Pearl

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said that when you trade freedom for security you end up with neither.

Photo Source: Planet Hiltron

And ev’n so be their doom, themselves have thought

Who, past the living, warr’d upon those dead

Who, being dead, yet spake thro’ that they wrought—

So fierce their hate against the soul they dread!

—Christopher Brennan (1915)

Today is the sixty-seventh anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii—a reminder that there are always people who are willing to use violence to take what they want, and violence is sometimes necessary to protect yourself. The difference between then and now is that the violence then was a nation-state acting against another nation-state. Today’s violence derives from savage cowards who use violence randomly to try to force others to kneel.

What a wonderful thought! Let’s move on to something less depressing

Friday’s Feast

Appetizer: What was the last game you purchased?

Oblivion: The Elder Scrolls IV. I played it a couple of times. The Beccano took it over, even though he already had a version for one of his game boxes. I never really understood or followed it. I much prefer the Diablo franchise.

Soup: Name something in which you don’t believe.

Fate or Destiny.

Salad: If you could choose a celebrity to be your boss, who would you pick?

I think I would prefer a non-celebrity. Celebrity requires too much ego, and non-celebrities seem aflicted enough with that vice. So if I could choose, I would choose a mundane boss.

Main Course: What was a lesson you had to learn the hard way?

Gee! There are so many! I guess that it’s not as easy to find work as it was when I was younger. I knew that intellectually. Now I know it in my gut.

Dessert: Describe your idea of the perfect relaxation room.

It is a large room done in soft colors. There are windows at one end, but most of the light is indirect. Even the windows face north. The walls are lined with well-stocked bookshelves. The floor is hardwood, but there are rugs to soften the noise and keep the feet warm.

There is a small sitting area near the windows. Just a couple of chairs. There is a larger sitting area in the center of the room—a couple of couches, a table, and maybe a chair. Music is always available here, but there is a television and a DVD player, too. At the far end of the room is a writing desk.