PLEASE NOTE:
*
CCNet DIGEST, 30 March 1999
---------------------------
There will be no further CCNet mailings before 10 April.
---------------------------
(1) CATASTROPHIC EVENTS & MASS EXTINCTIONS: IMPACTS AND
BEYOND
Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
(2) NANOBES AND METEOROIDS
Michael Paine <mpaine@tpgi.com.au>
(3) CRATER COUNTS ON MARS
W.K. Hartmann et al., PLANETARY SCIENCE
INSTITUTE
(4) COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES BY MULTIPLE IMPACTS
Y. Miura et al., YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY
(5) NEW INSIGHT INTO EARTH'S MAGNETIC QUIRKS
Andrew Yee <ayee@nova.astro.utoronto.ca>
(6) THE ANNALS OF XANTEN: COMETS & DISASTERS IN THE DARK AGES
Trevor Palmer <trevor.palmer@ntu.ac.uk>
===============
(1) CATASTROPHIC EVENTS & MASS EXTINCTIONS: IMPACTS AND
BEYOND
From Ron Baalke <BAALKE@kelvin.jpl.nasa.gov>
Catastrophic Events & Mass Extinctions: Impacts And Beyond
July 9-12, 2000
Vienna, Austria
http://cass.jsc.nasa.gov/meetings/impact2000/
This conference will be the fourth of an informal series of
meetings on
mass extinctions, global catastrophes, geological (and
biological)
implications of impact events, and related investigations, which
were
initially held at Snowbird, Utah, to discuss studies of the
Cretaceous-Tertiary (K-T) boundary. The first and second of these
meetings were held October 19-22, 1981, and October 20-23, 1988.
The
third one took place February 9-12, 1994, in Houston, Texas.
While the
first two of these conferences had the K-T boundary as their main
topic, and included vigorous debates on the evidence for an
impact
event 65 m.y. ago and alternative explanations, by 1994 this
evidence
was overwhelming due to the discovery and confirmation of the
Chicxulub
structure in Yucatan, Mexico, as the long-sought K-T boundary
impact
crater. Therefore, more recently the discussion shifted to the
question
if (and how) short-term, high-energy events influence the
biological
evolution on the Earth, and if the observed changes in the
biological
record show evidence of very short-term events other than the K-T
boundary event.
Current studies of the most profound extinction event in Earth's
history, at the end of the Permian, indicated a much shorter time
frame
for this event than earlier data had suggested, with significant
associated geochemical anomalies. The cause for this global
catastrophe
is currently unknown, but speculations center on massive
volcanism or
cometary impact. Other boundaries and short-term events (e.g.,
late
Devonian, Triassic-Jurassic, late Eocene) in the stratigraphic
record
of the Earth are now receiving unprecedented attention. Thus, we
feel
that the time has come to summarize and discuss the current state
of
knowledge of the character and causes of mass extinctions and
catastrophic events in the history of our planet.
====================
(2) NANOBES AND METEOROIDS
From Michael Paine <mpaine@tpgi.com.au>
Dear Benny,
Follow-up on to the CCNET posting on 23/3/99 "SCIENTISTS
DISCOVER NEW
LIFE FORMS". Below is an extract from my "Swapping
Rocks" web page
http://www1.tpgi.com.au/users/tps-seti/swaprock.html
On 20 March the Australian ABC Radio Science Show had a report on
Queensland research into nanobacteria (nanobes) - see
http://www.uq.edu.au/nanoworld/uwins.html#nano-organisms
(particularly
the PDF download)). The findings have implications for:
* Interplanetary transfer of organisms via meteoroids - the
Nanobes
apparently survived the vacuum and intense radiation of the
electron
microscope (c.f. space travel) after being taken from the hot,
pressurised environment 5 km below the seabed (c.f. planetary
ejection
due to a cosmic impact and subsequent re-entry) and
* "Nanofossils" in Martian meteorite ALH84001. Until
now it was thought
by many scientists that "organisms" around 20
nanometres - the size of
the nanofossils - were too small for "life"!
Links
Press release</A> from Queensland University
http://www2.uq.edu.au/newsreleases/view.asp?method=byCategory&freeText=&year=&c_id=&n_id=1271
BBC item
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_300000/300949.stm
ABC TV Quantum "Deep Bacteria"
http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/scripts99/9903/rundown.htm
featuring an interview with Paul Davies. Paul's comment on
the Queensland University discovery, if verified -
"Mommentous"
New Scientist editorial
http://www.newscientist.com/ns/19990327/editorial.html#2
Regards
Michael Paine
==================
(3) CRATER COUNTS ON MARS
W.K. Hartmann*), M. Malin, A. McEwen, M. Carr, L. Soderblom, P.
