On this day ...

79: Mount Vesuvius in the Bay of Naples erupts, burying the Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Something spectacular wouldn't you say? The sort of thing guaranteed to attract attention - but simply ignored with a "It'll never happen here," or a, "We'll deal with it when it happens," attitude.

The trouble with that is the consequences ...


Bodies in the streets.

Nobody seems to think of the bodies 'til after ... or rather, the army does and so gets the body bags ready, but the politicians and the ordinary public seem to have an, "I'm immune" view of the world which unfortunately doesn't reflect the truth.

The BBC have another Roman linked 'On this day' for today:

410: Rome is sacked by Alaric the Goth, the first hostile occupation of the city since the fourth century BC.

... which would suggest the, "It couldn't happen here," mind set to me. Alaric was a Goth and has a lot to answer for ... not least the silly clothes and 'style' so beloved of hormone driven teenagers with more conformism than brains.

Alaric ultimately failed to get what he wanted ... but managed to upset rather a lot of people on the way.

Invasions seem to do that.

I could mention Iraq ... or the great Afghanistan (graveyard of so many invaders) ... but the Beeb has managed to provide another lovely focus in its 'On this Day' ...

1949: Nato comes into existence to counter the Soviet military presence in Eastern Europe.

and, 'surprise surprise', I'll finally come to Georgia.

Nato is supposed to be protecting against the 'soviets' ... and nice and secure they make us feel ... unless you happen to live in one of the countries actually 'threatened' by Russia - or to use politic-speak, "In the Russian sphere of influence."

Symbolic the round table - and very typical of the 'Camelot' mentality ... Why does no one remember the end of the myth?

Camelot failed. For one brief shining moment, there was a spot ... but it was brief, it was destroyed ... and the barbarians had their way.

Technorati Tags: Ancient Rome, Nato, Goths, Alaric, Nato, Georgia, Russia