The basis of good communication: Meant is not yet said, said is not yet heard, heard is not yet understood, understood is not yet agreed, agreed is not yet done, and done is not yet maintained. (freely translated from German; after Konrad Lorenz, 1903-1989, biologist, ethologist [ethology = the scientific study of animal behaviour], Nobel Laureate: Gemeint ist noch nicht gesagt, gesagt ist noch nicht gehoert, gehoert ist noch nicht verstanden, verstanden ist noch nicht einverstanden, einverstanden ist noch nicht getan, und getan ist noch nicht beibehalten).

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Book: Odoric of Pordenone (1265?-1331): The Travels of Friar Odoric (2002). Translated by Sir Henry Yule (1820-1889). A report by the Franciscan Friar Odoric on travels to the East in the 14th century, written in 1330. Odoric was from a monastary in Udine, a city about 100 km northeast of Venice in Northern Italy. He tells tales of Turkey, Iran, India and China, and of the Great Khan. Some of his stories seem exaggerated, but he claims that he has either seen things with his own eyes, or knows the facts from 'reliable sources'. Interesting historic document.
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