Thomas,
E. Danielson, P. James, J. Veverka: Evidence for recent volcanism
on
Mars from crater counts. NATURE, 1999, Vol.397, No.6720,
pp.586-589
*) PLANETARY SCIENCE INSTITUTE,TUCSON,AZ,85705
Impact craters help characterize the age of a planetary surface,
because they accumulate with time. They also provide useful
constraints
on the importance of surface erosion, as such processes will
preferentially remove the smaller craters. Earlier studies of
martian
crater populations revealed that erosion and dust deposition are
important processes on Mars. They disagreed, however, on the age
of the
youngest volcanism. These earlier studies were limited by image
resolution to craters larger than a few hundred metres in
diameter.
Here we report an analysis, using new images obtained by the Mars
Global Surveyor spacecraft, of crater populations that extend the
size
distribution down to about 16 m. Our results indicate a wide
range
of surface ages, with one region-lava flows within the Arsia Mons
caldera-that we estimate to be no older than 40-100 million
years. We
suggest that volcanism is a continuing process on Mars. Copyright
1999,
Institute for Scientific Information Inc.
===================
(4) COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES BY MULTIPLE IMPACTS
Y. Miura, S. Fukuyama, A. Gucsik: Compositional changes by
multiple
impacts. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY, 1999,
Vol.85,
No.1-3, pp.192-193
YAMAGUCHI UNIVERSITY,FAC SCI,DEPT CHEM & EARTH SCI,GRAD SCH
SCI &
ENGN,YAMAGUCHI 753,JAPAN
Multiple impacts (i.e. progressive impacts) with reduction state
produce characteristic compositions originated from target rock.
Pure
carbon can be obtained from limestone target rocks by
multi-impact
reaction with reduction state which can be found in natural and
artificial impact craters. Pure Fe spherules in lunar
agglutinates can
be obtained from FeO-rich basaltic rock by multiple impacts
including
multi-impact reaction on the airless Moon. (C) 1999 Published by
Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.
===================
(5) NEW INSIGHT INTO EARTH'S MAGNETIC QUIRKS
From Andrew Yee <ayee@nova.astro.utoronto.ca>
Royal Astronomical Society Press Notice
Date: 29 March 1999
For immediate release
Ref. PN 99/08
Issued by:
Dr Jacqueline Mitton
RAS Public Relations Officer
Office & home phone: Cambridge ((0)1223) 564914
FAX: Cambridge ((0)1223) 572892
E-mail: jmitton@dial.pipex.com
CONTACT FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS RELEASE
Professor David Gubbins, Department of Earth Sciences, University
of
Leeds.
e-mail: d.gubbins@earth.leeds.ac.uk
Normal Office Tel. +44 (0)113 233 5255
Contact phone no. 29 March - 10 April 1999: +44 (0)1988 500296
NEW INSIGHT INTO EARTH'S MAGNETIC QUIRKS
Far below us, in the bowels of the Earth, something is stirring.
Immense flows of hot liquid iron gradually rise and fall in the
molten
outer part of our planet's core where dynamo action gives rise to
magnetism. Now, new insight into the nature of this process is
helping
make sense of the aberrant behaviour of Earth's magnetic field
over
thousands and millions of years. Writing in the April 1999 issue
of the
Geophysical Journal International (GJI), Professor David Gubbins
of the
University of Leeds describes a new scenario for physical
processes in
Earth's core that explains in broad terms the pattern of past
episodes
in which Earth's magnetic field has changed dramatically in
strength,
direction or both.
Certain rocks preserve a record of the state of Earth's magnetism
at
the time they formed. From studying and dating them,
geophysicists have
known for some time that Earth's magnetic poles have often
flipped
completely in the remote past. The last such reversal took place
700
thousand years ago. But there is also evidence for more frequent
episodes when the magnetic poles have moved a large distance --
45
degrees or more away from the geographical pole -- then returned.
These
events, known as 'excursions', are rather like failed attempts at
reversal. When they occur, the strength of the magnetic field
falls
dramatically as well, by a factor of 5 or 10.
