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Silentium

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Everything posted by Silentium

  1. Silentium

    On the Lead Singer of Black Sabbath

    I agree! Technically I like Dio's voice better, but the early albums just wouldn't be the same without Ozzy, especially Paranoid. I really have to post =)
  2. Silentium

    Global Warming

    The converse of this is that human arrogance could cost us, literally, the Earth - or at least our place on it. The arrogance is thus: We accept the minority of scientific studies which deny human involvement, and overlook the fact that these climate changes are not taking place over geological time, but everyday time. And with it, we reject our suspicion that the mainstream research is probably true, but - well, who cares - let our kids and grandchildren deal with the results of our grossly luxurious lives and the mess they are causing. Usually, logically - minded people accept the scientific theory which most fits the evidence. But, just as otherwise intelligent religious believers let their objectivity slip when it comes to authenticity of their Scriptures, or smokers disregard medical evidence because to curb their habits would be too difficult, people who enjoy their luxurious lifestyles search for alternative interpretation of evidence, or marginal yet technically valid scientific studies to justify their lifestyles. And I include most of us here, given that even relatively poor people in industrialised countries are filthy rich in comparison with the remaining two thirds of the planet. The overwhelming weight of evidence is that human activity is warming up our planet. And there are no 'hidden agendas' for the bulk of climatologists subscribing to this theory. What possible agenda could there be for concocting a theory to stop people holidaying abroad? Or from driving over-large 4x4's with comically macho names? I don't particularly like tabloid newspapers, but if I were a scientist, I wouldn't propose a theory to try and stop people reading them. The whole conspiracy theory idea vis-a-vis global warming is just plain fatuous - what possible benefit could the (majority of) climate scientists gain from it, aside from dissuading middle class mums from driving their kids round the block in quasi - armoured vehicles, or reducing the number of flights to Benidorm, Ayia Nappa or Florida? And what purpose would that serve ( If not culturally valid on grounds of taste) if there were no scientfic evidence to suggest it was harmful? I initially started this thread as a spoof ( Read my initial post, and apply the math!) but I had to break my silence with respect to some of the ideas put forward here. The conspiracy theory here holds no water at all, given that there absolutely is nothing to gain from it. All of us, however, would be greatly inconvenienced if we had to alter our lifestyles to curb the findings of the majority of climatologists. And therein lies the real problem - most of us are far too comfortable to be bothered. My view is, if even 1% of the studies show that human activity is to blame, then it is imperative that we curb our habits. To not do so, even with just a 1% probability of success, is negligence to the ultimate degree. My view exactly. I did not intervene before because I sort of gathered the irony in the previous posts..I don't think there is much more to add to this post. Maybe this link. Not to mention that the monuments of Roma (and Athens, which is even more polluted than Roma I think..) would really benefit from a decrease in atmospheric pollution, and so the people who suffer from respiratory diseases directly caused by it.
  3. Silentium

    Man drives down Rome tourist treasure

    He lived in Como...bah, I hope he gets his driving license back in 2070.
  4. Silentium

    Romans and Italians

    Well, there are so many variables involved..there are those who simply don't care, those who are not even aware of their cultural roots, those who are aware but don't want to be associated with it and so on... Next time you meet these people ask them what they think of Rome and the Romans, the answer is all there really.
  5. Silentium

    Alba Fucens

    Ah, ok, thanks for the information. I am definitely going there next time I'm in Avezzano.
  6. Silentium

    Der Struwwelpeter

    XD Anyway, Twain would be shocked to know that the Finns have only one word for "he" and "she" =) that is to say "h
  7. Silentium

    Alba Fucens

  8. Silentium

    Alba Fucens

    I have to admit I am quite surprised, I had no idea of its existence *_*. Are they still excavating?
  9. Silentium

    The Foundation of Rome

    Can I attend the lectures at Cinema Trevi or is it a web event only?(or better, an "evento a porte chiuse"?). This is a very nice initiative anyway .
  10. Silentium

    Rome museum unveils restored bronze horse

    I went to see it last saturday...it is so detailed it's almost scary.. The event is called "Un cavallo di bronzo per pi
  11. Silentium

    Latin-? Classics in Literature?

