Ursus

http://www.comcast.net/video/the-soup-ewok...ast/1321484308/

I read Fires of Vesuvius, and I believe I sent in a review as well. It is an interesting look at things.

I wonder if the Detroit Pistons stand in for the Calumet Wolverines as the insurgent force.

I look forward to reading it. I had issued with the author's bio on Augustus.

There were plenty of people in the US - particularly of German descent - who held sympathy with Germany during WWI. After all, in the pre-Hitler era Germany was just another European country playing the Great Game. If you look hard enough on the internet you'll find pictures of pro-German rallies in the US from that era.

Nice broad theories: no particulars as applied to today's world. Anyway, what Luttwak fails to recognize is that - for better or for worse (and mostly for worse) - American foreign policy has always been guided as much by its ideology as by realpolitik. The above outline, while certainly logical, is far too cold and uninspiring for the masses to support. I can't see Obama trying to sell Byzantine strategy.

I know you'll enjoy it! Happy reading.

Elithio was my favorite part of the book. :-)

The original movie was a metaphor for conservative americana: a bunch of gun toting country kids, led by the high school quarterback, use their hunting skills to foil the forces of socialism. The movie was always very big in Republican circles. This remake seem a metaphor in the opposite direction: The Chinese come to "save us" from corporate greed, even as their goods flood our market. And of course, it seems very deliberate they set up shop in America's automobile capital ... Regardless, I enjoyed the first movie for the cheese factor, and I'll probably enjoy the remake for the cheese factor as well. The sets do look impressive.

That does sound interesting, Cato. Maybe I can find a cheap used copy at the dollar store.

I think I will sit out this month.

Apparently they are remaking Red Dawn. The Chinese invade America and occupy Detroit. http://www.reddawn2010.com/ Chris, what would you do if you saw PLA troops in your back yard?

As for me, it would depend. How does the author portray Cicero? If he sees Cicero as the noble "pure as the fallen snow" Stoic I'd rather read about Roman military blood and guts. If however Cicero is depicted with his warts, vanities and insecurities, then that might be interesting reading.

A review has been sent to Viggen for safekeeping.

Greco-Roman philosophers declared that animals could not partake of human justice because they could not partake of human reason. In opposition to this, Plutarch asked if animals could be granted kindness if not justice. I forget the exact spot in Plutarch's works, but it is there somewhere. So among the intellectual elite there was one lone voice ...? Spiritually, there is nothing per se in Roman religion that lends itself to environmentalism or 'animal rights.' Animal sacrifice was the cornerstone of public ritual. Some religious cults objected but these were few. Robert Turcan claims that before Romans cleared a glade of woods, they first made a sacrifice to propitiate any spirits that lived there; but once sacrifice was made, the land would be cleared for human development... The Roman state crucified two dogs every year in memory of the guard dogs that supposedly did not bark to warn of approaching Gauls when the Capitol was under siege. Romans soldiers made a point to kill everything living when they stormed a city, including dogs on the street. As to the animals slaughtered in the Ampitheatre, they became tasty treats for the hungry plebians. Can't imagine the masses were therefore interested in the preservation of a few elephants (what does elephant taste like? Chicken?). Roman intelligentsia mocked the animal fetish inherent in Egyptian religion. The picture I get is there is very little in the Roman tradition that lends itself to environmentalism.

Hadn't seen it, actually, but it is very .. thought provoking.

"A History of Pagan Europe." A decent overview of the subject, from Crete to the Baltic.

Okie dokie. I plan to read and review it some time before the year is out.

I think this will be the one Roman book I buy for myself this Saturnalia. Maty's books are always an entertaining and informative read for the "intelligent layman"crowd.

An interesting thought! 1630 - 1550 BCE ... is that about the time that Moses and Exodus was supposed to have taken place?

The volcanic explosion that obliterated much of the island that might have inspired the legend of Atlantis apparently triggered a tsunami that traveled hundreds of miles to reach as far as present-day Israel, scientists now suggest. http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/200910...egendofatlantis

I'd be interested if anyone has read this, and what their opinion is. This author served a biography on Augustus which was was pretty decent - except for the beginning where he wrote some fanciful piece of fiction about Livia poisoning Augustus' figs. I wonder how he treats Hadrian, and if perhaps he felt compelled to write some fanciful tales surrounding the drowning of Antinous.

Maty, you scoundrel, I'm going to have to shell out more money for one of your highly entertaining titles.

Totally agreed. Also, all the animals slaughtered needlessly in the arenas.

Ni!