Photo: Alamy House Speaker Mike Johnson‚ R-La.‚ met with President Donald Trump on Monday in Palm Beach‚ Florida. On X‚ Speaker Johnson posted a photo of the two of them… The post Speaker Johnson meets with Trump‚ vows to grow GOP majority in 2024 first appeared on Right Side Broadcasting Network (RSBN).

  Since the time of Alexander the Great (336-323 BCE)‚ the Macedonians had dominated the eastern Mediterranean. Their heavy infantry phalanx rolled over the Greek cities and then the Persian Empire. To the west‚ Roman legionnaires had conquered Italy and were overwhelming Carthage. At the start of the second century BCE‚ a series of wars pitted these two conquering forces against each other. After almost two decades of indecisive combat‚ the first critical clash came in the early summer of 197 BCE at Cynoscephalae.   Before Cynoscephalae: The First Macedonian War  The Macedonian phalanx‚ via Livius.org   The First Macedonian War (215-205 BCE) was a sideshow to the war between Hannibal’s Carthage and the Romans. Philip V (221-179 BCE) had‚ by this point‚ reigned as the young King of Macedonia for six years. So far‚ he had managed to maintain his dynasty’s influence over Greece but was worried by the emerging Roman presence on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea and Macedonia’s western border. As Hannibal defeated Roman armies in Italy‚ Philip sought an alliance with the Carthaginian. In response‚ Rome went to war with Macedonia.   Both sides entered this conflict with limited ambitions. The Romans‚ fighting for their lives in Italy‚ had few resources to spare and sought only to prevent any assistance from reaching Hannibal. It is unlikely Philip had ambitions in Italy but instead aimed at the removal of Roman influence on his borders. The course of this ten-year war reflects these limited ambitions. Philip made some gains in the north but could not expel the Romans. For their part‚ the Roman contribution was largely restricted to their navy with much of the fighting done by Greek allies. This was effective enough to achieve the Roman aim of preventing Philip from aiding Hannibal in Italy.   This first war was a defensive conflict for the Romans. A powerful state had made an alliance with their most dangerous enemy‚ and they had acted to limit the damage. This war though‚ deepened Roman involvement in the affairs of Greece and the Aegean.   The Second Macedonian War  Tetradrachm of Philip V‚ via the American Numismatic Society   The Second Macedonian War (200-197 BCE) was a short and decisive conflict that saw a direct clash between the full Roman and Macedonian armies. Its origins lay in disputes that did not‚ and need not‚ have directly involved the Romans.   Philip’s campaigns east of Macedonia in the regions of Thrace and Asia Minor (north-west Turkey) brought him into conflict with the Kingdom of Pergamon (a Roman ally) and the island of Rhodes. A seemingly minor incident of alleged religious sacrilege at Eleusis widened the conflict to Athens and prompted Macedonian raids on the city. The Rhodians‚ Pergamon‚ and the Athenians appealed to Rome. Despite some reservations from a war-weary populace‚ the aristocratic Roman Senate called for war. And so‚ Rome’s second war against Philip and the Macedonians began. The Romans could claim this was to defend their allies‚ but the rulers of Rome embraced the opportunity for war.   200 BCE saw Philip inflicting heavy damage on the countryside around Athens while a Roman fleet raided the key Macedonian base of Chalcis on the island of Euboea. In the following year‚ Rome and its allies‚ now including the Aitolians and King Amynander of the Athamanians‚ pressured Macedonia’s borders without making a breakthrough.   Portrait probably of Flamininus‚ Museum of Delphi‚ via Livius.org   The war turned with the appointment of Titus Quinctius Flamininus to the command of Roman forces. Ambitious‚ capable‚ and energetic Flamininus had risen to Rome’s highest office‚ the consulship‚ before the age of thirty. Wasting no time‚ he set off to take command at the first opportunity. Speaking Greek and presenting himself as a lover of Greek culture Flamininus was able to win friends and dispel the fear of the Romans as barbarians that had built up following a number of brutal Roman acts in recent years.  Soon Philip’s key Greek ally‚ the Achaians‚ defected leaving the Macedonians with few remaining friends.   A first attempt at peace in 198 BCE failed as Philip could not accept Roman demands which would have severely reduced Macedonian influence. Flamininus inflicted a defeat on Philip at the river Aous significantly damaging the Macedonian army and forcing the king to retreat. Meanwhile‚ Roman and allied forces continue to pressure Macedonian positions in the Peloponnese and on Euboea. By the start of 197 BCE‚ the war was going badly for Philip‚ but he was far from defeated. The matter would have to be settled in a head-to-head battle.   The Campaign of 197 BCE  Macedonian solider of the 4th century BCE‚ Agios Athanasios tomb‚ via Wikimedia Commons   In the spring of 197 BCE the Roman and Macedonian armies moved towards each other. With its Greek allies the Roman army was probably around 30‚000 strong. Of these around 18‚000 were Roman legionnaire infantry including a number of veterans of the Punic Wars. In addition‚ the Romans boasted a force of 20 war elephants.   Philip’s army was likely a bit smaller at around 25‚000. The resources of his kingdom seem to have been stretched by the recent wars. For this campaign‚ he had been forced to call up teenagers and those above 55 to fill in the gaps. In contrast to the Roman force‚ Philip was leading an army with a considerable number of inexperienced soldiers.   Map of the 2nd Macedonian War‚ via Wikimedia Commons   The early summer saw these two armies maneuvering in southern Thessaly. Aware that Philip’s resources were at their limit Flamininus’ moves aimed at blocking his access to supplies by cutting the road to the Macedonian base of Demetrias on the coast. After an inconclusive skirmish‚ Philip headed west to seek supplies around the town of Scotussa. Flamininus followed to prevent Philip from resupplying. Both armies were now marching west to the same destination.   A range of hills separated the two armies making them unaware of each other’s presence. A storm and low thick mist reduced visibility further. When scouts from the two armies started coming across each other in the mist around the hills known as Cynoscephalae (Dog heads)‚ few expected that the day would bring the decisive and long-awaited clash between the Macedonian phalanx and the Roman legion.   Phalanx vs. Legion  Phalanx in battle position‚ via The Past   For a hundred and fifty years the Macedonian phalanx had crushed everything before it. Philip II had created an army that his son Alexander the Great used to conquer the Persian Empire. At its core was the phalanx‚ a densely packed body welding 18ft pike known as a sarissa. The length of the sarissa allowed five spear points to project out in front of the first rank of soldiers presenting the enemy with moving walls of spear points. Massed in formations sixteen men deep this wall of spears was virtually unapproachable and unstoppable once it got moving. This collective was extremely strong‚ but the individual soldier (a phalangite) was weak. The length of the sarissa meant the phalangite could only carry a small shield and sword or dagger. If their formation was broken‚ they were dangerously vulnerable. Therefore‚ the phalanx had to be deployed on suitably level ground.   The Roman legion of roughly 4‚500-5‚000 men was highly organized and divided into a variety of sub-sections rather than deploying as a single mass. They often went into battle in three lines organized according to each rank’s experience. Each legionnaire was heavily armed and armored with a large shield‚ javelins‚ and a short stabbing sword. In contrast to the phalangite a legionnaire could defend himself and would not be daunted by being divided into smaller groups.   The two armies stumbling toward each in the mist at Cynoscephalae would finally bring about the direct confrontation of these two different systems.   The Battle of Cynoscephalae  Roman Republican soldier‚ 2nd century BCE‚ via Louvre   Though long anticipated the battle that took place surprised both commanders. The first scouts confronting each other in the hills gradually drew in more units creating a significant skirmish. As Philip reached the top of the range of hills he was presented with a problem.   The Cynoscephalae hills‚ described at the time as “rough‚ precipitous and of considerable height” (Polybius 18.22)‚ were not the smooth level ground suited to the phalanx. Nor was Philip’s army in position. Not anticipating a battle part of his force had been sent out to look for supplies. The king was assembling a powerful force around him but to his left his units were still marching up. However‚ if Philip did nothing‚ he risked losing the forces currently engaged which would weaken his already smaller force.   