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Sally Winchester | 2 Mar 2012 05:53

More news about Oetzi

Salvete amici,

I thought folks might find the latest on Oetzi, the ice man, interesting.  Some interesting stuff about his
genetic make up and illness markers.  Also that he appears to have had Lyme's disease. I thought that was a
modern illness.  One wonders what poor old Oetzi would think about all this study on his body.  He must be the
most studied individual in history.

http://news.yahoo.com/dna-data-helps-flesh-otzi-alpine-iceman-161516817.html

Enjoy,

SallyW
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DANIEL P. TOMPKINS | 2 Mar 2012 12:39
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Chairman of Joint Chiefs use Thucydides to characterize Iran

It's always nice to see Thucydides quoted in
DC<http://thinkprogress.org/security/2012/03/01/435346/dempsey-iran-rational-actor/>.
 There could be a long argument as to whether decision-making based on the
great Thucydidean triad -- fear, honor, "interest" -- is "rational" (and
whether rational -actor theory explains as much as claimed). In fact,
Thucydides may turn out to be more important in all this than the "rational
actor."

But Dempsey is getting at something important.

Dan

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA):

I want to visit a comment you made recently regarding the nation of Iran
and the statement, and I think have the quote correct here, that stunned me
and many of my constituents. And that is your quote, “We are of the opinion
that Iran is a rational actor.” Do you stand by that statement and maybe
you wanna explain a little more?

Gen. Martin Dempsey,  Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:

Yes, I stand by it because the alternative is almost unimaginable. The
alternative is that we attribute to them that their actions are so
irrational that they have no basis of planning. You know, not to sound too
academic about it but Thucydides in the fifth century B.C. said that all
strategy is some combination of reaction to fear, honor and interests. And
I think all nations act in response to one of those three things, even
Iran. The key is to understand how they act and not trivialize their
actions by attributing to them some irrationality. I think that’s a very
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June Samaras | 3 Mar 2012 05:42
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The disappearing virtual library

The disappearing virtual library

The shutdown of library.nu is creating a virtual showdown between
would-be learners and the publishing industry.

Last Modified: 01 Mar 2012 10:58

Los Angeles, CA - Last week a website called "library.nu" disappeared.
A coalition of international scholarly publishers accused the site of
piracy and convinced a judge in Munich to shut it down. Library.nu
(formerly Gigapedia) had offered, if the reports are to be believed,
between 400,000 and a million digital books for free.

And not just any books - not romance novels or the latest best-sellers
- but scholarly books: textbooks, secondary treatises, obscure
monographs, biographical analyses, technical manuals, collections of
cutting-edge research in engineering, mathematics, biology, social
science and humanities.

The texts ranged from so-called "orphan works" (out-of-print, but
still copyrighted) to recent issues; from poorly scanned to expertly
ripped; from English to German to French to Spanish to Russian, with
the occasional Japanese or Chinese text. It was a remarkable effort of
collective connoisseurship. Even the pornography was scholarly:
guidebooks and scholarly books about the pornography industry. For a
criminal underground site to be mercifully free of pornography must
alone count as a triumph of civilisation.

To the publishing industry, this event was a victory in the campaign
to bring the unruly internet under some much-needed discipline. To
(Continue reading)

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Marcello NOBILI | 3 Mar 2012 10:55
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Re: The disappearing virtual library

The closure of library.nu precipitated me in a week of true sadness. It is
so difficult for a scholar who is not somewhat enrolled in one of the
richest European or American universities to get a hold of certain books,
especially new issues; even if s/he had the money to buy or lots of spare
time to locate and use a physical library (and in my hometown [Rome, not
Yamoussoukro!] public libraries are now only operative until lunchtime):
which is not my case, nor that of many excellent colleagues of mine. So we
must rely on favours and "please's" in order to get either photocopies or
scans, and be annoying.
But all this is hardly news.

Marcello

2012/3/3 June Samaras <june.samaras <at> gmail.com>

> The disappearing virtual library
>
> The shutdown of library.nu is creating a virtual showdown between
> would-be learners and the publishing industry.
>
> Last Modified: 01 Mar 2012 10:58
>
> Los Angeles, CA - Last week a website called "library.nu" disappeared.
> A coalition of international scholarly publishers accused the site of
> piracy and convinced a judge in Munich to shut it down. Library.nu
> (formerly Gigapedia) had offered, if the reports are to be believed,
> between 400,000 and a million digital books for free.
>
>
(Continue reading)

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Baracatjr | 3 Mar 2012 14:25
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Re: The disappearing virtual library

Just perfectly said (and sad).

I did't buy $ 200 books, and the closing of library.nu will not make me start buying them. I may be wrong, but I
have the strong feeling that publishers won't increase their sells.
Best,
Jose Baracat Jr.