    A reliable Latin/Italian version is that of BUR (Biblioteca Universale Rizzoli), in case it could be of help .
  12. Silentium

    Global Warming

    Some say global warming and global dimming.
  13. Silentium

    Connection between modern place names and tribes

    Little premise : before the Celtic invasion, Gallia was inhabited by other populations who continued to live there even after their arrival. The Ligures in Provence, the Iberians in Languedoc and the Aquitanii in the south-west. The languages of the first two peoples are now extinct, that of the Aquitanii is continued by Basque; all of them were probably non-indoeuropean. Many cities whose name is linked with a celtic population originally had a different name, here is a list of 40 cities whose ancient names were replaced with that of the celtic populations who inhabited them. This also explains why Paris was originally called Lutetia Parisiorum. Lutetia was the name of a small island on the river Seine where the Parisii settled. It was a pre-celtic name meaning swamp. There are cities in France with different names deriving from the same celtic tribe, like N
  14. Silentium

    Private baths on the Via Appia

    In Italian it is called "Terme di Capo di Bove" (address: Via Appia Antica numero 222). The complex is a few hundred metres away from the mausoleum (Caecilia Metella) and Sextus Pompeius Iustus' marble inscription for his children, it also hosts the Via Appia information centre (Centro di Documentazione dell'Appia Antica Antonio Cederna) where you can get detailed information on every single monument on the Via Appia, including the catacombs, as well as detailed maps of the archaeological area.
  15. Not exactly news, but this place is unknown to many to I thought I
  16. Silentium

    Private baths on the Via Appia

    Yes, the variety of materials and bricks used seems to suggest the complex was run and maintained until the IV century.
  17. Silentium

    Quo usque tandem?

    I sadly think the same of my 2007. I'm glad the worst is over for you, welcome back.
  18. Silentium

    Latin tragedy

    If you are looking for the original fragments in latin you can find them on latin wikipedia, they are reliable, I have checked most of them on my own textbook.
  19. Silentium

    Cracks threaten Rome's majesty

    We already have this type of discount, for both museums and monuments..which means we get even less money, ironically. lol. Our administration is convinced that culture should be accessible to as many people as possible, and I agree to an extent, but I think we should start charging an entrance fee, at least for the most important sites and not just for the palatine and the colosseum.
  20. Silentium

    Cracks threaten Rome's majesty

    Precisely. A vast part of the forums can still be visited for free. Entrance to the Pantheon is free, same for the majority of the paleochristian basilicas in the city, whose interiors hide many imperial columns, marbles and decorations (columns and marbles from the baths of Caracalla were re-used in many paleochristian basilicas, for example) and important mosaics from the IV-V-VI century. Free entrance to S.Peter's basilica (I was charged
  21. Silentium

    Happy Birthday Neil of Brigantia

    Happy Birthday! =)
  22. Silentium

    Smoking ban in England

    I agree, it was about time! This ban was introduced last year in Italy and things improved, although the passive smoke problem here was not so acute. My boyfriend is English, we're both non-smokers and he definitely favoured this decision. As Paulinus said earlier, there's nothing horrible about making people go outside to enjoy a fag. Here we have non-smoking pubs with small smoking areas/corners, usually outside; it could avoid the "ghettoisation" of smokers in smoker-only pubs.
  23. Silentium

    Hogmanay!

    Grazie GO,
  24. Now, I'm no expert but there seem to be a few anomalies, like the arms for example, they seem to be too stretched out compared to the rest of the body, it doesn't seem to maintain the proportions. The second is the subject, it looks quite unusual.. =S
  25. Silentium

    Favourite guitarist of all time?

    Neil Young, Iommi and Dave Murray, for different reasons. Bass player Did you see Maiden in Milano on dec. 3rd? Concerto grandioso =)
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