ASCLEPIADES

Salve, A III

Slavery was essential.

A good advice is a good advice. Regarding the last thousand years, the "Paleoclimatology" article on en.Wikipedia sends you by a quick link (on the "SEE ALSO" section) to the "Historical climatology" article (SIC: "the study of climate over human history (as opposed to earth's)": A relevant and representative quotation: "Evidence of anthropogenic climate change Through deforestation and agriculture, some scientists have proposed a human component in some historical climatic changes. Human-started fires have been implicated in the transformation of much of Australia from grassland to desert. If true, this would show that even a primitive society could have a role in influencing regional climate. Deforestation, desertification and the salinization of soils may have contributed to or caused other climatic changes throughout human history. For a discussion of recent human involvement in climatic changes, see Attribution of recent climate change" Here comes the heading of this last article (SIC; emphasis is mine): "Attribution of recent climate change is the effort to scientifically ascertain mechanisms responsible for relatively recent changes observed in the Earth's climate. The effort has focused on changes observed during the period of instrumental temperature record, when records are most reliable; particularly on the last 50 years, when human activity has grown fastest and observations of the upper atmosphere have become available. The dominant mechanisms to which recent climate change has been attributed all result from human activity. They are:[1] increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases global changes to land surface, such as deforestation increasing atmospheric concentrations of aerosols. Recent reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report have concluded that: "Most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations."[2] "From new estimates of the combined anthropogenic forcing due to greenhouse gases, aerosols, and land surface changes, it is extremely likely that human activities have exerted a substantial net warming influence on climate since 1750."[1] "It is virtually certain that anthropogenic aerosols produce a net negative radiative forcing (cooling influence) with a greater magnitude in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.[1]" The quoted references are: 1. "Working Group I: The Physical Basis for Climate Change". IPCC. 2. (2007) Working Group I: The Physical Basis for Climate Change (Summary for Policymakers). IPCC. ISBN 978 0521 88009-1. But of course, it's far better if you actually read the quoted articles. That's what happens when we discuss on scientific evidence; I couldn't agree more.

Salve, K.

Now here's a closer model: "L'Empire Roman" (the Roman Empire) from Parc Ast

Some positive aspects of the anti-GW fight: California expected to benefit from anti-global warming plan. "LOS ANGELES, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- California's ambitious anti-global warming plan would boost the state's expected 2.6-trillion-dollar gross product by 4 billion dollars, the Los Angeles Times said on Thursday. The plan would also create 100,000 additional jobs and increase per capita income by 200 dollars, the state Air Resources Board said in a report published by the paper. "These are good-news numbers," board Chairwoman Mary Nichols said. "We are not claiming this is the way to economic salvation. But making our state more energy-efficient and less reliant on imported oil . . . will have a net positive effect." California is poised to adopt the nation's most comprehensive plan to slash emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which come mostly from burning fossil fuels." READ MORE

Apparently, doomsday will have to be rescheduled: Atom-smasher hit by electrical hitch. The world's largest particle collider was stopped on Wednesday, a week after its startup, as a result of an electrical fault, the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) said on Thursday. The problem affected a cooling system for high-powered magnets designed to steer beams of particles around the Large Hadron Collider's 27-kilometre (16.9-mile) circular tunnel, CERN said. The LHC "is still in commissioning phase, it's a very complex tool and it's normal for there to be stoppages," a CERN spokeswoman told AFP. Commissioning work stopped on Wednesday, but was likely to resume later Thursday, she said. The LHC took nearly 20 years to complete and at six billion Swiss francs (3.76 billion euros, 5.46 billion dollars) is one of the costliest and most complex scientific experiments ever attempted. READ MORE

Salve, Ch You're actually asking an extremely long question; the excellent Inventory of Archaic and Classical Poleis by MH Hansen & TH Nielsen from The Copenhagen Polis Centre enumerated 1035 Hellenic poleis, among which you may find any number of political and administrative alternatives; some were democracies (like Athens), some were monarchies, most were oligarchies. Here comes a nice INTRODUCTION to the Athenian democracy by Christopher W. Blackwell. There are some threads at UNRV that compare the diverse forms of government of some Hellenic poleis, eg. HERE. As far as I know, after a primordial monarchy, Argos alternate periods of oloigarchy and democracy (apparently more of the latter than of the former).

Salve, Amici. I would say it may be just the right time to start talking about the 2009 summer meet.

Also sorry to say I'm in the dark on the definition of usonian. So am I... Seriously, it is an alternative demonym (gentilic) for "American", analogous to "United Statesian", "Uesican", "United Stater" and similar adjectives. In an ongoing THREAD the point was laboured that some sources may conflate 'American' with' United States' and in so doing does indeed create confusion where a more careful choice of words would make it clear. So I'm trying to make a more careful choice.

Salve, Amici First of all, this thread began long ago on the analysis of the essay Empires of Absent Mind: Rome and the USA from the BBC website by Dr Mike Ibeji about (SIC): "What parallels can be found between the ideals and the actions of the Roman republic and its 21st century superpower equivalent, the United States of America?" My own conclusion: NONE. Ibeji's "sperpower equivalency" is not even properly defined. I can't find there any even remotely potentially useful experience, neither individually nor collectivelly. I can only find steps A to E from my previous post (#14 on this same thread). And sorry, but I frankly find it as a quite dangerous line of thinking (neo-imperialistic and bellicose, to say the least). Mussolini's analogy was not gratuitous. On an entirely different issue, I must conclude from the posts of the half a dozen or so UNRV members that have been posting so far within this same thread that our main topic has evolved into a quite interesting way to a fascinating question: WHY DO WE STUDY HISTORY? Any guesses?

