Dear Steven,

Thank you for sharing your family history
with us.

The memories of those who perished at the
hands of Hitler and Stalin during World
War II should be revered.

I share your feelings concerning
totalitarian regimes. But I try not to
judge any one particular group for their
actions.

There were Jews who interceded with their lives to
save persecuted Christians, there were Christians
who died in their attempts to save Jews.

They died, some along with their entire families,
or accepted their fates in concentration camps
rather than betrary their fellow men.

Some are known, but most perished and are known
only to God. These heroes embody human nobility
in its highest form and stand as beacons in the
otherwise bleak history of World War II.

Among those who, for whatever reason, chose to
collaborate with the NKVD and the Gestapo were
Christians and Jews, Germans and Russians,
members of all nations caught in the merciless
war.

Interesting thread.
I was under the impression that the Indians invented the number
system we use including the zero.
From what I read a long time ago it passed to the Arabs and then onto Europe.
This is almost the same as Steven said but not quite.

During the Middle Ages a lot of knowledge was stored in Irish monistries.
In the UK Lindesfarn monestry also held many really old documents until it was sacked by the Vikings.

Off the top of my head

Playing cards draughts and chess are all from China. So is the game pool/snooker!

Hey, Easy Times,

Although we know that the Chinese seem to have been the first to play games with pieces of paper(some think it was actually pieces of paper money) are you sure about the others?

Chess is generally accepted as being Persian in origin (the word Check Mate coming from the word to mean "The King is Dead") or Arabic, but the Greeks also claim it; while draughts have been found in Egyptian tombs and (once again) Greek archeological sites. Perhaps the Chinese do claim them - but these sources are the earliest that we can find any proof for, aren't they?

As for pool and snooker? Am I wrong in thinking they evolved from Billiards? If so a Chinese connection would only pertain to the game as played on the ground - and several other cultures claim to be the first with that. Italy - or at least the Continent would surely be the origin of billiards played upon an actual table?

On somewhat firmer ground, however, I guess we do have the Chinese to thank for pasta.

Easytimes.
Cards comes from Europe known in middle ages. Known to be played by "Willian the Bastard" later called "William the Conquerer" 1066 (Before Marco Polo).

Chess Comes from the Vikings. The earliest chess men known are pre 1000AD found in a cave on the isle of Lewis top of Scotland.
Pool was invented in the New york bars in America after the Irish migration following the Potato Famine 1890's(?).

I looked up on ther internet and it says that snooker was originally played by engish officers in India. So wheather it was the english or the Indians I dont know?

Here is a link with regards to cards/board games.

http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpuzzles.htm

I guess all this proves is that games are very similar in origin. many forms of soccer have been around in many cultures for a long time but the 11 aside and current international rules come from England. Basketball is believed to have orginated with the Aztecs. At the end of the game the loosing side was often sacrficed to the gods