... I am still learning

Kokonuz, it is 1.30am and I am now going to sleep as I have a 6 am flight to Melbourne this morning. PLEEEEZ get off this topic as you really are making a KOKONUTZ of yourself re total lack of historical knowledge IMHO

Not only did the Dutch explorer Abel Tasman discover Tasmania (note spelling) you may if you think slowly upon it, figure out where it obtained its modern name! (He named it of course as you know, Van Dieman's Land). The fact the straight between Tasmania and New Zealand is called the Tasman Sea .. well I'll let you think of that one too.

If you feel these explorers did not know where they were at any given time you are entitled to your opinion.

The superb, detailed and precisely accurate maps and charts from the Tasman voyage you may also inspect, as he made the mistake to put those on paper too. Then tell us they did not know where they were and what they were doing! (And yes ,to save your suspense Tasman "also hit Australia" BIG time!)

This thread is all about SMILEYS.

After the last few posts, I need a few. Goodnight!

To me, this thread is what the internet/learning/talking/debating is all about: thesis, antithesis, synthesis. I don't take it personally and hope you don't either.

Hey, Oz, guess what, I learned some stuff about australia and australians from this thread that I didn't know before without setting a foot upon her fertile soil. Pretty amazing, huh?

Goodnight, Oz. And enjoy your trip...I do wish I was heading to Melbourn in the morning!!!


[BTW, not really cricket of you going back and editing your posts to pre-respond to my responses!!!!!]


[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 08-02-2000).]

Matt... still messing about here at 2am .. may as well get a cab straight to the airport soon, with all the insane hassles SYD airport is having at present!

No offence taken, and I'll buy you an Altbier in Dusseldorf! We all learn all sorts of crazy stuff on these boards. Actually went and looked up a book after last post (in case I was wrong about Abel Tasman to be honest!) and found he discovered not only New Zealand, but ALSO Fiji and Tonga, so this discussion taught me that .. so thank you!

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[This message has been edited by wingless5 (edited 08-02-2000).]

Nope .. did not edit after your response - ever. PUNKI pulled that one above, not me! We swapped e-mails and laughed about it, and she got me good on that one though, and then that bought you into the fray as I recall in the first place!

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[This message has been edited by wingless5 (edited 08-02-2000).]

Well I am happy to have learned that Australia is not an island. Can I get away with two islands, or are those big land masses completely surrounded by seawater someting else?

I went down that road, James, but every dictionary except my geographical dictionary defines an island as "A land mass totally surrounded by water too small to be considered a continent." My geographical dictionary leaves off the last 7 words.

Interestingly, under continent, my dictionary says "One of the principle land masses of earth."

The geographical dictionary says "The large land masses of Earth, universally held to include Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Europe, North America and South America and more recently held to include Australia."

So apparently Australia only "became" a continent recently

In any case, I found picking the arguments apart more fun than challenging the facts.

But I'd better shut up now, 'cause I wouldn't want to continue "really...making a KOKONUTZ of yourself re total lack of historical knowledge IMHO."

Particularly since, as I go back and re-read the threads, Oz pretty much ends up agreeing with all of my arguments either by admission (Dutch in Oz) or omission ("shortest colonised history"). Besides, if I say any more my free bier may be placed in jeopardy .

[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 08-02-2000).]

http://actein.edu.au/ACTDU/logarg.html

If we read all the post in this thread, do we get credit for one quarter of Autrailian History?

Will there be an exam in DUS?

How many German beers is one required to drink before taking the exam?

Can Rudi be in charged of the grading?

How many credits will we get?

now NJDavid with that http://actein.edu.au/ACTDU/logarg.html link you made me working 90 minutes with my diccionary ...

Rudi,

Sorry if this was covered already, but have you seen the smilies available at http://www.vegas.com/ubb/smilies.html ?

I think I'm getting smilie envy!

-KP

PS (So is the lack of smilie responses to my report indicative of the fact that it's too wordy? -That's what I figured. )

kidpachinko: just did now - thank you

I rather see lots of Cat face and Dog face Smilies.

I'm not much into the smiley stuff. Some of the flashing ones give me a splitting headache.

And do we get a mile for each smiley we use?