Ferguson's Pity of War

I finished reading Niall Ferguson's 563 page tome on World War I the other night. The Pity of War: Explaining World War I, is the most comprehensive and heavily referenced study of the war that I've ever read. The scope of the book is impressive and the author covers the war by analyzing ten questions regarding the war:

1. Was it inevitable?
2. Why did Germany take the risk on declaring war in 1914?
3. Why did Britain intervene?
4. Was the war, at first, popular?
5. Did propaganda keep the war going?
6. Why didn't the superior economies of Britain, France, and Russia inflect defeat on the Central powers sooner?
7. Why did the superior military of Germany fail to achieve victory over France and Britain as it had over Russia, Serbia, and Romania?
8. Why did men keep fighting for so long in such wretched battlefield conditions?
9. Why did men stop fighting?
10. Who won the peace or who really ended up paying for the war?

Most of the answers Mr. Ferguson presents are meticulously researched and the answers are surprising. What I found most interesting was just how ineffectual the American army was on the ground but how psychologically demoralizing the idea of America placing its army onto the battlefield was to German forces. The author also does an excellent job of illustrating how the war set the stage for even greater atrocities committed during World War II.

The book takes awhile to finish, but, after each chapter, you come to appreciate the grand complexity of this world-wide conflict. The economy, social, political, and military costs were enormous. The book has its critics. But overall, this volume gives the reader a better understanding of the "greatest error of modern history." (p. 462)

Rimbaud for Halloween

If you want to see a fascinating, creepy, and sometimes unsettling website that presents the poet Arthur Rimbaud's work, check out this site: http://www.rimbaud-arthur.fr/  Click on the ADSL link and the Flash Player will start up.  The music, visualization, and narration is surreal and quite appropriate for Rimbaud's artistic use of words.

Bummer

The L.A. Dodgers lost again to the Phillies for the second, post-season series in a row.  Those Philly bats were just too hot...  I think I'll cheer for the Yankees now...

Books

Books are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. -- John Milton, 1608-1674

ZBSD Attack Procedures for the University Archives

Dear Colleagues:

After reviewing the Zombie Attack Disaster Preparedness Simulation Exercise #5 (DR5), I have undertaken a formal inventory of the department’s potential arsenal. Please note that archival materials and artifacts should generally not be used as weapons. However, should a Zombie Behavior Spectrum Disorder (ZBSD) assault occur, I have amended our collections policy to allow departmental personnel to utilize the following procedures and objects in defense of the Special Collections and Archives Department:

1. Upon confirmation of a ZBSD attack, the department’s double-doors should be immediately closed and locked. The doors should remain locked during an extended attack at all times. (At the discretion of staff, doors may be opened for members of the Systems Department.)

2. Reading room tables should be moved to the double-doors and used to barricade both the doors and the glass walls on either side of the doors.

3. Staff should arm themselves with a variety of weapons from the departmental arsenal, namely:

a. Masonic sword

b. Segment of stainless steel railing from the “old Meyer” stair well

c. X-Acto knives

d. Any tomahawks, axes, or ceramics from a current or future ART 385 or ART 485 exhibit

e. Arab scimitar-styled letter opener (on the desk in Room 306 B)

f. Molotov cocktails created from isopropyl alcohol, paper towels, and emptied water bottles from the conservation lab; an additional Molotov cocktail can be created from the one bottle of Centennial Port Wine held in the University Archives.

g. Miniature marble Venus de Milo statue (turn statue upside down, hold firmly by the waist, and use as a club)

h. 1931 Royal typewriter (most effective if dropped on zombie from above)

i. Cellugel (light and use as a form of Napalm by throwing)

j. Bound ICC reports (as heavy projectiles)

m. Miniature baseball bats in my office and Anne’s

n. Hammer and screwdrivers in Tracie’s office

o. Gutenberg Bible (But only as a last resort; in this case, the surviving faculty member or staff person in charge should cry out, “Broken Archive” three times (loudly) before launching the Gutenberg at one or more zombies. After declaring “Broken Archive” status, all survivors should retreat (scurry) to the Back Stacks Area [Room 306 F]).

4. Once “Broken Archive” status is declared and all surviving personnel have fallen back to 306 F, the 306 F door should be closed and locked. As this area is contained by a firewall and a sturdy door (albeit low bid), personnel should be able to hold off a zombie assault for a considerable time. Staff are welcome to read the various religious texts held in the back storage area until rescued or until the ZBSD attack subsides.

5. After rescue or after the all-clear signal is given, Tracie shall submit a work order to physical plant for clean-up.

The above procedures will be reviewed periodically and updated as necessary.

1979

وفي عام 1979, وكنت محظوظا بما فيه الكفاية بحيث كان لديهم فرصة للعيش في مصر. عائلتي تعيش في ضاحية المعادي بمصر, وقد حضرت للقاهرة الاميركية للكلية. وكان واحدا من أهم المؤثرين فترات حياتي. هناك وقتي دفعتني إلى انتهاج طوال حياته العاطفية من الاهتمام والدراسات الدينية والتاريخ.

Wanted: A Restaurant Reviewer

If you can write, enjoy eating out and visiting new places, and can tell the difference between a souffle and a tort, consider signing up to be a reviewer for ChefMoz.org.  I've resigned as the Springfield regional editor (due to too many things already on my plate), so the spot is open for a hungry typist.

Titanic Masquerade Party

The Titanic Museum in Branson is hosting a special event catered by Touch on Friday, October 30th, 6 to 10 pm.  The Titanic Masquerade Dinner Party and Mummy's Curse will feature entertaining tales and a progressive dinner.  Could be pretty good!

 

In other news, I'm probably resigning the post of Springfield's editor for ChefMoz.org by the end of the year, so if you're interested in writing and editing restaurant reviews, let me know.  Too much on my plate to deal with it anymore...  Ha!  Get it?  Too much on my plate? :-)

 

Dan Tyminski is coming back to MSU for the Ozarks Celebration Festival and the Greater Ozarks Blues Festival is this weekend. Sweet...