Is Pennsylvania pushing us to a parliamentary system of government?

Pennsylvania is considering a new method for apportioning its presidential electoral votes:

A new proposal is pushing the often-forgotten Electoral College into the spotlight as Pennsylvania officials ponder the state's role in next year's presidential race.

Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi is trying to gather support to change the state's "winner-takes-all" approach for awarding electoral votes. Instead, he's suggesting that Pennsylvania dole them out based on which candidate wins each of the 18 congressional districts, with the final two going to the contender with the most votes statewide.

So far, the idea has received support from colleagues of the Delaware County Republican in the state House and from Republican Gov. Tom Corbett. But Democrats, who have carried the state in presidential contests since 1992, said the shift would erode Pennsylvania's clout.

Only two states -- Nebraska and Maine -- divide their electoral votes instead of giving the whole bloc to the candidate that wins the state's popular vote. Even for those two states, the piecemeal approach has been a rarity, with Nebraska historically dividing its five votes in the 2008 election, when one went to President Barack Obama.

An analysis by the online news service Capitolwire noted that had the proposed distribution process been in place in Pennsylvania in 2008 before the state lost one congressional district due to a population decline in the 2010 census, Mr. Obama would have won only 11 of the state's 21 votes.

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Forced socializing is rude

I am a typical church-goer in many ways.  I go to Mass every week at my ROMAN Catholic Church.  We have a great pastor who actually gives intelligent sermons.  But one problem we've had in recent years is with our lead singer.  I won't mention his name or give any indication of who he is, because he's probably a decent guy, but he has a most infuriating practice of having us introduce ourselves to the people around us before Mass.  Such introductions are not a requirement in the Catholic mass or even standard practice, but this guy forces it on us and the pastor lets him.  For those of us who are socially shy and introverted like myself, it is not only extremely uncomfortable but offensive.  I am there to worship God, not to network.  It became so annoying to my parents that they actually switched parishes.  I haven't, but I've done my best to avoid it.  I tried to pray during these introductions, but the people around me would just force themselves on me.  Lately I've taken to coming to Mass late to avoid the whole thing.

The practice of holding hands during the Our Father, also not required in the Church, can be just as bad, with on occasion those next to me actually grabbing my hands. 

Why is it that outgoing people try to force socializing on ther rest of us who simply want to be left alone?
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Go figure

Another picture I took in my beloved Rome of something I found amusing.  We were returning to our tour bus from il Colosseo and il Foro Romano when I spotted this store:

You can't find these stores just anywhere!

I couldn't believe it.  I mean, an Italian store?  In Italy?  You're kidding right? Who coulda guessed that?

I wanted to stop in -- I'm guessing it sold souvenirs -- but we were being herded to our bus and it was across the street.  Crossing the street in Rome typically requires special health and life insurance riders.

Although as I understand it, Rome is far better than Naples, where before you cross the street you are advised to provide contact information for your next of kin.

New archaeological survey at Ostia

Via the excellent RogueClassicism, we have news of a major survey project at the port of ancient Rome, Ostia:

The remains of a harbour city that was one of the most important ports in Ancient Rome is to undergo a major surveying project that will allow for complete verification of its established control points and a new GNSS-based coordinate system.

Ostia Antica, which is sited at the mouth of the Tiber River and is a major Roman archaeological site, was prioritised for the survey by the Superintendent of the Archaeological Heritage of Rome due to its historic importance.

The city was founded in 620 BC as a military base and, as Rome's importance throughout the Mediterranean grew, became the main emporium of Rome, housing a number of important civic buildings.

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Battle of Marathon re-enactment

This is cool:

Sweating beneath heavy armour, a group of die-hard archaeology fans brought the Battle of Marathon to life this weekend on the coastal plain where the fate of Europe dramatically changed 2,500 years ago.

Gathering from Europe, North America and Australia, the re-enactors staged a three-day event of combat, archaic culture revival and commemoration at Marathon Bay never before seen in Greece despite its rich archaeological heritage.

For many of the participants, it was also a personal pilgrimage after long years of arduous preparation and unfulfilled hope.

"It's a dream come true after 10 years," said Hywel Jones, a printer from Wales who came to Marathon with his wife Stephanie to fight as a Greek hoplite, the heavily armed infantry soldier of ancient Greece.

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Iranian mullahs up to no good

but then you knew that.  What you may not have known is the Iranian mullahs are pursuing electromagnetic pulse technology to disable American computer systems:

The first thing they will notice is there is no power. Another damn power outage, they will grumble — but then again, there has been no storm. Confused, some will try to call for information, but the phones will be down. The TV, the radio — nothing, no reception.
The panic will come when cars won’t start.
The traffic lights will be out, too. It will get much worse. Most will not survive to see life get back to normal in America.
Thousands will be stranded on subways, and over a million passengers who fly daily across the continent will be stuck at airports with flights canceled. Those already in the air will meet a deadly fate as planes plunge from the sky, their electronics fried.

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These were on my office walls after September 11, 2001