Professor Gubbins has drawn on recent experimental results,
particularly those from a research group in Utrecht headed by Dr
Cor
Langereis, which clearly identify six relatively recent magnetic
excursions as true global phenomena. All the excursions lasted
roughly
the same length of time -- about 5,000 years. Furthermore,
preliminary
results from the recent Ocean Drilling Program Leg 172 have
revealed
more than twenty excursions recorded in sediments of the North
Atlantic
in the same time period. While these events have not been
correlated
world-wide, the sediments indicate very clearly that excursions
are
quite frequent events. Professor Gubbins noted that there are
about ten
excursions between each full reversal. Every 20 - 50 thousand
years,
the Earth's magnetic field collapses in a failed attempt to
reverse,
but then re-establishes itself quickly over a timescale of just a
couple of thousand years.
This pattern of behaviour can be explained, says Professor
Gubbins, by
the much longer period of time it takes for magnetic change to
take
effect in the solid inner core than in the fluid outer core. In
the
outer core, the magnetic field changes in response to the flow of
the
liquid iron, which typically moves 10 or 20 kilometres per year.
At
that rate a 'parcel' of iron moves from the top of the inner core
to
the bottom in about 500 years or so, and the magnetic field in
the
outer core could also changethat quickly.
However, the magnetic field also permeates the solid metal inner
core.
Here change is much slower, governed by the response to
electrical
resistance. The timescale is more like 5,000 years than 500. The
difference of a factor of ten between these two timescales
explains
why there are about ten excursions for every reversal.
In the scenario painted by Professor Gubbins, excursions
represent a
reversal of the magnetic field in the liquid outer core, which
takes
only a few centuries. The much slower process of change in the
solid
inner core begins, but more often than not, the dynamo in the
outer
core re-establishes the magnetic field there in its original
direction
before total reversal in the whole core is achieved. The
5,000-year
timescale for magnetic change in the inner core also explains why
no
excursions lasting longer than about 5,000 years are identified
in the
best data; an episode lasting more than 5,000 years will end up
with
total reversal.
So far these ideas are largely qualitative. Computers currently
available are not powerful enough for the kind of simulations
needed to
reproduce the properties of Earth's liquid core in sufficient
detail,
but Professor Gubbins is hopeful that the next generation of
parallel
supercomputers will finally help theorists explain the mysteries
of
Earth's magnetic field reversals.
Note
Radius of Earth - 6,371 km
Radius of solid inner core - 1,233 km
Liquid outer core - begins at a depth of
2,886 km.
===================
(6) THE ANNALS OF XANTEN: COMETS & DISASTERS IN THE DARK AGES
From Trevor Palmer <trevor.palmer@ntu.ac.uk>
Dear Benny,
During my recent forays into early European history, I have come
across
the Annals of Xanten, from northwestern Germany, translated by
Simon
Coupland for a forthcoming volume with Manchester University
Press
about sources for the reign of Charles the Bald. You are probably
already familiar with these Annals but, if not, the following
extracts
may be of interest to you.
810. The sun and moon failed twice, the sun on 8 June and the
moon on
21 June, and King Pippin, the Emperor's son, passed away.
814. The most glorious Emperor Charles of blessed memory was
called
by the Lord, and departed this life on 28 January. And later, in
the
month of March, Emperor Louis came to the palace at Aachen
from
Aquitaine.
817. The Emperor established his son Lothar as emperor. In the
month of
October that same year rays of fire appeared in the sky.
834. Emperor Louis and his wife pursued Lothar, who eventually
came to
them with all his men, and when both parties had sworn allegiance
-
even if it was unreliable - they each went back home. Meanwhile,
as
this was going on, heathens fell upon the celebrated trading
settlement at Dorestad, and laid it waste with savage cruelty.
And at
this time the Frankish Empire was lying largely desolate within
itself,
and day by day men's misery increased greatly. In the same year
water flooded the land far and wide.
836. In the month of February wondrous rays of light appeared
from east
to west in the early part of the night. In the same year the
heathen
again attacked the Christians.
837. A mighty whirlwind kept breaking out, and a comet was seen,
sending out a great trail to the east, which to human eyes looked
as
if it was three cubits long.
838. The winter was wet and windy, and on 21 January thunder was
heard,
just as on 18 February loud thunder could be heard. And the
excessive
heat of the sun scorched the earth, and there were earthquakes
in some parts of the land, and fire in the shape of a dragon was
seen
in the air. In that year a wicked heresy arose. In the same year
a
great peal of thunder was heard on the fifth night before the
birth of
our Lord, and lightning was seen, and the distress and misfortune
of
men grew daily in many ways.