Salve, PC... No he didn't mention it, though it is reputed he was pissed about it. Caesar prized loyalty. More on Labienus HERE. et gratiam habeo for such wonderful essay. Prof. Tyrrell conclusion, in a nutshell: "Mommsen sees Caesar as a man of foresight, whose aim from the outset of his career was to rid Rome of the degenerate oligarchy and provide in its place a just system of government. For Mommsen, a move away from such a man could only be utmost folly. But despite their foibles, infighting and excesses, the nobility and senatorial class represented the constitutional authority of the Roman state, a condition which Caesar himself realized. Neither did Caesar have the approval and devotion of his partisans to the extent Mommsen imagined. A few followed from affection; the others from more practical motives. Hence we must not assume that Labienus, in leaving Caesar, deserted a trusting friend and fellow soldier. Personal reasons aside, he in fact joined the legitimate government in its struggle against a revolutionary proconsul who placed his own dignitas above his country. At least that was Cicero

Salve, F What can I say? So far, I have not found any flaw in your cleaver argumentation.

Salve, Amici Just for the record; my previous post (the one identified as #14 in this same thread) was open for all the UNRV community; it was not adressed to anyone in particular.

I must agree with Ms Barbra Streisand regarding the intelligence of American (sorry; Usonian) women: "The oldest Presidential nominee in history, chose a running mate -- a person that is just a heartbeat away from the Presidency -- that has no foreign policy experience, no national experience and limited state government experience

Salve, SF It

If we compare the following sources, it seems the young CJ Caesar considered his personal physician (maybe a slave?) as one of his friends: - C. Suetonius T., Vita Divus Julius, cp. IV, sec. I: ...circa Pharmacussam insulam a praedonibus captus est mansitque apud eos non sine summa indignatione prope quadraginta dies cum uno medico et cubiculariis duobus. ...he was taken by pirates near the island of Pharmacussa and remained in their custody for nearly forty days in a state of intense vexation, attended only by a single physician and two body-servants. - L.M Plutarchus, Vita Caesar, cp. II, sec. II: "In the next place, after he had sent various followers to various cities to procure the money and was left with one friend and two attendants among Cilicians, most murderous of men,".

Salve, Amici. Here comes a lecture by the environmental scientist David Keith, who proposes a cheap, effective, shocking means to address climate change: GEOENGINEERING THE CLIMATE What if we injected a huge cloud of ash into the atmosphere to deflect sunlight and heat? (The first country that gets it may rule the Global climate... A wild fantasy?)

This funerary inscription from a soldier of Legio XXII Primigenia (Geramania) illustrates the use of interpuncts.

Salve, Amici. Now, here's an example of an historic PARALLEL that, for whatever reason, just didn't make it.

Salve, GPM. It's clear we don't judge Caesar's propaganda in the same way. Anyhow, it's also clear both of us acknowledge his notorious abilities and deeds. The personal judgement on Caesar by almost any member of UNRV is probably our most recurrent topic, so I don't think it is a good idea to continue in this same road. Regarding Pompey, I would say we basically agree.

Okay, let me check I have it right - Canadians are North Americans, and Mexicans are Latin Americans but they are not real Americans, in the sense that say, Hawaiians are Americans. And while we might talk of plant and animal species as being American even if they are not in the USA, we should not include humans. And when the 'colonial masters were ejected from American soil' this was in fact the soil of the United States which did not at the time exist, though America - including the non-US bits did. And while California was in America at this time, it was not in fact American until it became part of the United States. We now need to point this out to institutions such as The Organization of American States .... The point I am rather labouring here is that the writer of the article unnecessarily conflates 'American' with' United States' (which does actually work as a gentilic) and in so doing does indeed create confusion where a more careful choice of words would make it clear. As it said, it was a nit, which I feel I have now all too comprehensively picked. As we have wandered somewhat from the main topic, I'll happily allow you the last word, and drop the subject. No, you didn't get it right. You're again mingling two different gentilics; "American" for the Continent (where Canadians and Mexicans are and Hawaiians aren't) and "American" as the only official demonym for the inhabitants of the United States of America. BTW, "United States" is not a gentilic (a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place). Ireland is in a similar situation, as I showed you in my last post. And of course, when I say "United States of America", I'm not talking about Mexico, even if its official name is "Estados Unidos Mexicanos" (United Mexican States) and that country is obviously in the American Continent (until recently, that was the case for Venezuela and Brazil too). Alternative folk demonyms like "Yankee", "Usonian", "United Statesian", "Uessian", "U-S-ian", "Uesican", "United Stater" and so on are just not up to the job; simply try them on a websearch. Or even better: ask your Usonian friends. Anyway, I'm always open to your suggestions on how should we call the people of the US.

When you say "Irish", you may be talking about the the inhabitants of the island Ireland (Ulster included) or using the demonym for the Eire (with the small closer islands included). You're mingling the use of two deifferent gentilics (both equally correct); one for America (the Continent) and other for the country called "United States of America"; sorry, but there's no official alternatives neither for the name of the country nor for its demonym. BTW, neither Chile nor Canada have the word "America" included within their respective official names; that's why when Osama Bin Laden declared war on America (SIC), they weren't involved.