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If you can't jump through all the hoops it takes to get in or don't have the 8 craptons of money that it costs to go, you can attend online for free. There's no degree to be earned, but the information is a major value in and of itself.

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Ooooo thats awesome! I want to check that out. Thanks for sharing! Have you taken anything yet?

Goldilocks wrote:

Ooooo thats awesome! I want to check that out. Thanks for sharing! Have you taken anything yet?

I got my Masters at MIT (In 1996). One of my favorite professors is in the videos for Introduction to Programming. (He gave us candy for correct answers.) I do enjoy watching the lectures for classes that weren't in my degree program. Especially History stuff.

Oh wow, I didn't know that. You must be a smart guy What sort of history do you like?

Goldilocks wrote:

Oh wow, I didn't know that. You must be a smart guy What sort of history do you like?

I'm fascinated with royal courts. I read alot of stuff on the subject. Life in the court is treacherous and crazy. In the 1800s, in the court of the Sultan of Darfur, everyone had to do whatever the Sultan was doing. It went so far, that if the Sultan twisted his ankle and had a limp, all the courtiers had to limp as well. The royal court structure is very much alive in the modern business environment and it pays to know everything you can about being a good courtier.

I've never read much about Middle Eastern courts, that's pretty crazy!

I agree, nothing really changes, things just get somewhat rearranged. There are certainly a lot of parallels between today's business world and royal courts, interpersonal connections being often more important than numbers on paper. So, would that make Donald Trump the king?

Wait, no, more likely George Soros...

Trump and Soros are monarchs in their courts. Any rich, powerful person takes that role in his or her environment. I think if I had to pick my position in the court, I would pick the King's Hand. You do all his dirty work, wield his authority, and when the crap hits the fan they go after him and not you.

Clever, be the man behind the scenes. I wonder what position I would have been good at. Women could do lots of interesting things at court. Dangerous though

Goldilocks wrote:

Clever, be the man behind the scenes. I wonder what position I would have been good at. Women could do lots of interesting things at court. Dangerous though

Empress Wu started out as a concubine and eventually ran China for an extended and fruitful period. Of course she ruthlessly murdered anyone who got in her way, including her own baby to set up the previous Empress for the murder. Empress Wu made the hard decisions.

Happy now, occupy? You got your free college education, so f**k off now, please...

What? I asked nicely for them to f**k off

Leviathan wrote:

Happy now, occupy? You got your free college education, so f**k off now, please...

What? I asked nicely for them to f**k off

Nice always helps. I've learned more from other coders on the internet than I learned in 6 years of college. They don't teach you the good stuff in college. But, what about Death To Oppression? (or whatever the hell it is that they were asking for.) And Free Samy!!! (I don't think he's in jail again yet, but if he is free him.)

The Jinn wrote:

Goldilocks wrote:

Clever, be the man behind the scenes. I wonder what position I would have been good at. Women could do lots of interesting things at court. Dangerous though

Empress Wu started out as a concubine and eventually ran China for an extended and fruitful period. Of course she ruthlessly murdered anyone who got in her way, including her own baby to set up the previous Empress for the murder. Empress Wu made the hard decisions.

Wow... yeah I"m not ruthless. And in social situations, mostly go unnoticed entirely. I'm good at keeping secrets though

Goldilocks wrote:

The Jinn wrote:

Goldilocks wrote:

Clever, be the man behind the scenes. I wonder what position I would have been good at. Women could do lots of interesting things at court. Dangerous though

Empress Wu started out as a concubine and eventually ran China for an extended and fruitful period. Of course she ruthlessly murdered anyone who got in her way, including her own baby to set up the previous Empress for the murder. Empress Wu made the hard decisions.

Wow... yeah I"m not ruthless. And in social situations, mostly go unnoticed entirely. I'm good at keeping secrets though

That's a good start for a royal court.

That seems like quite a niche interest. I've always found anything related to nobles/royalty/rich people to be ludicrously mundane and/or depressing to me.


My historical interests are in the history of arms and armor, particularly swords and the process of crafting them. I don't have a preference in time period or region of the world.

Double Helix wrote:

That seems like quite a niche interest. I've always found anything related to nobles/royalty/rich people to be ludicrously mundane and/or depressing to me.


My historical interests are in the history of arms and armor, particularly swords and the process of crafting them. I don't have a preference in time period or region of the world.

I love the dramas associated with being in the royal court during savage times. The court of Henry The Eighth was a good example of that. Thomas Cromwell and Ann Boleyn HATED each other and the chaos that erupted from their rivalry is the stuff of legends. Thomas won and Ann was executed, but he got his later.

The court of Henry VIII is one I've read about somewhat, and that was before "The Other Boleyn Girl" came out, haha. Definitely a dangerous place to be. That's what I meant by it being dangerous to be a woman at court. Your position was mostly used by men to further their own.

Goldilocks wrote:

The court of Henry VIII is one I've read about somewhat, and that was before "The Other Boleyn Girl" came out, haha. Definitely a dangerous place to be. That's what I meant by it being dangerous to be a woman at court. Your position was mostly used by men to further their own.

Yeah in that time and place a woman had to be as nasty as the men around her and had to do away with them before they did away with her.

Nifty. Thanks for the link.

Gadgetastic! wrote:

Nifty. Thanks for the link.

Spreading knowledge is my mission in life. Anytime brother.

The Jinn wrote:

Goldilocks wrote:

The court of Henry VIII is one I've read about somewhat, and that was before "The Other Boleyn Girl" came out, haha. Definitely a dangerous place to be. That's what I meant by it being dangerous to be a woman at court. Your position was mostly used by men to further their own.

Yeah in that time and place a woman had to be as nasty as the men around her and had to do away with them before they did away with her.

I probably would have had too many morals and virtues to survive there. I'd be better off in the country, it's probably what I would have chosen had I lived back then... assuming I had the option of either, haha.

Goldilocks wrote:

The Jinn wrote:

Goldilocks wrote:

The court of Henry VIII is one I've read about somewhat, and that was before "The Other Boleyn Girl" came out, haha. Definitely a dangerous place to be. That's what I meant by it being dangerous to be a woman at court. Your position was mostly used by men to further their own.

Yeah in that time and place a woman had to be as nasty as the men around her and had to do away with them before they did away with her.

I probably would have had too many morals and virtues to survive there. I'd be better off in the country, it's probably what I would have chosen had I lived back then... assuming I had the option of either, haha.

Anyone raised in the court was raised to be vicious...yet very polite.

I will second Jinn's statement, the Intro to Comp Sci class is well done, as is Physics by Walter Lewin and Solid State Chemistry. Also, Stanford, UC Berkley, Ohio State and others have great free lecture series on iTunes as well.

Wow i didn't realize so many schools had those. I'll have to check into those after the first of the year, when my brain is less overwhelmed with holiday plans.

I have very little desire to return to school in a ... tuition paying, textbook buying capacity, but every desire to keep learning.

Browse on iTunes in the little known section called 'iTunes University". Great programs on thousands of topics from reputable schools.