Eloquence Revisited

I often think about our current use of the word "war" as it is applied to Iraq. It does not feel like a war as there aren't two or more armies facing each other, as I have been conditioned to define the word. It doesn't seem to fit. In the media, the combatants are often described as occupiers and insurgents. Again, not the terms we have used in the past to describe combatants, in neat and tidily-bordered terms, such as Union and Confederacy, or Allies and Axis. I wonder what Eloquent Abe would have to say? Of course, my first thought is, he wouldn't have to say anything because he never would have been there. We know Mr. Lincoln spent a great deal of time thinking through all the justifications for his war, before entering into it. He may have used Plato's and other philosopher's thoughts during the decision process. I don't believe our leaders today have given the action in Iraq nearly as much thought. If they had, they would see it does not qualify as "just", nor does it fit the definition of a war.

Lies Beget Lies

Finished reading "When Presidents Lie" this weekend. I remember as a child learning how lies beget lies; how sometimes, if you tell a lie, you have to tell another to cover it up, and then more, and pretty soon the truth is consumed by the lies. I also remember the punishment was much harsher if I lied, than if I told the truth. I wonder if many of our 20th century presidents were ever taught that lesson, or if they chose to ignore it. It is difficult to imagine men we hold in such high esteem propagating not only their own lies, but those of previous presidents, sometimes from two or three terms before theirs. I try to imagine how different our country would have been if Truman had not covered up for FDR, or if Kennedy had told Johnson the truth about the Cuban Missile Crisis, so he would not have been trying to carry on the Kennedy myth.

Little Big Horn Revisited

Saturday is the 129th anniversary of the Battle of Little Big Horn. Tomorrow I should be attending the Custer Battlefield Historical & Museum Association symposium, experiencing the lectures, listening raptly and staring in awe at my favorite authors. And Saturday I would have travelled with the group on the annual field trip, this year to the Rosebud, but had to cancel my trip for family reasons. Did you know there have been reports of hauntings at the battlefield? After seeing this on the website, I am doubly disappointed. Watching for ghostly occurances would add another dimension to an already fascinating trip. Well, there is always next year.

Learning to Learn

The more I read on learning styles, the more I want to encourage others to investigate and find their own style. It seems to me all people, not just teachers and students, can benefit from this knowledge. As the header to this blog states, I believe everyone is learning constantly, whether they are trying to learn or not. So why not make it easier on yourself by learning how you best learn? If you are reading this, I challenge you to take this quiz and find your own learning style.

Horsing Around

Today's topic in the cube was horses and horsemanship. Looking into the question "why Custer organized his companies each with a different colored horse" led to a host of new information on the web. The ancient Greek, Xenophon, wrote the first known book on Horsemanship, which can still be found in print (although Mid-Continent Library fails to carry it). His ideas were the basis of all that followed, from the Romans, through the Crusades and into the 19th century. Many of his ideas are incorporated in what the French formalized into dressage. I learned about warm blooded breeds (high-spirited) and cold blooded breeds (more docile, saddle-types). Grey horses are more prone to tumors, and in general have a shorter life span. Light-colored horse, such as grey and white horses, can sunburn. I found a Lord of the Rings chat room that discussed the differences between a war horse (typically raised and trained by one person and taught many fighting moves so they are an active part of the battle, very loyal and protective of their master), cavalry horse (calm under fire, trained in some battle formations but not considered a weapon in and of themselves) and saddle horse (could be taken out of the barn and ridden by anyone), and read the opinions of several gamesters on how these differences could be applied to upcoming versions of a LOTR video game. Fort Riley has a research library dedicated to the Cavalry, which is open to the public. Sounds like a great day trip to me. Of course, none of this really answers my original question, so I will be working more on my search!

Once We Were Eloquent

Finished reading "The Eloquent President" last night. Have been trying to determine why people no longer worry about what they say and how they say it as they did in Abraham Lincoln's day. The meaning of words doesn't seem to carry the same "meaning" as they once did. Lincoln never referred to the actions of the southern states as "secession" but as "rebellion" - constitutionally the former was legal, and the latter not. Few Presidents, let alone individuals, since Lincoln, have given as much thought to what and how they speak. Have we lowered our standards as a nation, or are our leaders no longer capable of proper discourse?

A Beginning

My first day back from a 10-day vacation. It is hard to transition to "work" mode. Everything I experienced is buzzing in my head, memories of The Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Shiloh National Military Park alike. Of course, the constant pain from wearing clothes over areas that contain my beach souvenir doesn't help (some day I will learn to listen to my mother and wear sunblock). The four rolls of slide film to be developed laying on my desk are another reminder of what has passed. Today I have learned, for tomorrow's benefit, to wear looser clothes and bring some lotion to work!