, humour, mystery, politics, non-fiction, supernatural, teen, war and western; to name a few. There is seriously a comic book for everybody.

Image by lisistent from Pixabay

So…why do I read and collect comics? That is an interesting question, to which I’m not entirely sure. 4 I think a lot of it is linked to comics themselves and also the messages they give. I love the marriage of what literature and art can do in a comic book. Whether it’s spaceships and alien worlds or a zombie apocalypse or good old cape story, having the narrative unfold with mind blowing art, solidifies how profound the medium can be.

Imagine Judge Dredd cruising around on his Lawmaster 5; or Spider-Man swinging around New York; or Wonder Woman head butting Ares the God of War; or Michonne killing her 23rd zombie for that issue; WITHOUT the artwork. The cultural and visual impact would not be the same, because how I would think the Phantom’s costume would look like, could be different to your version.

Also please name another medium, where each week or month, your favourite characters return to continue their adventures. Each issue is like a chapter in a book, but instead of waiting to turn the page to see what happens next, you have to wait for the next issue to be released. Being a comic book fan teaches you to be patient. 6

Now I am going to get a bit predictable here, I’m sorry. I want to discuss the messages and themes comics carry and the importance of them. It sounds geeky and corny, but comics have taught me things, I really don’t if I would ever learn anywhere else.

Peter Parker taught me about having great power, comes great responsibility. Clark Kent taught me that I’m stronger than I think. Mar-Vell taught me that everybody has the capability to change. Charles Xavier taught me about tolerance. Al Simmons and Daniel Ketch taught me to say no to the devil, while Anung Un Rama taught me that my destiny is my own. And Bruce Wayne…well he taught me to never give up.

There are so many comic book characters that I feel have left nuggets of wisdom for me to follow and absorb into my own philosophy. From the Fantastic Four (don’t show off to your girlfriend and her little brother) to Green Lantern (you’re never alone) to Invincible (family is forever) to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (the proper way to dispose of chemical waste) to Wonder Woman (it’s ok to be a paradox).

Though there is a group of characters that have given me one of the best lessons: supervillains. They have taught me that it doesn’t matter if you get knocked down for the 1st time or the 1,000th; if you stay down for 1 minute or 10 years; pick yourself up and try and try and try again. 

I try to teach some of these messages to my UMCs, because I want them to believe in themselves and in the future, so if they are ever in a relationship with someone that likes Sour Cream and Chives, they will have the strength to be tolerant.

Basically the takeaway message is this: be curious and brave and go to your local library; or even better, visit your local comic book store and start your journey into the wormhole of comics. Your future self will thank you for it!

Now I know there are many things wrong with the comic book industry, but there are so many things right with it. Yes, I kind of feel like a walking, talking comic book encyclopedia; but I love comic books. I always have and I always will.

Thanks for reading and see you in a fortnight!

1 In my humble opinion, linear time travel is the one that rules them all. 

2 To be fair, superhero comics were my gateway drug.

3 I’m playing Devil’s Advocate here, I don’t believe in any of that.

4 What kind of idiot asks himself a question that he can’t answer?

5 Drokk!

6 Let’s not mention titles on hiatus. I’m looking at you, Saga. I’m 100% looking at you.

Science, Science, wherefore art thou Science?

On By somegeektoldme@gmail.comIn Science

I want to talk about science. Why? I think science is cool; well, at least to someone like me it is. It’s something that I love learning about, because it can answer a lot of my questions, along with things that I had never thought of or imagined. 1

Alright, let us begin, shall we? Science. From the Sodium-Potassium pump to the strong nuclear force to plate tectonics to magnetars to hereditary genetics to the periodic table 2, I love it. From Darwin to Hawking to Easley to Faraday to Ibn Al-Nafis to Curie, I love them.

Now I’m not as smart as any of the people on this list, to actually create the science that we learn about. I’m just smart enough to remember some of the details. That’s it. These people have inspired me with their discoveries and their positive impact on the world is massive. 

Take the field of astronomy and astrophysics, which are two of my oldest loves. Having different people from all over the world research stars, comets, planets, quasars and everything else, is quite frankly, completely amazing and humbling at the same time.

An example of this was in April 2019, when the Event Horizon Telescope project released the very first image of a black hole. 3 To me, reading about the project; watching the video clips; and staring at the image; I was left with one word. Wow.

I know it was debatable whether an image could be taken of a cosmic object that had a gravity well so demonstrably strong, that not even light could escape it. However, as Sheperd Doeleman of Harvard University and Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said “We have seen what we thought was unseeable.” If that is not an example of “Impossible is nothing”, then nothing is.

Having people dedicating their lives to mapping the human genome, creating weather models, studying planetary magnetic fields, understanding isolated ecosystems; and then revealing that information to the world is amazing. Because of this, I’m reminded of Sir Isaac Newton quote, when he said in 1675 “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

We are currently living in the Contemporary History time period. Never before in the history of life on this planet, has the sheer amount of information and knowledge about everything, has been so accessible to the population of our species; regardless of age, gender, class, job or favourite snack flavour.

Image by Arek Socha from Pixabay

In my humble and geeky opinion, this is truly astounding, because we can learn about centuries worth of scientific content; as well as new discoveries as they unfold. Seriously, you can learn about time dilation, while you eat your breakfast; covalent, polar and ionic bonds while riding public transportation; or the difference between igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, while distracting yourself from your neighbours’ out of control party. Seriously, is that not cool? Well, you not being invited to the party is not cool, but…you know.

Another thing that is important to me is that details matter. Facts matter. Misinformation and disinformation about Science seems to be on the rise, which to me, is just insane. By this I mean take COVID-19.

Scientists are promoting social distancing, self-isolation, hand washing and mask wearing, to limit the spread of the virus. However, it seems that in too many countries around the world, these scientists are slowly getting dragged into political arguments.

It gets worse, because some people believe that (all) scientists are part of different deep state or conspiracy groups, hell bent on controlling or brain washing us. So science and scientists can never be trusted.

Because of this, some people in our society are under the impression that science is a religion or at least, it’s some form of cult, where you need to worship scientists as gods and perform crazy ass rituals. Therefore, they must be “devil worshipping, god hating zealots.” I find this interesting, because in 19th century New Zealand, a lot of the scientists of that time, were also clergymen.

Science is not a religion. Religion deals with belief systems that govern our actions, based on those beliefs. They are about how we should treat ourselves and each other. 4 To me, science is simply about understanding the world around us through observations and experiments.

So if you ever are curious about something scientific about our world or if someone else asks you a scientific question and you don’t know the answer; don’t panic (unless you forgot your towel). Be brave and make the time to search for the answer, but be careful: you may fall into a rabbit hole of information and you might learn something.

I believe that having more adults that are scientifically literate in society, means we have more informed adults. 5 By having more informed adults, means they can make better choices about themselves and the world. Like saying yes to vaccinations and saying no to climate change and Sour Cream and Chives.

Thanks for reading and see you in a fortnight!

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

1 Basically questions related to super powered individuals.

2 I was reading a book about helium and I couldn’t put it down.

3 I like to call them “beautiful nightmares.”

4 Notwithstanding the law, of course. Somewhere Judge Dredd is silently agreeing.

5 Birds are a special kind of dinosaurs. Accept it.