May 3rd, 57 years to the day that Japan's post-war "make radios, not war" constitution was enacted. Largely scripted by the U.S., under the guidance of Supreme Allied Commander, Douglas MacArthur, it was full of progressive measures like universal suffrage and a bill of rights. The document even included a clause that outlawed Japan's right to make war. See? it's as easy as that!

Of course, Japan had been at war for five years before being bombed into submission, and it was a further five and a half years before the U.S. was to relinquish control back to the Japanese. Proof that nation building is not a job for the faint of heart.

But without it, there would have been no Iron Chef. Thank-you, Mac.

Not much going on today. No game this weekend, so get out there and get some exercise. Old Gold coming up, and as you can see they've not been resting on their laurels (or their arses). They've played some tough games and will undoubtably in good shape and hungry to repeat their improbable success from last fall. That simply cannot happen.

On a housekeeping front, get your name to Matt Winch for the bus trip to Amoskeag. You know you're going, so just let him know. Dues, dues, dues.

Link du jour. Too depressing to comment on. What a weenie.

I have to send my thanks to Dom for stepping in to the breach with his post yesterday, but like the rest of you, I'm sure you were more than a little taken aback by his questioning of Hawking-Beckenstein entropy. Spend five minutes watching us practice and you would know that there is still way too much entropy in the universe. And to suggest that there would be an upper limit on the future of human consciousness in an expanding universe? Well, I just don't know where to start on that one. Moore's Law rules!

Oh, and practice is tonight @ 6pm. Fox Street.

Jeez, turns out this blogging thing has become a daily requirement. Well, I'm sorry that the muse escaped me yesterday. To compensate I'll throw some poetry your way. That'll teach you.

Today is the birthday of CP Cavafy. This Greek bloke that lived with his mum above an Egyptian brothel and across the street from a church. I dunno. Maybe I'd write poems too.

"In the inner room of the noisy café
an old man sits bent over a table;
a newspaper before him, no companion beside him

and in the scorn of his miserable old age,
he meditates how little he enjoyed the years
when he had strength, the art of the word, and good looks.

He knows he has aged much; he is aware of it, he sees it,
and yet the time when he was young seems like
yesterday. How short a time, how short a time.

And he ponders how Wisdom had deceived him;
and how he always trusted her--what folly!--
the liar who would say, "Tomorrow. You have ample time."

He recalls impulses he curbed; and how much
joy he sacrificed. Every lost chance
now mocks his senseless prudence.

. . . But with so much thinking and remembering
the old man reels. And he dozes off
bent over the table of the café."

So for the love of god, why wouldn't you pay your dues, sign up for that bus trip and go to practice tonight? Life's too short, so while you're at it, bring some money or beer.

Coach sent me the wierdest e-mail with this link. He needs to get out more. I'm just left feeling dirty.

Tom seems to not have anything on the go today, so I'll throw this out there for the forwards -- the backs might find it a bit involved and should probably just stick to this inspirational story.

I don't know about you, but the latest update from our Prez got stuck in my company's Spam filter. Apparently it doesn't feel that words like "your own cash" and "get success" are suitable for consumption. While I agree with not wanting to receive e-mail with the former, it doesn't bode too well if it doesn't let you use the s-word via e-mail. Meanwhile it has no problem with "shady drink-fest". Hmmm...maybe it's not so bad after all.

Anyway, unlike Dubya, our Prez is willing to call a spade, a spade and say that the trip to Amoskeag is a Crusade! Indeed it is, although we fully intend to be out of there by June 30th, with an interim government in place. As a result, many old players have been "activated", and Military Sealift Command has arranged for a bus to carry our brave boys in to action. Your club needs you, so sign up with Matt Winch today for an eighteen-month rotation.

Additional campaigns are planned at NERFU and Bull Moose, and before any of that there is the spectre of Old Gold, so it is imperative that you get out to training. If it ever stops bloody raining, we will be at Fox Street tonight, 6pm.

Speaking of Bull Moose, apparently there will be a "panoply of resort amenities", including horses. But it's not what you think.....apparently you ride them.

Panoply. I think that's my new favorite word.

In my continued quest to scrape up the dregs from the very bottom of the Internet, here is today's offering. It's a panoply of dumb ass stuff.