As for books in the 1700's over 60% of women were not literate so if one happened on one of the books it couldn't be read - but the illustrations would have been interesting to them.
I think that many of the poor lived in habitations where they all slept in one, unlit, room where they would get hints about sex from childhood.
Interesting, but I had expected to see a comparison of generating DC voltages using tubes, which were used in my university Electronics course, with solid state. In those days to generate a DC voltage from another DC voltage required generating an AC voltage from the DC and then rectifying it.
I bought Corelle about 15 years ago and none have broken - I suspect it's because none have ever been dropped. I glad to hear that when one does drop on the hard floor it might survive.
Technical achievements are impressive but who needs another 2 cycle engine. Yesterday I read that one two cycle engine (for a car or motorcycle, I think) puts out as much pollution as 40 modern 4 cycle engines.
This was made in the guys basement with some lengths of pipe, a cheap lathe, and a MIG welder. He ran it for a total of a few minutes.
The impressive part is that he made it in his basement with scrap pipe, not that it's supposed to be some kind of advancement in engine technology. It's just supposed to show that people out there still have the DIY spirit in them.
A few decades ago I needed proof of my military service, US Navy last duty in Vietnam, and was astounded to find that they had been in that St. Louis fire but I did get a copy of my DD 214 so not all was lost. I'd still like to get my records.
McNamara cut his teeth on real world problems in the AAF's Office of Statistics and worked with General Curtis LaMay to plan how best to use the B29 bombers. He became an expert with statistics and other math tools and thought they could be widely applied to business and, of course, war. Once he had these marvelous tools he found nails everywhere.
For instance the rate of German tank production was accurately estimated by collecting the serial numbers of all the tanks (and some tank components) that were knocked out. Best methods of attacking submarines was worked out this way as well as well as where to place armor in bombers, etc.
> Once he had these marvelous tools he found nails everywhere.
He also found two presidents and a sycophantic media that hung on his every word.
His figures were excellent. In the earliest days of Vietnam, long before anyone outside of Asia could find it on a map, he produced eerily precise predictions of the costs -- in lives, dollars and time -- of the future conflict. He told them what a civil war in the jungle would look like and they pulled the trigger.
As far as the value of measurement goes; I think most of the low hanging fruit has been picked (a consequence of the "Information Age") and what we struggle to 'measure' today is far less tractable. As a result our measurements are frequently corrupted in the service of prevailing agendas or not permitted at all for fear of undesirable results.
It should be remembered that McNamara cut his teeth working for the office of statistics with Curtis LeMay in the use of B29 aircraft. He was proud that he was part of a larger effort using statistics and other math that helped to win the war and, with that hammer, most everything could be a nail.
I was in Vietnam in a Naval Support Group. I had conversations with army officers that had combat experience and learned that since no statistics were collected about dead civilians all the dead were counted as enemy soldiers - and everyone from the top down knew it.
I think that many of the poor lived in habitations where they all slept in one, unlit, room where they would get hints about sex from childhood.