839. On 26 December an immense whirlwind arose, so that the
waters of
the sea burst their banks and bounds over a wide area, and
tragically
engulfed a countless host of people and buildings in villages and
settlements round about. And fleets at sea were broken up and
overturned, and a flame of fire could be seen over the whole of
the
sea. On 25 March of the same year wondrous rays of light appeared
in the sky towards evening, encompassing the whole arc of the
heavens
like a circular building.
840. Identical rays appeared on two successive nights like those
of the
previous year. And on 3 May, that is the third Rogation Day,
there
was an eclipse of the sun at the ninth hour, and the stars were
as
clearly visible in the sky as at night.
841. On July 28 of the same year, a Thursday, three circles
appeared in
the sky in broad daylight, encircling one another so that they
looked
rather like a rainbow. The smallest enclosed the sun at its
centre,
and yet seemed more intense in colour than the others. The
largest
was in the west, with its rim appearing to touch the sun. The
middle
one was in the north, and encircled the two already described to
an
equal extent. Even so, the big one and the middle one seemed much
paler
than the little one. And the small cloud in the north-east shone
brightly in the same way as the rings, though in one place it
looked
as if it was a long way from them. They were observed before the
third hour of the day, and remained until after midday.
842. During Lent a star in the west shone with unusual brightness
to
the east. And Lothar ravaged Gaul before returning to Aachen.
845. There were two earthquakes in the Worms region, the first in
the
night after Palm Sunday, and the second in the holy night of
Christ's
resurrection...After all this had happened, King Louis mustered a
great
army and moved against the Wends. When the unbelievers learned of
this,
they dispatched envoys across to Saxony and sent him presents and
hostages, seeking peace. And he returned from Saxony, having
granted
them peace. Later, however, the robbers were struck down by a
terrible
plague...
850. On 1 January, that is, eight days after the Lord's nativity,
loud
thunder was heard towards evening, and on the same day great
lightning
was seen, and that winter floods of water afflicted the human
race. And
the following summer the excessive heat of the sun scorched the
earth.
852. The steel of the heathen glowed red hot, the sun's heat was
excessive, and famine followed: animal fodder ran short, and
there
was an abundance of feeding-grounds for the pigs.
853. There was a great famine in Saxony, so that many people
lived off
horsemeat.
857. A great plague of swollen abscesses swept through the
populace,
and as it consumed them they rotted away horribly, so that their
limbs
fell apart and dropped off before they died.
868. During the September fast two great circles appeared in the
sky,
looking rather like a rainbow. At first the larger of them, to
the
north, was the most beautiful, but then it faded as it seemed to
diffuse its essence towards the south. And the smaller one
encircled
the sun at its centre and shone in all its glory at the far end
of the
other one. And they appeared before the third hour and lasted
until the
ninth hour, when they disappeared. At that time in Saxony fire
was seen
flying through the air with the speed of an arrow, as thick as a
pitchfork and shooting off sparks like an iron block in a
furnace. And
suddenly it seemed to go up in oily black smoke before the eyes
of many
people. But only the Lord knows the meaning of this. Later, in
the
autumn, an edict went out from the kings that a general fast
should be
observed for three days because of the threat of the terrors of
famine
and plague, and there were great earthquakes throughout the
kingdoms,
so that very many people despaired of life itself.
869. In the month of February peals of thunder were heard from
the dark
waters in the clouds of the air, and on 15 September, that is,
the
holy night of Septuagesima, a comet was seen in the north-west,
followed immediately by very strong winds and an enormous deluge
of water, in which very many were caught unawares and perished.
And then in the summer a very severe famine ensued in many
provinces, but above all in Burgundy and Gaul, in which a large
number of people suffered an untimely death, so that some people
are said to have eaten human corpses, while others are supposed
to
have lived off dogmeat.
872. In that same year the battering of thunder, rain and
hailstorms
did great harm to mankind, damaging buildings and crops alike.
And the
principle mother church of the holy apostle Peter in the town of
Worms,
which had just been restored again by Bishop Samuel, abbot of the
monks
of St Nazarius, was set alight and destroyed when it was struck
by
lightning.
873. In the same winter there was unexpected flooding caused by
the
snow suddenly melting, particularly on the banks of the Rhine.
