ThoughtSpurs

This is my 600th post. No, that's a lie it is post 604. So here is a poem about the 600. Random and, perhaps, a little obscure now. But, as I have been feeling decidedly antimilitaristic of late I thought I would share it with you. My father took me to see the 1968 film version (it made quite an impression on me). CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE Alfred Lord Tennyson Half a league half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred: 'Forward, the Light Brigade! Charge for the guns' he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. 'Forward, the Light Brigade!' Was there a man dismay'd ? Not tho' the soldier knew Some one had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do & die, Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd & thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and...

I'll be honest with you. I don't understand golf. Was it Oscar Wilde who said it is a good walk spoiled? This invention is an actual patent granted by the U.S. patent office. It would make quite a stocking stuffer. Makes the ultra long putter my son has been experimenting with seem positively sensible (he's a dab hand at the game and loves it). If you'd like to seem why most inventions fail visit TotallyAbsurd.com

I get a DVD sent to me every month from the Spiritual Cinema Circle. It contains three short films and a feature film. No car chases, no explosions, no gratuitous violence. Makes a nice change. The latest feature is an exploration of happiness that is something of an eye-opener. Or a mind opener. I recommend ordering a subscription for yourself.

There is a bridge in Italy where lovers profess their feelings. They write their names on padlocks and attach them to chains on the bridge. Then they throw the keys symbolically into the river. How does that make you feel? Are you awash with feelings of romance - what could be nicer? A bridge in Rome. Lovers making commitments. Is it a beautiful thing? I have to confess that it makes me feel the exact opposite. It seems to me to be a neurotic act. In a way it reminds me of the chastity belts that crusading knights would force their wives and daughters to wear while they were away (though that might well be a myth). Learning to be with another isn't helped along by melodramatic displays. The engagement ring is another example of the phenomenon - cunningly created and exploited by the DeBeers De Beers (through its sales and marketing arm, the DTC) has been very successful in increasing desire for diamonds. The famous advertising line "A Diamond is Forever" (attempting to di...

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." The unreasonable George Bernard Shaw A bumper sticker: At least the war on the environment is going well. (Thanks to In My Copious Free Time blog )

I have added a new link to my permamanent collection. Conversation Agent. The author, Valeria Maltoni says her reason for blogging is to connect ideas and people and demonstrate that talk can change our lives. I couldn't agree more. It's a terrific blog with a generous amount of additional resources. Thinking back to Malcolm Gladwell's first (and best) book - The Tipping Point - being a hub for information is probably more useful than being The Oracle. Seems to me the conversation agent is both Maven and Connector. Worth visiting. I recommend it.

Admiral James Stockdale was the highest ranking American prisoner of war during the U.S' war in Vietnam. He spent seven and a half years in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He was tortured physically and mentally and kept in solitary confinement for four of those years. After the war, though he suffered terrible incpacity he remained with the military and ran as a vice presidential candidate with Ross Perot. His experience gave him a thoughtful bent (so much so that he confused voters by being, perhaps, a little too intellectual). But who has better credentials to write an essay (or two) on stoicism. I found this extract particularly interesting in the context of current affairs: What kind of a racket is this military officership? Let's go right to the old master, Clausewitz. He said: "War is an act of violence to compel the enemy to do your will." Your will, not his will. We are in the business of breaking people's wills. That's all there is to war; once you have d...