Being a merchant in the past was not prestigious. “For the farmers who need to sell their crops (for reasons we will get to in a moment) and purchase the things they need that they cannot produce, the merchant feels… Read More »Collections: Bread, How Did They Make It? Part IV: Markets, Merchants and the Tax Man
Getting bread was not fun. “Being thus sent in pistrinum was essentially a deferred death sentence, much like being sent to work in mining. Consequently, in large, muscle-powered mills, the fellows actually turning the millstone were likely to be captives,… Read More »Collections: Bread, How Did they Make it? Part III: Actually Farming
Water is expensive. Especially when you are poor. “Apart from land – which was actually not a major limiting factor in the village – the main forms of agricultural capital were ox plow-teams (something I’d expect) and wells (something I… Read More »Collections: Bread, How Did They Make It? Part II: Big Farms
This still applies today. “I led in with all of that risk and vulnerability because without it just about nothing these farmers do makes a lot of sense; once you understand that they are managing risk, everything falls into place.… Read More »Collections: Bread, How Did They Make It? Part I: Farmers!
War horses did not work like you think. “if for some baffling reason you are going to charge enemy infantry in good order over an open field, you really want a weapon which can reach past the head of your… Read More »That Dothraki Charge
War works differently then you think. “That focus on morale gets to a truth about warfare: the winner of a battle is not the one that kills the most, but the one who makes the enemy run away. And the… Read More »Collections: The Siege of Gondor: Part VI: Black Sails and Gleaming Banners
It’s math baby.
Or just try to think before you put an estimate of confidence.
Good tips. [HBR On Leadership] The “Hidden Blockers” That Are Limiting Your Leadership Potential #hbrOnLeadership https://podcastaddict.com/hbr-on-leadership/episode/210545055 via @PodcastAddict
Some people have a lot of free time.