[Moonman62]

The tunneling through mountains and draining of lakes was impressive.

One thing I read in Durant's books is he thought Rome declined because technological advancements were eventually suppressed in order to preserve jobs.

[ichabod1]

One thing I read in Durant's books is he thought Rome declined because technological advancements were eventually suppressed in order to preserve jobs.

Labor Unions? Looking through the big end of the telescope from our vantage point, we would see the rise of the labor movement to be a paradoxically antisocial eddy of history right along with "tolerance" and "diversity."

I have been coming to believe that diversity caused the fall of Rome. As they allowed more and more conquered civilizations to have citizenship the ideal of what it meant to be a Roman became diluted until it meant nothing at all. "Tolerance" leads to paralysis in the face of those who would have you dead.

[grey_whiskers]

One thing I read in Durant's books is he thought Rome declined because technological advancements were eventually suppressed in order to preserve jobs.

Anti-decline Sarcasm Torpedo ARMED. FIRE!!

You mean like illegal immigration from Latin America and the US agricultural, construction, and service industries.

Or outsourcing technical jobs to dictatorial juntas like China or Third-World places like India...

Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you meant jobs for US citizens. Naah, all we get are "bread and circuses" (welfare and TV--Oprah and Lifetime on cable for the women, ESPN for the men).

Cheers!