La Cucaracha by Lalo Alcaraz for October 24, 2023

And human sacrifice. Don’t forget human sacrifice.

Maybe we can get the Romans to rebuild Gaza when this war is over.

The public baths are a great delight,

and it’s safe to walk in the streets at night.

Cheese and medicine, irrigation,

Roman law and education

the circus for our delectation

and the gladiation

Well, apart from medicine, irrigation,

health, roads, cheese and education,

baths and the Circus Maximus,

what have the Romans ever done for us?

Brought peace.

Oh, shut up!

Coffee? Potatoes?

IRL, if I’m thinking about or talking about the Roman Empire, odds are I’m teaching a lesson on the New Testament. I’d say that’s about 80% of the time it comes up for me.

Speaking of Roman numerals, does anyone know if their paramedics used to administer 4s?

Roman numerals look impressive, but I have to say that I’m glad the Arab numerals won out in the long run. I’m bad enough at math as it is, and the convoluted process of even just addition and subtraction with Roman numerals would take ages. Probably one of the reasons that so many ancient cultures had specialists do most of the math, similarly to how the scribes of Egypt and other ancient civilizations handled the writing.Also: one of my favorite animation fun facts is that in the title sequence of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the date in Roman numerals is wrong so the copyright was messed up.

Chocolate. Vanilla. Chiles. Avocados. Tomatoes. Corn. Pulque.

I think the Aztecs (and other native Mexicans) win.