NO! I Do Not Mean The Byzantine Military District 'Theme'
Which is probably pronounced differently. You've been paying too much attention to my working through that list of 20 works on classical civilisations, haven't you? and aren't I good for not buying any of them*. Art!
Proof I am not raving*
We are, instead, talking about 'An idea or topic expanded in a discourse, discussion, etc.' thank you CCED. Every home should have one.
ANYWAY we recently touched on the subject of 'Guardian Angels' and I got thrown an example in Youtube from 'The Twilight Zone', which was most welcome. I also realised that I'd omitted a guardian angel from one of the most famous examples of the same. Art!
Meet Clarence Odbody, Angel Second Class - if you think this is a bit corny you know nothing about the heirarchy structure of angels - who lacks wings and has been trying for 200 years to gain them. Clarence is a bit ham-fisted but his heart is in the right place. Art!
"It's a wonderful life, Mary!"
I can pretty much guarantee it's going to be broadcast or streamed this Christmas as it's the 80th anniversary of it's release. DO NOT MISS IT. Or there will be trouble. Conrad has spoken. Art!
Then there are these chaps (and chapesses): the Guardian Angels. Note capitalisation. They started in Noo Yawk in 1979, when crime was high and police were low, acting as volunteer crime prevention, riding on the subway and doing stag at railway stations. Members are totally forbidden from carrying weapons and have broadened their mission to include feeding the homeless, acting as youth mentors and advising on first aid and CPR. Ya gotta love the Big Apple.
ANYWAY - O excuse me, I need to go sort out some laundry. My rock 'n' roll lifestyle, hmmmm?
Back to Angels. I am not going to go into depth on their theological background, as otherwise this would be another Single Item Blog. According to my 'Brewer's', the definitive work on angels was published in the 5th century by 'Pseudo-Dionysus'. Art!
Under his convention, there are 9 orders of angels, arranged in triads. NO! Not the Chinese criminal gangs: groups of three. Stay on point!
Where were we? O yes. There are Seraphim, Cherubim and Thrones; then come Dominions, Virtues and Poweres; and lastly and most lowly are Principalities, Archangels and Angels. So, Clarence really is at the bottom of the ladder.
I say, that triggers a memory in the old grey cells. Art!
FYI, Jill has written four well-regarded 'sequels' to the original Lord Peter Wimsey novels that Dot wrote, and congratulate me on not buying any of them*.
Back to Angels.
Angel Cake: being a sponge cake made without egg yolks, oil or butter, and which is consequently light, fluffy and airy, all three of which are aspects of angels. Art!
Taunt me with what I cannot have!
Angel Water: A cosmetic used in Spain, originally mostly using Angelica Archangelica, an aromatic plant. Later versions used roses, trefoil and lavender - Wonder Wifey once tellingly described lavender as being 'essence of old lady's bottom' but she may have mellowed since. Art!
Yours for only $24.00!
Angel Dust: A nickname for phencyclidine, or phencyclohexyl piperidine, or PCP, a drug once touted as an anaesthetic but which was discontinued thanks to side effects like suicidal tendencies, paranoia, seizures and coma. People who seem desperately bored of life like to smoke it, before it smokes them I cannot find out why it was ever graced with the name 'Angel dust' as it seems more of an 'Imp's inhalation' to me.
I do now understand about the mention made in 'The Centauri Device' of a song being played live called 'Phencyclidine Dream'. Art!
One of the best sci-fi covers evah
Angels On Horseback: I had never heard of this dish before. Thank you 'Brewer's' for broadening my horizons. A savoury dish of oysters wrapped in rashers of bacon and served on toast. Probably a tad pricey to become part of my daily breakfast. Art!
Hmmm about £2 per oyster. You know, I may keep an eye open for them at the next weekly shop <wallet squeaks in anguish>. i wonder, do you grill, roast or fry them?
Angel Of The Schools: St. Thomas Aquinas, whom I have heard of and am vaguely aware of. He was a theologian of the 13th century, whose intellect and erudition were so well-regarded that his teachings were declared to be the basis of modern theology by the Pope in 1879. Way to go Tom! Especially since he'd been worm-fodder for 600 years by then. Art!
I think we'll knock Angels on the head for today, all the more since we have more to educate you about and I need to go check on the1 tumble-drier. Art!
Er what? No, no, I was after -
O never mind. TUMBLE-DRIER! TUMBLE-DRIER NOW!
Since I Mentioned It, Let Us Now Return To -
20 works on classical civilisation that you need to read. Art!
Historians and novelists have been kind to the ancient Greeks. I well remember Robert Graves 'I, Claudius' where the ailing Claudius is informed by a Greek doctor that they could have treated his bowel complaints if only he'd consulted with them a decade earlier, because Rational Humanists.
In this work, according to compiler Daisy Dunn, Dodds tackles the realities of just how crackpot the ancient Hellenes could be, believing in supernatural nonsense that made a mockery of their supposedly-logical mindset. Kind of like Vulcans being into Satanism and creationism I dare say. Just to put a modern-day slant on it.
A Lot Of Work Has Gone Into This
As you should surely know by now, Conrad is a dilettante wargamer, with an especial focus on the First Unpleasantness on the Western Front. I use the 'Square Bashing' ruleset that deals with large or very large formations, up to an Army Corp in strength.
So, imagine my surprise when a WW1 wargame turns up on Twitter. Art!
Here the British - you can tell thanks to the tactical markings on their Mk IV tanks - are assaulting a Teuton trench-line. There must be at least 10 companies of infantry on the board there, accompanied by 10 tanks. All fairly large-scale, so the gamers will have spent hours and hours - by the x10 painting them all.
Still On The Subject Of Wargaming
Just hex-and-counter this time. Art!
This is the counter-set involved, which seems enormous, until you understand how large the map is. Art!
That's a verrrrry large map. The hexes are typically up to two centimetres across, so count the hexes across the bottom edge and get you calculators out.
"La Bataille de Dresde is a large-scale, detailed hex-and-counter wargame published by Clash of Arms that simulates the Battle of Dresden (fought August 25–27, 1813) during the Napoleonic Wars"
Yours for only $142! O and you need another 3 people to be able to play it.
This Is Why 'Moscow' Mike Johnson Just Wants To Walk Away
In case you were unaware, MMJ is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and whom has decided that he wants to leave politics the sooner the better. He's not going to be staying on as House Minority Speaker - a position with absolutely no authority - and just wants out. Perhaps because he sees vengeful Democrats with subpoenas about how he helped Trump help Putin. Art!
MMJ ended the last session of Congress early, to avoid Whisky Pete getting indicted. Now that Congress is back in session, Ol' Massie is attempting to get Heggy impeached. Quite a feat to be so hated that YOUR OWN PARTY is indicting you, nicht wahr?
The smart money has it that Massie won't succeed, but Lord Jesus Christ On A Petrol-Powered Pogo Stick, this looks bad for the Wizard Lizard Gizzard Party. And then some.
* Yet <wallet squeaks in anguish>
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