Em 03/03/2012, às 01:42, June Samaras <june.samaras <at> GMAIL.COM> escreveu:

> The disappearing virtual library
> 
> The shutdown of library.nu is creating a virtual showdown between
> would-be learners and the publishing industry.
> 
> Last Modified: 01 Mar 2012 10:58
> 
> Los Angeles, CA - Last week a website called "library.nu" disappeared.
> A coalition of international scholarly publishers accused the site of
> piracy and convinced a judge in Munich to shut it down. Library.nu
> (formerly Gigapedia) had offered, if the reports are to be believed,
> between 400,000 and a million digital books for free.
> 
> And not just any books - not romance novels or the latest best-sellers
> - but scholarly books: textbooks, secondary treatises, obscure
> monographs, biographical analyses, technical manuals, collections of
> cutting-edge research in engineering, mathematics, biology, social
> science and humanities.
> 
> The texts ranged from so-called "orphan works" (out-of-print, but
> still copyrighted) to recent issues; from poorly scanned to expertly
(Continue reading)

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Goya | 3 Mar 2012 16:57
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Re: The disappearing virtual library

> The closure of library.nu precipitated me in a week of true sadness. It is
> so difficult for a scholar who is not somewhat enrolled in one of the
> richest European or American universities to get a hold of certain books,
> especially new issues; even if s/he had the money to buy or lots of spare
> time to locate and use a physical library (and in my hometown [Rome, not
> Yamoussoukro!] public libraries are now only operative until lunchtime):
> which is not my case, nor that of many excellent colleagues of mine. So we
> must rely on favours and "please's" in order to get either photocopies or
> scans, and be annoying.
> But all this is hardly news.

M.C. It may not be news, but it is important.

I often lecture in various parts of Mexico and in Novosibirsk. I can
assure you that the students there have zero access to any of the books
published by Brill, OUP or Walter de Gruyter, and it is not because
library.nu has been shut down that they, their teachers, or their
university administrations are going to rush out and line their Library
shelves with books at 100-300 euros a pop.

>
> Marcello
>
> 2012/3/3 June Samaras <june.samaras <at> gmail.com>
>
>> The disappearing virtual library
>>
>> The shutdown of library.nu is creating a virtual showdown between
>> would-be learners and the publishing industry.
>>
(Continue reading)

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Jgibson | 3 Mar 2012 21:17
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Eidothea and Proteus

Am I alone in thinking that according to Homer the relationship between 
Eidothea and her father Proteus is a bit strained?  If not,  why the 
tension?  Why does she want her father to be caught?  Is this just a 
contrast between the Athena/Zeus and Nausicaa/Alcinous relationship.  Or 
is there some story about a breach between Eidothea and Proteus that 
Home simply presupposes his readers will know?

Jeffrey

--

-- 
---
Jeffrey B. Gibson  D.Phil. Oxon.
1500 W.  Pratt Blvd
Chicago, Il.
jgibson000 <at> comcast.net
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June Samaras | 3 Mar 2012 21:18
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Advice from ancient Rome for the 2012 presidential candidate

“I’m Mitt Romney and Probo hoc Nuntius”
Advice from ancient Rome for the 2012 presidential candidates.

By David Weigel|Posted Saturday, March 3, 2012, at 12:18 AM ET

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2012/03/ancient_roman_advice_for_the_2012_candidates_.html

--

-- 
June Samaras
2020 Old Station Rd
Streetsville,Ontario
Canada L5M 2V1
Tel : 905-542-1877
E-mail : june.samaras <at> gmail.com
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Ralph Hancock | 3 Mar 2012 21:58
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Re: Advice from ancient Rome for the 2012 presidential candidate

Is _probo hoc nuntius_ a standard dog-Latin joke, like _nil carborundum_?

Anyway, in the present circumstances, _video meliora proboque,
deteriora sequor_ would be more apt.

RH
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Sally Winchester | 4 Mar 2012 11:23

Some courses of possible interest

Salvete,

Just saw this on another list and thought some folks might be interested.  Both courses sound good.  Maybe
I'll give the Anglo-Saxon a try.  I never seem to get around to learning it and this  looks like a quick way to
remedy that defect in my education.

Valete,
SallyW
Begin forwarded message:

> From: Larry Swain <theswain <at> OPERAMAIL.COM>
> Date: March 4, 2012 1:44:09 AM EST
> To: ANSAX-L <at> listserv.wvu.edu
> Subject: [ANSAX-L]
> Reply-To: ANSAXNET Discussion Forum <ANSAX-L <at> listserv.wvu.edu>
> 
> Please pass along to any and all interested parties and forgive
> duplications:  
> 
> Hello all, 
> 
> I am pleased to off the two courses listed below this summer online. 
> There are both undergraduate and graduate options.  If you are not a
> Bemidji State University student, directions on admission can be found
> here: http://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/distance/admissions/   The
> ability to use basic software is required, and much will be delivered
> through D2L, a Blackboard like software that the student will be able to
> access once enrolled for the class.  I’m looking forward to see some of
> you there!
>
(Continue reading)

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Gmane