Artistic Autistic Savant

A man nicknamed “The Human Camera” can draw near-accurate pictures of cities after having had only one aerial view from above. The amount of detail that he remembers and then applies to paper is striking.

The man’s name is Stephen Wiltshire, and he has autistic spectrum disorder. In the video seen here, Stephen flies above Rome in a helicopter, and then reproduces in only three days what he saw from memory.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Wiltshire

Collegia in Ancient Rome

Someone on the newsgroups asked about the various territories in Rome. My response is below his query.

On Feb 12, 12:51 am, rfd...@optonline.net wrote:
> A question for those knowledgeable about the history of this period. Is the
> dividing up of territories in Rome, and having bosses and captains etc. the
> beginning of what eventually became the Mafia? Sure sounds like it, unless
> the writers are just trying to make it seem just that way. Thanks.

There were collegia in Rome, and usually each collegia was made up of a certain type of tradesman. (A collegium is like a club.) Each collegia had its own rules and finances. Politicians used the collegia to control Rome's mobs, and in doing so they became criminilized. Caesar tried to shut down all collegia before he died, but after his death they made a come-back. Eventually it got to where unrest could not be kept under control without the collegia's powers.
For more information, try reading http://www.hbo.com/rome/watch/season2/episode14.html

In fact, in the article linked above, it says, Vorenus is "the Jimmy Hoffa of the Aventine."

Sincerely,
Puzzledwoeman

A note for those reading this on the blog - Vorenus is a fictional character in the HBO television series "Rome". The only historical account of Vorenus shows up in Julius Caesar's writings.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucius_Vorenus

Eternal Embrace Couple - Widow Sacrifice?

For the past week I’ve been keeping up-to-date on the unfolding story of the skeletal couple that was found at a construction site in Italy. Archeologists don’t know the story of this couple, yet, and it is very likely they never will, but they did release a statement saying that in some instances during that time period, following the death of the husband the wife would be sacrificed and buried with him. They are not saying that is what happened in this case; it’s just another hypothesis. For more information, read http://tinyurl.com/yu2dsu

This sacrificial act is not isolated to this region and time period. In some places in India, since at least the fourth century B.C.E., sati, or “widow-burning” had taken place at the funeral of the husband, all the way up until 1988 when the federal government issued the Sati Commission Act.

http://www.deathreference.com/Vi-Z/Widow-Burning.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sati_%28practice%29

Eternal Embrace Couple to be Preserved and Studied Together, Not Separately

More news on the skeletal couple unearthed in Italy: Scientists and archeologists will remove the couple together, instead of removing them separately, or bone-by-bone.

It is interesting to note some of the theories that have developed surrounding this couple. One such theory is something I have thought about - that they were lovers taking their own lives, similar to Romeo and Juliet. Yes, a Stone-Age Romeo and Juliet. Other theories are interesting to read, and I invite you to check them out at http://tinyurl.com/yp4lba. However, since other skeletal remains were found in the surrounding area, I surmise that it is a burial ground, and that these two "lovers" were posed together during burial. I know that isn't as romantic as other possibilities, but perhaps it's the truth. We can only imagine, unless the archeologists come-up with a better theory.

A Loving Embrace and Monkey Brains

I've spent hours today reading various articles on the internet. It happens sometimes that I do this. I get caught in the loop. One link leads to another, and before I know it I've spent a great deal of time reading from a computer monitor, resulting in a pounding headache. But, sometimes it can be so fascinating, because the internet really has a lot of knowledge.

I ran into this article today. Two skeletons unearthed in Rome, still in a loving embrace. You should read the article. http://tinyurl.com/yotu5f And while you're at it, check out the slide show that is on the page. There are three photos of the couple.

The other article that I found noteworthy is about monkey brains. The author takes a scientific study's results a bit further and applies them to human behaviour. Read it and ask yourself how responsible you really are. Just be warned, there is some vulgar language in the article, for humor's sake, but I think it could have done without, although I do appreciate the light-heartedness. http://tinyurl.com/34hpm

Directions, Please

"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?"
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the Cat.
"I don’t much care where—" said Alice.
"Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," said the Cat.
"—so long as I get somewhere," Alice added as an explanation.
"Oh, you’re sure to do that," said the Cat, "if you only walk long enough."

11:11

It seems that lately when I've glanced at the clock, it says 11:11 exactly. And also, when I'm on the phone talking to someone and then hang-up, the timer on the phone's display will say 11:11 (eleven minutes and eleven seconds). It varies a little, for instance, sometimes it's 1:11. Or even 2:22, 3:33, 4:44 and 5:55. But mostly it's 11:11.

It's Nice

Here's something insightful for you. Why don't you email someone you haven't talked to in a long time? It will make their day. Just a "hello" would suffice. Think in your mind a friend you have that you haven't talked to in a while. Call them or write to them.

Indecision

I just felt like posting some quotes on indecision today. There has been a lot of that going on lately.

Then indecision brings its own delays, And days are lost lamenting o'er lost days. Author: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Indecision is debilitating; it feeds upon itself; it is, one might almost say, habit-forming. Not only that, but it is contagious; it transmits itself to others.
Author: H. A. Hopf

There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision. Author: William James

We know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road. They get run over.
Author: Aneurin Bevan

Neither have they hearts to stay, Nor wit enough to run away.
Author: Samuel Butler

Dream Journal April 5, 2006

I had this dream last weekend but I forgot to post it, so here it is. Late, but better late than never.
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Someone takes a needle filled with salt water and sticks it in my arm, squirting the salt water inside. It stings badly.