Roslin Chapel and other matters

[Daniel Harms <dmharms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Just got back in town, and thought I'd comment on the controversy.

Mr. Lund writes:
>Silly me, I thought it was a group of people dedicated to challenging
>known pre-conceptions and trying to figure things out! If only I had
>known it was filled with snobs dedicated to burying their heads in the
>sand!

Let me see if I understand.  The first person, with no training in 
medieval iconography, states that Roslin Chapel has depictions of 
New World plants inside because he read it in a book, or the Web.
The second person, with training in medieval iconography and an 
intimate familiarity with Roslin Chapel, states that this isn't the case.  
This second person is then called a snob with his head in the sand,
and compared to a flat earther.

I find this democratic sentiment appealing, and offer my services to 
this list as a mechanic.  I've opened the hood of my car a few times, and 
know exactly how not to jump a battery, so I should be highly qualified.

I think the list does welcome new viewpoints and considerations on 
the Voynich manuscript and its contents.  Yet I think it is the presenter's
job to undertake a little work to place their ideas within a proper context.  
Uninformed commentary on politics is the birthright of every citizen,
but on other subjects, it's fair to ask for some familiarity with a topic.

Do the members of this list seem cautious?  Take a look at the history
of the Manuscript's decipherment.  It's a tale of bright, knowledgeable 
people - even experts in their chosen field - who become obsessed with 
their own ideas, present a flawed explanation that is taken apart quickly,
and confuse researchers and readers for years to come.  Within this 
atmosphere, I think they have a right to proceed carefully.

With regard to Big Jim's solution - I notice he hasn't taken me up on my
challenge to identify the plant labels.  And from a look at his page, I notice
he's now "decoding" his texts by rearranging the letters therein.  My
Newbold parallel is looking better and better.

Oh.  And I can change windshield wiper fluid, too.

Yrs.,


Daniel Harms     dmharms@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx