As might be expected, I've got a huge backlog of items to post, so our usual 'patterns' might be a bit out of whack until the backlog is cleared up. In any event, something that emerged while I was casting about for new software was that the Circus Maximus was in the news ... first I was struck by a piece that showed up in a pile of F1 racing type pages, inter alia:

The Renault F1 Team and Renault Italy, in collaboration with the City of Rome, will offer spectators a free public F1 demonstration on Sunday 10 April. Not only that, but there couldn't be a more suitable venue: a 1200m course around the exterior of one of Rome's most recognisable and historic sites, the Circus Maximus.

Of course, I couldn't help but cynically wonder how many folks would be able to recognize the Circus Maximus if it were presented to them. In any event, the demo has been postponed out of respect for the recently-deceased Pope.

The Circus also has popped up in the news because it has become a campground of sorts for folks coming to pay their respects; interestingly, it will also be the place where huge television screens will be erected so folks can watch the funeral ...

And just to make things somewhat more interesting, while pondering all these matters it struck me that if this were ancient Rome, the Circus would be abuzz with festival goers celebrating the Megalensian Games, in honour of Cybele/the Magna Mater.