JC> A totally isolated North and South America? It might be interesting to
  > speculate how those two continents would have developed. (A comparison
  > might be some of the remote isolated jungle tribes that weren't known 
about
  > until fairly recent time.)
Nah, that sort of comparsion wouldn't have worked.  After all, the
Mayans had developed wonderful astronomy and sewer systems and
agriculture without the aid of the Europeans.  I expect technology would
have gained as large a ground here as elsewhere.  After all, even if
isolated from Eurasia and Africa, North and South America is no small
land mass; and was not underpopulated in 1492.  It had seaworthy boats
to rival those of Europe; and the folks in the Carribean (and elsewhere)
ingaged in international trade.  I expect that the Americans would have
created the computer eventually; at least as fast, probably faster,
than an isolated Eurasia/Africa.  I expect electricity would have come
to Europe first.  But of course whichever one conquered space first
would then conquer the rest of the world.
JC> Yep. Oregon and Washington have "legal" wars all the time. The real
  > "biggies" are: sales tax (none in Oregon so people try to avoid paying
a biggie here, too.  Jersey has it; Delaware doesn't.
JC> It's almost funny speculating a "border crossing" between the two. Just
  > think of the "black market" in "running" firecrackers across the Columbia
  > River in the dead of night!! 
Grin!
                     Sondra
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ A good book is the best of friends.  Tupper
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