Early positions of the two armies and Philip’s attack on the Roman left‚ via West Point   At various points in his career‚ Philip had acted courageously and decisively and after some hesitation he decided he had to act now. He ordered his phalanx to deploy and to double its ranks from the usual 16 deep to 32 creating a tightly packed and powerful attacking force. The Macedonian left flank under Nicanor was ordered to come up as quickly as possible. Flamininus brought his main forces into position to prepare for the attack.   Both sides charged at each other on the right-hand side of the battlefield. With sarissas lowered and coming downhill‚ the Macedonians began to push back the Roman left. Seeing his forces retreat‚ Flamininus reacted by switching attention to the other side of the battlefield. The Roman right‚ led by 20 war elephants‚ attacked the Macedonian left and caught them before they were prepared. Up on the hills‚ the phalanx could not deploy correctly‚ and the whole Macedonian left wing was defeated.   The day so far had been two separate battles. On the right‚ Philip was winning. On the left‚ Flamininus was equally triumphant. What swung this delicate balance was an unnamed Roman officer. Seemingly on his own initiative‚ a Roman tribune led 20 maniples (small units of around 120 men) from the advancing Roman right and turned on Philip’s soldiers. Having pushed up the hills in pursuit of the Macedonian left these Romans now attacked downhill into the vulnerable flank and rear of the phalanx. On the verge of victory shortly before‚ these phalangites were now practically defenseless unable to turn their sarissas around or change formation. The Romans cut them down mercilessly.   Macedonian right advances while the left is defeated‚ via West Point   Philip seeing his soldiers cut down in front of him and his left-wing defeated‚ pulled together what survivors he could and fled the field. 5‚000 Macedonians were reported captured‚ and around 8‚000 killed. The Romans are said to have lost about 700 men. The long-awaited clash between legion and phalanx had resulted in a decisive victory for the Romans.   Aftermath of the Battle of Cynoscephalae Stater of Flamininus‚ 196BCE‚ via The British Musuem   Reflecting on the battle‚ the Greek historian Polybius sought to understand the result (Polybius 18.28). After all‚ the Macedonian phalanx had dominated the battlefield for more than a century. The Greeks were shocked that it could be defeated in open battle‚ while Philip himself seems to have believed in the power of his army right up until the day of battle.   Polybius found that the vulnerability of the phalanx was its inflexibility. It was a powerful method of warfare but one that could only work on certain battlefields. The Roman army‚ by contrast‚ was more flexible. It was not a dense mass‚ only able to move in one direction. Its units could split up‚ change direction and deal with obstacles thrown up by the ground. A legionnaire could fight on his own. A Macedonian phalangite could not. As was seen in the battle‚ Roman officers were able to use this flexibility to the initiative. Without orders from his commander‚ a lower-ranking Roman officer won the battle and the war. By contrast‚ the Macedonian left was disorganized and quickly defeated in the absence of Philip.   Macedonian phalanx‚ Istock   Cynoscephalae could be seen as an event decided by contingent factors. The vagaries of weather‚ terrain and individual decisions resulted in a Roman victory. But as Polybius recognized‚ the result was made possible by the contrasting systems of the Macedonian phalanx and Roman legion. This would be proven again in the coming decades as the Macedonian wars continued.   The wars would continue but in the aftermath of Cynoscephalae‚ Philip was given relatively lenient terms. The Macedonians were constrained to their traditional borders and stripped of all Greek possessions‚ but the kingdom of Macedonia remained intact. Philip would slowly and skillfully rebuild its strength over his remaining years. Flamininus solidified his favorable position in the eyes of the Greeks by declaring them free from their long Macedonian captivity. That freedom though was strictly limited and it would not be long before Roman legions were once again marching in Greece and Macedonia.

On the Spot: Courtney J. Campbell JamesHoare Wed‚ 02/21/2024 - 13:10

In case you missed it‚ New York Attorney General Letitia James isn’t done with her assault on Donald Trump. On Tuesday‚ she said she would ask the court to seize former president Donald Trump’s assets‚ including his real estate properties such as Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street if he does not pay the roughly […] The post AG James to Seize Donald Trump’s Properties If He Doesn’t Pay appeared first on www.independentsentinel.com.

