Never forget

Reichstag building wrapped by the artist Christo

On this day in 1933 Adolf Hitler managed to push “The Enabling Act” through the Reichstag in Germany.

This gave him the position of Dictator, and gave the minority Nazi party effective control of Germany.  Democracy was sacrificed to expedience.  The confusion of coalition government was replaced by the clarity, direction and strength of single minded purpose.  See where that ended up?

Democracy is hard.  Government is a messy process.  It is dirty, political, flawed, frustrating, time-consuming and downright annoying.  The Germans swept all that away in favour of simple solutions.

Beware politicians who seem to offer simple solutions to complex problems.  Remember the Enabling Act.  If you don’t know what it is, inform yourself.  This stuff is important to know!

Epic: by Patrick Kavanagh

I have lived in important places, times
When great events were decided, who owned
That half a rood of rock, a no-man’s land
Surrounded by our pitchfork-armed claims.

I heard the Duffys shouting “Damn your soul!”
And old McCabe stripped to the waist, seen
Step the plot defying blue cast-steel –
“Here is the march along these iron stones.”

That was the year of the Munich bother. Which
Was more important? I inclined
To lose my faith in Ballyrush and Gortin
Till Homer’s ghost came whispering to my mind.

He said: I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance.

-=o0o=-

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Eris; discord and strife

Peleus, one of the Argonauts, is one of the more interesting characters in Greek mythology.  After his adventures with Heracles and the Amazons and Jason and the Golden Fleece he settled down to marry Antigone.  After a hunting accident he was purified of the killing of King Eurytion (his father in law) by another Argonaut, Acastus.

The wife of Acastus, Astydamia fell in love with Peleus, but he scorned her.  In retribution she sent a messenger to Antigone telling her that her husband was marrying another, and Antigone hanged herself.

She also told her husband that Peleus had tried to rape her (not a nice lady).  Acastus took Peleus hunting and stole his sword so that he would be killed by the Centaurs.  But Peleus got his sword back, sacked the city that had tried to kill him, chopped up Astydamia in to little pieces, and marched his army between the bits.

Peleus then went on to marry Thetis the sea nymph and a shape changer.  Peleus had to sneak up on her when she was asleep and bind her tight.  She changed into flame, a lioness, water and a serpent, but he clung on tightly.  At last she settled down and agreed to marry him.  The child of Peleus and Thetis was Achilles.

But we are here today because of their wedding.  Lots of Gods and Goddesses were invited to the wedding, in particular Aphrodite, Athena and Hera.  Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, was not invited, because she was always causing trouble!  She was very upset and in response she tossed the “Apple of Discord” into the middle of the celebration.

The golden apple from the Garden of the Hesperides was inscribed “ΤΗΙ ΚΑΛΛΙΣΤΗΙ” (to the fairest).  So the ladies started fighting over who should get it.  The job of awarding the apple was given to the hapless Paris of Troy.

Hera bribed him with power, the Kingship of Europe and Asia.  Athena bribed him with wisdom.  Aphrodite won the bet by offering him the most beautiful mortal woman in the world, Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta.  The result was the Trojan War.

So it all came down to not inviting Eris to the wedding!  On January 5th in 2005 the Palomar Observatory discovered a new planet that they named “Eris”.  True to her name she sowed discord amongst the astronomical community.  Larger than Pluto she was originally posited as the 10th planet.  Then the rules were changed in 2006 and the designation of “Dwarf Planet” was introduced.  Pluto lost status as a planet and was demoted to join with Eris, Ceres, Haumea and Makemake.

Epic; by Patrick Kavanagh

I have lived in important places, times
when great events were decided, who owned
that half a rood of rock, a no-man’s land
surrounded by our pitchfork-armed claims.
I heard the Duffys shouting “Damn your soul!“
And old McCabe stripped to the waist, seen
step the plot defying blue cast-steel –
“Here is the march along these iron stones.”
That was the year of the Munich bother. Which
sas more important? I inclined
to lose my faith in Ballyrush and Gortin
’till Homer’s ghost came whispering to my mind.
He said: “I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance“.

Interesting times.

Ever feel if any of it matters?  Ever wonder if you are making a difference?  You are!   Importance is simply a matter of perspective.  If you don’t do what you do, you will be missed.  It will make a difference.  So do what it is that you do, and do it with the whole of your heart.  Do it well.  Be the difference that you want to see.

Epic ; by Patrick Kavanagh

I have lived in important places, times
When great events were decided, who owned
That half a rood of rock, a no-man’s land
Surrounded by our pitchfork-armed claims.
I heard the Duffys shouting “Damn your soul!”
And old McCabe stripped to the waist, seen
Step the plot defying blue cast-steel –
“Here is the march along these iron stones.”
That was the year of the Munich bother. Which
Was more important? I inclined
To lose my faith in Ballyrush and Gortin
Till Homer’s ghost came whispering to my mind.
He said: I made the Iliad from such
A local row. Gods make their own importance.