Italy: Living in an Earthquake Zone

A video entitled Italy: Living in an Earthquake Zone on European Journal, Deutsche Welle. Extremely irritating commentary but the clips show the devastation of the earthquakes that hit the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy a few months ago. Heart-breaking to see the loss of buildings that have survived so many years before this shake.

Terremoto

Earlier today, at 04:04 Italian time 20 May 2012, the Emilia-Romagna region was hit by 6.0 magnitude 5km deep earthquake, about 35km north-northwest of Bologna, claiming at least six lives, and injuring many others as buildings crumbled and collapsed, many of them of historical significance. Together with the recent terrorism in Brindisi, Italy has been making world headlines for all the worst reasons; one of my friends lives near Bologna and I'm anxious to hear from him soon; praying there are no aftershocks or further disaster.

BBC News article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18135898

Images sourced from Repubblica.it

Emily

Etymology will never cease to fascinate me, especially that of names. My name, Emily, is derived from the Roman patrician family Aemilia, one of the oldest patrician houses of Rome. It is believed that the family began in the reign of Numa Pompilius, who was the second King of Rome, and the Aemilii were one of the gentes maiores, the major patrician families, with its members holding some of the highest offices of the state, throughout the Republican years into the Imperial. In 187BC, Marcus Aemilius Lepidus, who was a Roman consul, Pontifex Maximus, and censor, oversaw the construction of Via Aemilia, the main road from Piacenza to Rimini, which is still one of the major roads of Northern Italy. He also supervised the completion of the Basilica Aemilia in the Roman forum. Marcus Aemilius Scaurus was a Roman consul and considered one of the most influential politicians of the Republic. In 115BC he oversaw the construction of the Via Aemilia Scauri road which connected Rome to Placentia and Pisa, running through Genoa. The region of Emilia-Romagna, derives the former half of its name from Via Aemilia. There is so much history behind names that we never really think of, it's kind of overwhelming to think how far back they originated.