A Message from the Duke of Wellington

[matis]

(Hey Stand_watie, you taught me how to do quotes.  Now how do I get the darn smiley faces to work? {'nother grin.)

I can do that.

Thanks, Stand_Watie, there's hope for me, yet.


By the way, do you also do marriage-counseling? [/i] [/u]    



And 280Plus,

  It is cool! [/i] [/u]

Thanks, guys.  


matis

[Stand_watie]

(Hey Stand_watie, you taught me how to do quotes.  Now how do I get the darn smiley faces to work? {'nother grin.)

I can do that.

Thanks, Stand_Watie, there's hope for me, yet.


By the way, do you also do marriage-counseling? [/i] [/u]    



..matis

No, but Grampster does. That's not a joke either. At least he has good words of advice if not formal 'counseling'.  

I will share a tidbit I learned this summer. Purpose in your heart what you believe is right and go with it. Trust G-d to work out the details. Don't get ahead of him trying to achieve better ends by methods that your own concience tell you are wrong for you. Things have been working out for me despite my actions rather than because of them. Hope things go well for you too.

[roo_ster]

Keegan has written some of the best military history in the last 30 years, IMO.  He is well worth the time it takes to read him.

My favorites by Keegan:
A History of Warfare
Face of Battle
Mask of Command
Price of Admiralty

There are two areas where Keegan stirs controversy.

1. Carl von Clausewitz
Clausewitz aficionadoes (Clausewitzians?, Clausewitzites?) foam at the mouth at the mention of Keegan, because Keegan takes some pot shots at CvC.  I'll admit Keegan sets up a bit of a straw man to whack down, but CvC gave hime some of the straw to work with...

Also, I think the CvC'ers are jelous that Keegan writes a book that is well-written and easily grasped by educated non-historians.  CvC has the 18th/19th German authors' tendency to write dense, nearly impenetrable prose (by the layman & those not steeped in CvC's time period) that tries to fit the facts to his system...and used a heavier hammer when they do not fit.

2. Keegan's PC-ish Book Conclusions
JK has a tendency to write a wonderful book and then tack on a conclusion that sounds like it was written by a different man or one that is at odds with the material presented.  I thought about it for a while and have two opinions about it.:
A. JK is English, grew up during & after WWII, was one of the last kids to get polio beofre the vaccine, and is a product of the dissolution of the Brit empire.  His take seems to be one of, "Well, we can't do that sort of thing anymore.  We just don't have what it takes."
B. JK tacks on the conclusion as a sop to the PC/anti-colonial/anti-western culture academics who are his colleagues.

[matis]

No, but Grampster does (marriage counseling). That's not a joke either. At least he has good words of advice if not formal 'counseling'.

Of course, STand_watie you discerned the humor in my question.


I just thought that since you were good at so many things, perhaps you could do that as well.

I will share a tidbit I learned this summer. Purpose in your heart what you believe is right and go with it. Trust G-d to work out the details. Don't get ahead of him trying to achieve better ends by methods that your own concience tell you are wrong for you. Things have been working out for me despite my actions rather than because of them. Hope things go well for you too.

I am beginning to understand what you're saying here, too.

And I appreciate the advice and your way of sharing it.




matis

[Stand_watie]

[And I appreciate the advice and your way of sharing it.
matis

I'm probably guilty of sharing way more than the vast majority of folks are interested in hearing. In fact after that last post when the thread starting dropping towards the bottom of the screen I thought 'Oh, great ma'an, you just killed another thread by getting like all heavy and stuff' (try to imagine that in a Tommy Chong voice).

Seriously, when you run into others that have a couple of major spiritual/philosophical likenesses with you, it makes you want to open up a little. I knew you were joking about the marriage counseling, but something you'd said previously told me you'd walked in my shoes on that topic.

[matis]

JK has a tendency to write a wonderful book and then tack on a conclusion that sounds like it was written by a different man or one that is at odds with the material presented.  I thought about it for a while and have two opinions about it.:
A. JK is English, grew up during & after WWII, was one of the last kids to get polio beofre the vaccine, and is a product of the dissolution of the Brit empire.  His take seems to be one of, "Well, we can't do that sort of thing anymore.  We just don't have what it takes."
B. JK tacks on the conclusion as a sop to the PC/anti-colonial/anti-western culture academics who are his colleagues.

This sort of ties in with Carebear's remarks.

So I will read his books as soon as I can work my pile down a bit.

Thanks,


matis