Dear Readers: I was privileged to be able to post a thoughtful piece on Legal Insurrection on mental health issues related to some recent mass murders (a big hat-tip to Lipstick Underground): Mother recounts terrors of raising genius son with violence-oriented mental illness
It seems that Obama gave a speech concerning the Newtown massacre that Professor Jacobson considers good;however, I failed to catch it, but noted a concerning turn of phrase in a Hot Air analysis: In the coming weeks, I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens — from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators — in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this.
(Note – fellow SLOB Beers with Demos gives a thoughtful analysis to this tragedy, involving the toxic feminization of our culture. CHECK IT OUT).
Conveniently, this highly politicized tragedy seems to be played up by the elite media, to distract us from the FISCAL CLIFF (I personally think both Obama and Boehner are posturing, with both having the goal of keeping things exactly the way they are with no hard solutions; BONUS – DEBT CEILING LIFTED FOR ONE YEAR).
Also, Sen. John Kerry, soon to be Secretary of State, has given a big pass to Hillary Clinton, who will no longer have to testify about another mass murder — of our service personnel and Ambassador in Libya. Hard to believe there was no deal there!
That being said, I had a few items to distract my readers in a more honest attempt to amuse. If you like Star Trek – The Original Series, you will like this video, in which friends from the Military History Page does a little experimental archeology to recreate a canon similar to the one Captain Kirk made when he defeated the Gorn (from the episode entitled Arena).
If you are mechanically minded, like chemistry, and are a fan of any of the Star Trek series, this is worth checking out. Love the lab work, Thrand and Eldgrimr!
The next item is from my Egyptology collection, and involves Ramses III — the last truly great pharaoh of Egypt, who managed to defeat the Sea Peoples around 1200 BCE. Sadly, he did not seem to be able to control his harem: It was one of his chief wives who arranged for his assassination to place her son on the throne. A new forensics report issued has details on Ramses’ mummy, and that of Unknown Man E (supposedly the replacement prince) that tends to confirm the hypothesis!
Study reveals that Pharaoh’s throat was cut during royal coup
Conspirators murdered Egyptian king Ramesses III by cutting his throat, concludes a study in the Christmas issue published on bmj.com today.
Ramesses III – the second Pharaoh of the 20th dynasty – is believed to have reigned from 1186 to 1155 BC. The discovery of papyrus trial documents show that in 1155 BC members of his harem made an attempt on his life as part of a palace coup.
The conspiracy was led by Tiye, one of his two known wives, and her son Prince Pentawere, over who would inherit the throne, but it is not clear whether the plot was successful or not.
The fate of Ramesses III has therefore long been the subject of debate among Egyptologists.
So a team of researchers, led by Dr Albert Zink from the Institute for Mummies and the Iceman of the European Academy of Bolzano/Bozen in Italy, undertook detailed anthropological and forensic analyses on the mummies of Ramesses III and unknown man E, the suspected son of the king.
CT scans of Ramesses III revealed a wide and deep wound in the throat of the mummy, probably caused by a sharp blade – and which could have caused immediate death, say the authors.
A Horus eye amulet was also found inside the wound, most probably inserted by the ancient Egyptian embalmers during the mummification process to promote healing, add the authors. The neck was covered by a collar of thick linen layers.
Analysis of unknown man E revealed an age of 18-20 years, while an inflated thorax and compressed skinfolds around the neck of the mummy suggests violent actions that led to death, such as strangulation, write the authors.
Furthermore, the body was not mummified in the usual way – and was covered with a “ritually impure” goatskin – which the authors say could be interpreted as evidence for a punishment in the form of a non-royal burial procedure.
The authors believe that unknown man E “is a good candidate for Pentawere.” However, they stress that the cause of death “has to remain a matter of speculation.”
Finally, DNA analysis revealed that the mummies share the same parental lineage, “strongly suggesting that they were father and son,” they say.
Needless to say, I foresee endless distractions away from truly important matters by our American press well into the future. I hope, at least, my distractions amuse. Frankly, there are a few members of the press I would like to mummify.
Thanks for the link, Leslie!
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How many Empires have been run from the harem? How many times has history turned on whispers from the seraglio? What power lay behind the veil!
My point exactly, Struan! 🙂
I prefer my Varon-T disruptor