Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site utastro.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!think!harvard!seismo!ut-sally!utastro!ethan From: ethan@utastro.UUCP (Ethan Vishniac) Newsgroups: net.followup,net.flame Subject: Re: Re: Terrorism and TWA 847 Message-ID: <335@utastro.UUCP> Date: Thu, 11-Jul-85 11:00:51 EDT Article-I.D.: utastro.335 Posted: Thu Jul 11 11:00:51 1985 Date-Received: Sat, 13-Jul-85 10:59:18 EDT References: <600003@ur-univax.UUCP> <518@hou2g.UUCP>, <1072@ihuxb.UUCP> <925@houxf.UUCP> <1226@mnetor.UUCP> Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX Lines: 29 Xref: watmath net.followup:5097 net.flame:11099 > > ->> Each and every time those Shi'ite (or however you spell > > ->> it) terrorists kill a hostage, or let a hostage die, > > ->> let's execute 5 or so of the people they're trying to > > ->> have released. That'll shut 'em up... > > ->> SJBerry > > -> > > -> Actually, the Adolph Hitler principle states that you should kill > > ->ten of "their" people for each one of "ours". > > ->H. Reza Taheri > > -> > > > > Don't credit Hitler with this policy, the Romans instituted it much earlier > > and that's how we got the word "decimate". > > Dave Peak > > My understanding of "decimation" was that it was a process whereby people > were lined up and counted and every 10th person was killed. Does anybody > know for sure which meaning is the correct one? > -- > Sophie Quigley Sophie is right. Decimation was a punishment used for group crimes, like mutiny in the army. I believe Suetonius gives some examples. -- "Don't argue with a fool. Ethan Vishniac Borrow his money." {charm,ut-sally,ut-ngp,noao}!utastro!ethan Department of Astronomy University of Texas