When a mother dolphin and her calf got stuck in a shallow area‚ the Texas Marine Mammal Stranded Network (TMMSN) came to the rescue! A water-flow control structure near Galveston Bay had quickly become a potential death trap for these two animals‚ stranding them in an area with little food. Thankfully‚ the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge spotted the pair. The TMMSN reported that the mom and calf are bottlenose dolphins. Their names are now Jill and Jack! According to a Facebook post from the marine life organization‚ the two dolphins were freed shortly after their rescue. As it turns out‚ Jill wasn’t exactly a stranger; she’d already made an appearance in their photo ID catalog. The TMMSN plans to continue monitoring the mother-calf duo for research porpoises — er‚ purposes! Commenters were thrilled to hear about the successful dolphin rescue. “What a perfect outcome to ring in the new year!” wrote one user. “Must have been terrifying for both of them‚ so glad you all stepped in to help them. Great job‚” said another. We’re grateful that the rescue team was able to transport these two dolphins back to safety! If you want to read about another heartwarming dolphin rescue‚ these volunteers had to get pretty creative to help their animal friend. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Dolphin Mother And Calf Rescued From Shallow Waters After Becoming Trapped. appeared first on InspireMore.

Watch this video to see a service dog during an alert. Service animals can receive training to detect a number of health conditions. The dog in the video clip has trained to detect Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS). The condition causes a faster-than-normal heartbeat that can be triggered by standing from a sitting or lying position. Everyone may have an occasional episode resembling POTS‚ but for people with the condition‚ it happens almost every time they stand. Although POTS is normally not a life-threatening condition‚ an episode may cause a fall‚ resulting in injuries. Some of the symptoms can include lightheadedness‚ nervous tremors‚ fainting‚ difficulty thinking‚ and several other indicators. When this service dog alerts the owner‚ she immediately sits down. Image from Instagram. Once seated‚ the dog goes to work fetching medicine from the counter and a bottle of water from the fridge. Once the woman has everything she needs‚ her service dog lays down on her to provide comfort. A POTS episode can be frightening for the person suffering the health crisis and those watching. Many of the symptoms resemble a person having a stroke. Image from Instagram. As you watch the video‚ you may notice several distinct phases of care administered by the loyal pup. The first indicator is the alert. The dog stretches up on the owner insistently. Once the owner sits on the floor‚ where she is safer‚ the dog goes into overdrive. First‚ he fetches something from the counter that appears to be a perscription pill bottle. After leaving that item with his “patient‚” he goes to the fridge. Image from Instagram. The owner has the fridge set up with a pull strap so the dog can easily open it. Bottles of water are on the lower shelf for easy access. The dog grabs onto the pull strap‚ opens the fridge‚ then grabs water for the woman. When the owner has everything they need‚ the dog lays down on her lap to wait for the spell to pass. The primary function of the service dog is to alert the woman before she falls. This keeps her from possibly injuring herself during a fall. Dogs have a great sense of our health and can provide early warning to keep their owners safe. If you enjoyed this story‚ please share. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shields of Strength (@shieldsofstrength) You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Footage Captures Amazing Moment Woman’s Dog Fetches Her Medicine And A Drink. appeared first on InspireMore.

'Struggle is not simply defeating the enemy'

From the Far East comes fantastic news for species conservation after new populations of the gorgeous ‘Skywalker’ gibbon‚ known to science for only 6 years‚ were recently found living in the politically chaotic nation of Myanmar. Also called the hoolock gibbon‚ this dainty vocalist was first described in 2017 living in the extreme south of […] The post The ‘Skywalker’ Gibbon Was Thought to Be Nearly Extinct–Now Significant Populations Discovered in Myanmar appeared first on Good News Network.

