We've gone far

Tomorrow marks the apex of scientific studies when the Hadron Collider recreates the Big Bang. Who knows the world will not exist anymore after tomorrow. We're talking about black holes here, who knows right? If not, I hope aliens who read this post will know what happened to us.

Which makes me think we've gone far in science and technology from the time when the solution to stop an infection for example, is to cut off the limb! And did I say without anesthetics?!

This evening I went for a walking tour of London's history which made me think again that we've also gone far in our mindset, culture, believes and ideals of life.

History makes me appreciate of what I have today.

I took some notes of the tour and thought of sharing them about what I've learnt from it:

1. If you're a university graduate in the 16th century, the maximum punishment for killing someone is imprisonment for four months! You'd think education is the license to kill! It very well was!

2. Long time ago, when the internet was not around, people get their latest information by looking at the flags. To see a play for example, the theatres will fly different colour flags. Black is dark play and red is romantic. I've forgotten about comedy. Likewise, if the King or Queen is in residence, they fly a different flag too. If the flag is high enough, it's just like the fastest broadband in the world, you get to know the information in no time! Now you know why there are so many flagpoles in the UK!

3. The idea of recycling started in Britain two hundred years ago when people started scouring the River Thames to look for dead bodies and sell them for money! The hair is used to make wig, clothes sold as used clothings, and body to doctors to do experiments. It was a flourishing trade, which brings me back to think that point no.1 makes sense now! People can make a killing with this...err, quite literally!

4. In the 16th century when someone goes to a play, no one queues to buy admission tickets. Everyone will put money into a box when it is passed around the audience (People were more honest then). The collection would then be stored in a secured place called the box office. That is why the place where we buy tickets to see a play today is called the Box Office. You can't find this in Wikipedia or Google!

5. London Bridge has fallen twice! 1832 and 1960. The one in 1960 was brought down because it was not designed to take vehicle loadings. Hence the third bridge we see today. Shouldn't kids now sing: "London Bridge has fallen down, fallen down and falling down"? Touch wood for the third one!

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I've also learnt that one thing has crystallised with time: Prostitution - the oldest profession in the world!

Have you learnt something?