If not for concrete, which the Romans invented, some of ancient Rome would not have been built at all. They had some amazing architecture. The Colosseum alone, according to Google, is the largest standing amphitheater in the world today.

I never thought of "devil's advocate" as being on the losing side of an argument but rather taking the position that is less popular as a way to point out the flaws in the popular pov. And that wasn't necessarily being cantankerous, but a useful tool in testing the strength of the argument.

Interesting that many of our common phrases are from Shakespeare. I wish I paid more attention in high school :-/

Ditto, both what I've read and what I recall, the 'screaming mimi" was a World War 2 German rocket so-named by the Allies because of its distinctive sound. Stacey, I think you're referring to another World War 2 German weapon, the V-1 flying bombs used against England. These were called "buzz bombs", also because of the sound they made. Another terrifying WW2 sound came from German dive bombers, which were fitted with passive sirens on their bodies that would produce a characteristic siren sound when they were diving to attack.