Truckers keep things interesting‚ don’t they? And they’re at it again with a NYC trucker’s strike organized to protest a verdict against former President Trump. Last week‚ New York Judge Arthur Engoron ordered former President Trump to pay $354 million in damages in a civil business fraud trial. While the court accused Trump of dishonest business practices‚ no financial institutions have ever made complaints about him.  No fine this massive‚ no prohibitions on conducting business in New York‚ and no bans on receiving loans from New York banks have ever been handed down in a case like this.  This is pure political persecution.  Don’t take my word for it: that was how legal scholar and constitutional law professor Jonathan Turley described it too. BREAKING: Legal scholar Professor Jonathan Turley (@JonathanTurley) EXPLODES After Judge Engoron Hits Trump with $364 Million Fine and 3-Year Ban in New York Civil Fraud Case‚ Says‚ "None of us could find a case like this!" Well‚ no one else has gone through this!!!!! WATCH pic.twitter.com/3Lk5Ef3tRl — Simon Ateba (@simonateba) February 16‚ 2024 In response to these punitive damages‚ rumors started circulating on X about truckers refusing delivery into NYC beginning Monday‚ February 19. This may get really interesting. What happens if the trucks stop? CDL Life put out an infographic in 2012 that’s been resurrected recently‚ showing what would happen to life without truckers. Daisy wrote about it here.   Within two to three days‚ food and fuel shortages would become severe‚ leading to price spikes.  Manufacturing centers used to “just-in-time” processing would have to shut down.  Garbage would begin piling up‚ rail transport would stop‚ and business transactions would grind to a halt as banks run out of cash. Within a week‚ automobile travel would cease due to loss of fuel.  Within a month‚ the nation’s clean water supply would be exhausted‚ and illnesses would begin to spike.  Hospitals would be largely unable to treat people‚ due to their exhaustion of supplies. This infographic is from 2012. If anything‚ things would fall apart faster now.  Our supply chain is less resilient than it was twelve years ago.  Truckers make First World living what it is. Is this NYC trucker’s strike happening? While some posters on X insist this won’t happen because trucking companies will never stand to lose money‚ a few facts are worth noting. One is that approximately 10-15% of truckers are independent‚ and these are typically the more capable and experienced ones.  They can simply turn down some delivery jobs and choose others.  We’re in the middle of a labor shortage; workers have some choice. Truckers already dislike NYC.  On Sunday‚ an Amazon driver had to fight off a drunk‚ naked migrant.  And the trucker found himself in trouble with the law. Another Amazon driver was brutally slashed in an unprovoked knife attack in late January  and no arrests have been made.  Who wants to work in that environment? The tolls are high‚ streets are narrow‚ people are unfriendly‚ and crime is rampant.  Reading truckers’ X feeds‚ some are happy for an excuse to avoid NYC because of the constant extra fees.  NYC is a less profitable area for them anyway. Turning down business there won’t hurt them as much as it might in other places. And not every trucker has to go along with the boycott in order to make life miserable for New Yorkers.  Imagine what just a 10% reduction in goods deliveries would do to prices within a week or two. This decision by Judge Engoron will backfire in other ways‚ as well. Kevin O’Leary‚ Shark Tank mogul investor‚ summed it up nicely on Fox News.  “$355 million as a penalty‚ plus 9% interest‚ and there’s no victim?”  He said this decision terrifies possible investors because it’s so arbitrary. JUST IN: Fall out from Trump persecution continues‚ Shark Tank mogul Kevin O’Leary is DONE INVESTING in the State of New York.. "I would NEVER invest in New York now! And I'm NOT THE ONLY ONE saying that!" pic.twitter.com/rIvD5ygM7W https://t.co/KsFoybWAvH — Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) February 19‚ 2024   Lawfare stunts only increase Trump’s support among general voters.   He’s sounding less crazy all the time.  Many people saw Trump as paranoid when he claimed persecution during the Russian collusion hoax.  Well‚ he was right about that. Even liberal journalists such as Glenn Greenwald admitted he was framed. The Trump/Russia collusion conspiracy was at the center of the media narrative for only 2 1/2 years. It's been 3 whole days since it got debunked as a hoax and you're still talking about this? Will there ever be an end to it??? pic.twitter.com/9nmr22duiT — Glenn Greenwald (@ggreenwald) March 27‚ 2019 In 2020‚ many people still believed in the system enough to think that Trump was exaggerating about the election getting stolen.  