Violence and History

A little bit of military history, to start us off:

Much of today's military continue to follow principles that ancient armies developed and then the Roman Army perfected.  For example, the phalanx and shield-wall, which required extraordinary discipline to maintain the soldiers in tight formation.

Now, this shield-wall is mostly stationary, and only holds together for a short time, but it gives an idea how shields can interlock and be used:

At Disney World's Epcot Center, we took the ride, Spaceship Earth as it described a history of communications. Spaceship Earth, like most Western Civilization courses, traces back from Egypt to Greece, and then Rome. Bypassing most of the Fertile Crescent cities (clay tablets are more portable than cave walls!) and the Eastern Civilizations in India and China altogether.

It's... cognitive dissonance, to think about how Rome is held up as this pillar of civilization (granted, there was literacy, philosophy, mathematics), when we also know that it was cruel and brutal.

Time Management and Health

Last month I posted an article on Root Causes and Health, tracing health back through prenatal care, maternal health, and even grandmother's health.

There is another aspect of health, that Fortune covered this week: Is Silicon Valley bad for your health?, which highlights some disturbing trends. For one, employees feeling "too busy" at work to have time to establish a Primary Care Physician, or to take care of their regular medical maintenance (annual physical, bi-annual dental care, etc.).

Music Monday: Changes in Attitudes

This is a song that my family enjoys, several of the lines convey real truths about life, the universe and everything:

Most particularly:

1. Nothing remains quite the same, and
2. If we didn't laugh we would all go insane.

Some of the things that changed my attitude regarding GLBT issues, were a) knowing someone, and b) remembering that Jesus hung out with the tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, and in general the outcasts of his day. 

If he were teaching today, he would be doing it in the midst of the GLBT community, among others.