Re: Misconceptions assessments?

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 13:55 11/22/00 -0800, you wrote:
> The Oxford English Dictionary tells us "decimate"
> comes from the practice in the Roman army of executing
> one of every ten as a punishment for mutiny.  A quick
> online search finds support for this ///
> Zach Wolff

I expect I have been watching far too much candidatorial
bilateral mouth talking - but for whatever reason, your
note led me down this side alley.

The last three major mutinies from a (British) Imperial
perspective were the Indian mutiny, the American
colonial mutiny and the Irish republican mutiny.
(Mutiny, as broadly defined)

If a decimation may be said to reduce the average
 population life expectancy by one tenth, then at the turn
of the 20th century, the "punishment" inflicted upon the
 US population for their rebellion, could be reckoned as
48 = 70*(1 - 1/10)^n

n log 0.9 = log 48/70
n -0.0458 = -0.1639
n = 3.6

Three decimations per generation, on each American
generation at the turn of the 20th century.

I am remarking of course on the dreadful American life expectancy at
the turn of the 20th century in 1900 ..ah.. 1901,  of 48 years
compared with a European three score years and ten.

There: let that be a lesson!
(Or as a famous General remarked in French
 - let that encourage the others.)


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>  Altus OK
                Eureka!