THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred

Theirs not to reason why;

Theirs but to do and die.

Crimea is in the news big time these days. As is Russia, other European nations and Ukraine. War threatens. In 1854, there was a war in Crimea. The Crimean War. Involved were Crimeans, Russians, Great Britain, certain other Euro nations, and many of the Muslim faith.

On October 25, the Battle of Balaklava took place. An ill fated event in British military history. The British calvary charging up the hill were decimated. Totally destroyed. Fire from each side and above. The attack was a mistake. A for real administrative error. The British troops should not have been riding up that hill.

Alfred, Lord Tennyson, was poet laureate at the time. After the battle, he wrote his famous The Charge of the Light Brigade. The opening quoted four lines of this blog represent four lines from the poem.

History appears to be repeating itself. Hopefully war will not ensue.

Live long enough and you get to meet everyone.

Jimmy Valvano was North Carolina State basketball coach. His team won the Final Four in 1983. Many will recall the film of Valvano immediately after the winning game. He was running up and down the court looking for some one to hug.

Valvano died of cancer at age 47.  Yesterday’s Key West Citizen carried a quote of his concerning cancer. “Cancer can take away all of my physical abilities, it cannot touch my heart, and it cannot touch my soul.”

A couple of years after the Final Four victory, I was in Italy for a one month family vacation. It was the last three days of the trip. My parents and son had already left for home. It was just my wife, two daughters and me. The night was late. They were tired. Left me wandering the Via Veneto as they returned to the pension.

The Via Veneto is Rome’s main street. Bustling with character and charm twenty four hours a day. Many outside cafes. Sitting at one alone was Jimmy Valvano. I immediately recognized him.

I went over, introduced myself, related my Syracuse affiliation and friendship with Jim Boeheim. Valvano and I became immediate friends.

His wife had gone back to the hotel tired. We sat, enjoyed Italian coffees and chatted for quite a while. A nice guy. A memorable evening for me.

Yesterday included a meeting downtown, manicure, and time at Don’s Place. Tammy happily was relating to me her happiness with their new home. Love her! She and her husband deserve all the joys they are experiencing. Later, I chatted with David and Herschel at Don’s Place. We are going to be short handed thursday at bocce. Herschel, Erika and Jennifer will not be there.

Stopped to visit Lisa in between. Jake was sick. Had been up chucking. Poor Jake!

Blog talk radio tonight. I will be discussing how the economy is bad for some of the big guys, also. An interesting change in the Utah polygamy laws. It is now legal. Who would want five wives, however? A 70 year old father who discovered his son’s fiancée was in the escort business. Should he tell his son? U.S. combat aircraft having a superior readiness to all other nations. The looting of the Ukraine already by American and Euro nation banks. Obama and Putin playing chicken to the detriment of the world. The head of Ukraine’s neo-Nazi party running for President. Putin nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. And more.

Revealing information. A quick moving half hour.  www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou. The show is archived. It is also available on You Tube following the actual broadcast. Enter the show’s title Tuesday Talk With Key West Lou and the date of the show in numbers. My pic and voice come up. Enjoy!

The You Tube version is not posted till 3-4 days after the show. Sorry. We are working on it getting posted sooner.

New college basketball rankings came out yesterday. Syracuse #11. How the mighty fall! Two weeks ago, Syracuse was #1. Unless Syracuse wins the ACC tournament this week, Syracuse will be a 3 or 4 seed in the big tournament.

Enjoy your day!

3 comments on “THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE

  1. Unfortunately, “The Charge of the Light Brigade” is not as glorious as made out by Hollywood or Tennyson. In truth, the blood of heroic Englishman was expended on a futile mistake.

    So too, we should bring all the girls and boys home from where ever, until the American Sheeple support foreign interventionism.

    In the late 60’s and early 70’s, the Astroturf anti-war activists would ask where are the politician’s children with respect to the draft. Clinton was the first (draft dodger) non-military politician to occupy the White House. In the days prior, a politician had to have served to get elected.

    (Remember Heinlein postulated a world where only vets could serve in “public service”. I think he was correct.)

    Sorry, but the Sheeple have sold us down the river.

    And, vets pay the price for their perfidy!

    IMHO!

    • Hmmm..Clinton was not the only one to avoid the Viet War, a war I was too young to fight in @ 10 and many of my best friends did fight in. Dubya was enjoying his stint in the Nat Guard stateside while my two friends were in Ong Thanh and Ap Da Bien. I think actual combat vet experience should be a pre-requite for federal office. That will rule out a lot of the idiots and usher in an era of common sense.

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