And a
great many people were lost as the waters poured in, along with
countless buildings and crops. Later, in the middle of the month
of
August, the ancient plague of the Egyptians once again appeared
throughout the land from the east, namely countless swarms of
locusts,
like bees leaving the hive, which as they flew through the air
gave out
a faint noise, like little birds. And when they rose, the sky
could
only just be seen, as if through a sieve...And from 1 November
right up
until Sezagesima snow covered the whole surface of the earth, and
the
Lord constantly distressed his people with various plagues,
visiting
their transgressions upon them with the rod, and their sins upon
them
with the whip.
----------------------------------------
THE CAMBRIDGE-CONFERENCE NETWORK (CCNet)
----------------------------------------
The CCNet is a scholarly electronic network. To
subscribe/unsubscribe,
please contact the moderator Benny J Peiser <b.j.peiser@livjm.ac.uk>.
Information circulated on this network is for scholarly and
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*
CCNet LETTERS: REACTIONS TO THE GENOCIDE IN KOSOVO
--------------------------------------------------
(1) MODERATOR'S NOTE
Benny J Peiser
(2) I AM ON 48 HOURS NOTICE TO MOVE TO KOSOVO
Jonathan TATE <spaceguard@dial.pipex.com>
(3) SERB MYTHOLOGY AND THE WAR
Andrea Milani Comparetti <milani@copernico.dm.unipi.it>
(4) CCNet AND SERBIA
Clark Chapman <cchapman@boulder.swri.edu>
=========================
(1) MODERATOR'S NOTE:
These are the last letters on the Kosovo conflict which I will
accept
for circulation on the CCNet. I think the contrasting positions
among list members are perfectly clear. The battle for the soul
of
Europe and the future of human rights internationally will have
to be
fought on other fronts. There is just one other issue I would
like to
address: In his letter below, Jay Tate, the director and driving
force
of SPACEGUARD UK, tells us that he is on 48 hours notice to move
to
Kosovo. It is only because brave men like Jay have confronted
totalitarian dictatorship and mass murder in the past that most
of us
today are living in open and free societies. Let us hope that the
race
against the Kosovo genocide will be won before Jay is called up.
Good luck, Jay.
Benny J Peiser
======================
(2) I AM ON 48 HOURS NOTICE TO MOVE TO KOSOVO
From Jonathan TATE <spaceguard@dial.pipex.com>
Dear Benny,
Firstly let me say that I do not believe that this forum is the
place
for political Soap-boxing, but secondly, as a member of the armed
forces I cannot let Andrea Milani's letter pass without reply. I
would
like to make a couple of brief points, and then I'll shut up.
Point 1
No one hates war as much as those who are invited to prosecute
it.
Those pilots (and soon soldiers) now fighting in the former
Yugoslavia
would much rather be at home, safe, with their families.
Point 2
Mr. Knezevic is perfectly safe, as long as he is not a member of
the
Serbian armed forces or Special Police. He is probably, and
quite
understandably frightened by the propaganda.
Point 3
I totally agree that Science should be above politics. Why then
is
information being withheld?
I am trying to understand Dr Milani's moral dilemma. It
would be nice
if politics did not impinge on science, but the real-life fact is
that
it does. More to the point, it is much more important to consider
those
affected by the genocide than our own petty concerns. As
you may know,
I am, as well as being involved in Spaceguard UK and the
Foundation, a
serving officer in the British Army. I have been to war before,
more
than once, but I want to be in on this one. The aim is
crystal clear
.... and the enemy is so despicable as to make pulling the
trigger
easy.
Point 4
No stealth bomber has yet turned back because of public opinion.
Bad
visibility at the target, making certain marking has been a
factor in
aborted missions.
Point 5
"Thus I would like to officially announce my one man anti
war strike. I
shall not publish the results of the work done with Zoran
Knezevic, and
the results already obtained shall not be made available to other
scientists, until he has the possibility to visit me to write the
paper. Other scientists can do the work in our place; some may
salute
with some relief the end of a monopoly on the production of
proper
elements which has lasted even too long. But I hope some will
understand that I have good reasons to do what I am doing."
I can sympathise with this feeling ..... no one hates war as much
as
those who have had to do it before. But give a credible
alternative to
the current actions. Diplomacy has been blown out of the
water by
Milosovic, the Serbs are committing horrible crimes in
Kosovo. Should
we just stand by, wringing our hands saying "Please stop, we
don't like
what you are doing"? I await the answer to this one
with interest.