Now‚ it looks like he was right about that‚ too. The insane lawfare directed at him now makes the Washington elite look deranged.  I didn’t like Trump in 2016.  But the world didn’t fall apart between 2016 and 2020. I’d rather go back to that‚ than keep power in the hands of people so dismissive of citizens’ rights. Protests like this can make people pay attention. Too many people don’t see the connection between what happened to Trump and what could happen to any American not wanting to go along with the DC establishment.  NYC may be home to Wall Street‚ New Yorkers may see themselves as too sophisticated to care about what goes on in the rest of the country‚ but Wall Street needs Main Street to survive.  What do they think they’re trading without actual on-the-ground production? The financial and political elite are used to convenience and physical ease‚ with no curiosity regarding the people who grow and transport their food‚ who keep the lights on and the water running.  Throwing a monkey wrench into the flowing goods and services will hopefully force urban consumers to pay attention. Protesting European workers have had some measure of success. The European farmers’ protests‚ largely supported by truckers‚ won some concessions.  They had been protesting punitive tax hikes and unfair competition from cheap imports‚ as we’ve discussed before. After a few weeks of chaos‚ they managed to get the European Parliament to agree to a number of concessions‚ including a continuation of diesel subsidies and tax breaks. Because truckers and farmers perform so much of the actual production and transportation‚ they see the effects of regulation before those regulatory effects appear to the average consumer in the form of higher prices.  Since 2020‚ the cost of producing agricultural goods has increased by 28%.  No one expects this to change; in fact‚ the USDA is concerned that prices in 2024 may be below break-even levels for American farmers. The cost of shipping will probably continue to rise‚ at least in the short term.  Climate change regulations lead to uncertainty regarding fuel pricing; who wants to invest tens of millions of dollars in oil and gas infrastructure when politicians are threatening to make it illegal within the next ten to fifteen years? Here’s why many truckers support Trump. Trump pays attention to these issues.  He consistently receives the support of blue-collar workers because he listens to their concerns.  He’s like Kevin O’Leary in that he sees the connection between his own wealth and the health of the regular economy.  He’s popular among the working class because he treats them like valued employees‚ not “useless eaters” or “deplorables.” Trump’s natural egomania makes him unwilling to cooperate with the Globo-Blob.  Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords. If we sign on to the upcoming WHO Pandemic Accord‚ he’ll probably try to get us out of that‚ too. He sees America as a company that he wants to run and run well.  Trump doesn’t want to share that with anyone else. Why should he?  His vision of a strong‚ independent America resonates with the average citizen who mostly just wants predictable work so they can raise their families in accordance with their own values. Unfortunately‚ this unwillingness to participate in the schemes of the Washington establishment means that a lot of very powerful people know that they may get fired if he gets elected this year.  They are becoming increasingly desperate in their attempts to make him unable to run. 60% of the world is going to the polls in 2024. Indonesia just elected an ultra-nationalist.  Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro just had his passport seized. Most of us can assume chaos is headed our way in 2024‚ and this trucker protest looks to be part of it. I wish the truckers the best‚ but for the rest of us‚ having a plan to survive disruptions in supply chains has never been more important.  The same goes for having trusted networks of family and friends. I love having the internet as a source of news and practical information. YouTube home improvement videos have been invaluable.  But nothing replaces real-world friends and neighbors that you can band together with in times of distress.  As this crazy election cycle approaches‚ keep your friends close. What do you think about the NYC trucker’s strike? Do you think the NYC trucker’s strike will unfold enough to make an impact? Do you think it will change anything? How much of a problem do you expect this to cause for NYC dwellers? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section. About Marie Hawthorne A lover of novels and cultivator of superb apple pie recipes‚ Marie spends her free time writing about the world around her. The post The NYC Trucker’s Strike: How Much Influence Do They Wield? appeared first on The Organic Prepper.