REFLECTIONS

I took and edited this photograph, giving it a soft appearance.   

  Cornu de Pompei Not very good singers but they get the point across. Are we any more civilized today?

I came across this video about our alphabet that  I want to share with you. It's very interesting . Haven't posted as much as I'd like lately because of some health problems with myself and Lynette.  But visiting your blogs is a very enjoyable distraction. I'll try to post more.   

I found this article and short video about Roman concrete that I'd like to share. Modern Concrete Ancient Roman Concrete From article:    Ancient Rome Concrete Mystery Solved by Scientists | Time Modern cement mixtures tend to erode, particularly in the presence of seawater, but the Roman recipe of volcanic ash, lime, seawater and a mineral called aluminium tobermorite actually reinforces the concrete and prevents cracks from expanding, researchers found. The reaction was caused by the seawater continually ramming into the structures for hundreds of years, allowing the mineral mixture of silica oxides and lime to grow between the volcanic rock aggregate and mortar to develop resistance. “Contrary to the principles of modern cement-based concrete, the Romans created a rock-like concrete that thrives in open chemical exchange with seawater,” lead author Marie Jackson from the University of Utah said in the journal.

Amazing Use full screen for a better view.

They were a very clever people. The Swiss knife is not shown in proportion with the Roman one.  They should both be about the same size. This must be a modern "cleaned up" version of the knife.

Sorry for this emotional post but this idea has been on my mind for a while.  If it's too upsetting just skip it.    By now I imagined the world be at peace, using the fortune spent on warfare to improve everyone's life.  But it's worse than ever. Will there be a third world war? I remember what my uncle Ben told us. He believed that war was a way that nature used to stop overpopulation. Sounds strange doesn't it? But is war an inevitable uncontrollable force of evil? (Try full screen and more volume.) Is it hopeless?

There are many similarities but I believe there is still time to set things right. Here are some opinions I found from a few articles on the web.  I'll try to condense them and leave a link in case you want to read more. From Salon: 8 striking parallels between the U.S. and the Roman Empire - Salon.com 1 — Staggering Increase in the Cost of Elections, with Dubious Campaign Funding Sources. Our 2012 election reportedly cost $3 billion. All of it was raised from private sources – often creating the appearance, or the reality, that our leaders are beholden to special interest groups. 2 — Politics as the Road to Personal Wealth. “Their focus is therefore not so much on the people who sent them to Washington. Their focus is instead on those who will make them rich.” ( Republic Lost ) 3 — Continuous War: A national state of security arises, distracting attention from domestic challenges with foreign wars. Similar to the late Roman Republic, the US – for the past 100 years ...

I copied these notes from various Wikipedia articles and images from the web. Preparation for Battle  "Once the legion (about 3,000-6,000 men) had deployed on an operation, they would generally march to their objective. There were exceptions when the armies were transported by the Roman navy but even then in most instances this was followed by a march of several days or weeks. The approach to the battlefield was made in several columns, enhancing maneuver. Typically a strong vanguard preceded the main body, and included scouts, cavalry and light troops. A tribune or other officer often accompanied the vanguard to survey the terrain for possible camp locations. Flank and recon elements were also deployed to provide the usual covering security. Behind the vanguard came the main body of heavy infantry. Each legion marched as a distinct formation and was accompanied by its own baggage train. At the end of a day's march, the Romans would typically establish a strong field ...

Mussolini wanted Italy to become an empire, equivalent in power to the Roman Empire with himself as the emperor in charge.  He became evil and deserved to fail. His national anthem with English subtitles:

"The Neapolitan Mastiff or Neo, comes from Italy, where once it was used as a gladiator dog in the bloody spectacles of the Coliseum. They were also used as war dogs by the Roman legion. Today, they are generally protectors of the home. Distinctive in appearance, the la rgest males can t op 200 lbs and are covered in loose, wrinkly skin with hanging jowls."    From  Top 10 Lists - Listverse

I just learned of another Roman weapon called the Plumbata.  The lead must make the impact much more damaging.  The darts are about a foot or more long (12 inches or 30 centimeters).   They can be thrown by hand like regular darts or from a slingshot instead of using a rock. Turn up the sound to hear the swish of the dart. Here they are mounted behind the shields.