If you saw a pregnant woman being assaulted on the other side of
the
road, would you just walk away saying "Hey, I don't know her
so it's
not my problem."
I am on 48 hours notice to move to Kosovo, and after some soul
searching (what about my family?) I am damned proud to be part of
the
organisation that will bring this abhorrent regime to heel.
OK .... that's it. Sorry about all of that.
All the best
Jay Tate
Major
Royal Artillery
======================
(3) SERB MYTHOLOGY AND THE WAR
From Andrea Milani Comparetti <milani@copernico.dm.unipi.it>
Dear Benny,
If you believe that I am a biased pro-Serb, then you might not
have read
well my 'Serb mithology', which actually contains something more,
and
which by a quirk of fate applies exactly to Kosovo (although it
was
written some time ago). I enclose the page, from
http://copernico.dm.unipi.it/~milani/belgrado/
With all this, I am against the war (not against NATO!).
yours
Andrea Milani
---------------
THE LEGEND AND A FRIENDLY ADVICE
From Andrea Milani
http://copernico.dm.unipi.it/~milani/belgrado/node19.html#SECTION00700000000000000000
In the poem The ruin of the Serb kingdom, which belongs to the
Serb
oral tradition collected by Vuk Karadzic, the king Lazar is
visited,
immediately before the battle of Kosovo (1389), by a grey hawk
holding
in the mouth a swallow. However, the grey hawk was not a hawk but
Saint
Elias, and the swallow was not a swallow but a letter from the
Mother
of God. The hawk deposited the letter on the knees of Lazar, and
the
letter began to speak, proposing the following alternatives. If
he
prefers the kingdom of this Earth, then he should prepare himself
and
his army with the weapons for the battle, and all the turks would
be
killed and the great battle would be won. If, on the contrary, he
rather likes to belong to the kingdom of the heavens, he should
build a
church on the field of Kosovo where he was to meet the turks, and
himself with all his soldiers should get the Holy Communion; but
later
he and all his soldiers would be killed, and the decisive battle
lost.
Then king Lazar considered by himself what he would rather do,
and
having thought that the earthly kingdom is anyway small and
limited in
time, while the heavenly kingdom is infinite and ethernal, he
decided
to chose the latter. Thus he built the church and performed the
religious rites, following exactly the instructions received from
the
Mother of God; the next day, after a long and terrible battle, he
was
defeated by the turks and killed, together with all his soldiers.
This traditional song, preserved for many centuries -of course
with
many transformations, and with little care for the details of the
historical events- for having been song with the accompaining
music of
single string fiddle, must represent a very strongly held belief.
All
along the centuries of the Turkish domination, after all
resistance had
been crushed, when all the rare uprisings only resulted in
massacres,
the Serbs kept copying their icons and singing their legends,
thus
preserving their language, culture, religion, and national
identity.
Only in the 19th century they were able to fight, with some
reasonable
chance of success, against the turks; the first Serb high school
, in
which a new Serb speaking intellectual elite could be formed, was
created during the first Belgrade uprising of 1806-1813, and Vuk
Karazic was one of the first students.
The legend of king Lazar is of course susceptible of different
interpretation, but a possible one is that the Serb were deeply
convinced that it is better to be right, to preserve their own
way of
thinking, rather than to be successful in the military and
economic
sense, as they never were for centuries. Actually, the ones who
give
up, and become Muslims, do not consider themselves, and are not
considered, Serb any more.
Since I do not believe in neutral, objective knowledge, and even
less
in neutral touristic guides, I have done many comments and I
apologize
if I have offended somebody, but I will nevertheless stand for my
own
opinion. However, I would like to give a single, final comment
which is
as far from neutral as it could be.
Let us try to answer the following question: suppose king Lazar
is
reborn now. If presented with the following alternative: should
the
Serb nation either chose to reaffirm that it has preserved, even
against the odds and the persecutions (not only by the turks),
the
culture, the spirit, and the morality by which it is a nation in
its
own right, but within the framework of European culture, spirit,
and
morality; or, should the Serbs prefer a small kingdom of this
world,
may be in the form of some villages where other Serb either live
or
used to live? Guess what king Lazar would chose.
===================
(4) CCNet AND SERBIA
From Clark Chapman <cchapman@boulder.swri.edu>
Benny and Andrea -- While I respect the high principles that have
motivated you each to write as you did in the recent mailing, I
think
the subject matter has strayed from the purposes for which CCNet
subscribers participate.
Clark