Your Thought of the Day:

[Scout Out]

I actually enjoy reading many books.
It is with great respect and honor that i consume Bushi history, as it has been brought to me in its different forms.
Books, Film, Martial Arts mostly.
Since my separation from the military, i have practiced with a
two-handed Hardwood Bokken, to allow for range of motion Prescibed by PT, for my injured right side.
I try to read something before going out and exercising so i can meditate some before and after my barbarian routines.

Actually i have many books on the Art of War and Chivalry as it pertains to the warrior.
Just happen to be reading from the Hagakure and The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War (my most recent find).

Books i try and read in a rotating manner are:
The Hagakure of which i have 2 translations.
4 different translations of Sun Tzu.
2 for the Book of Five Rings, Musashi.
1 The Art of War, Jomini.
1 Art of War, Machiavelli
The Influence of Sea Power Upon History, Mahan
and some others.

I do have a soft spot for Japanese literature and the art of the warrior. I luv the Japanese Samurai movies by Kurosawa and all of the ZATOICHI series and "GhostDog". Also the current movie, The Last Samurai, was well done. hmmm is that it... probably not.

It helps to know i am not the only person who thinks of honor, integrity and duty as more than mere words.
I feel "thebrad", has a link to the way of the warrior.

When you are listening to the stories of accomplished men and the like, you should listen with deep sincerity, even if it's something about which you already know. If in listening to the same thing ten or twenty times it happens that you come to an unexpected understanding, that moment will be very special. Within the tedious talk of old folks are their meritorious deeds.
Hagakure

[thebrad]

In one's life, there are levels in the pursuit of study. In the lowest level, a person studies but nothing comes from it, and he feels that both he and others are unskillful. At this point he is worthless. In the middle level he is still useless but is aware of his insufficiencies and can also see the insufficiencies of others. In a higher level he has pride concerning his own ability, rejoices in praise from others, and laments the lack of ability in his fellows. This man has worth.

I think I'm somewhere in the middle!

Sounds like our collections are pretty similar - I have several different traslations of all those too... I'll bet we even have some of the same ones. One book "The Escence of War" is sorted into chapters by topic from several different texts - Sun Tzu's Art of War, Wu-Tzu, and Sun Pin's Military Methods... and some others too. The translator, Sawyer has put out several books and his emphasis is on Asian military texts. Another of his 'The Tao of War' is really good - it's a military look at the Tao Te Ching, which isn't considered a military text... also includes the interpretations of it by a ninth century Chinese commander and his own interpretations.

[thebrad]

Originally posted by DMZ-LT You been getting to much sunlight. Seek cover. I always kind of admired sappers . They look good on the wire in the morning.

Oh what I wouldn't give to be light! Heck I'm having trouble weaselin' my way into a deployment!

EVERYONE must add Alaska in the summertime to their places to go list - it's on my try to never move away from list! I only see the dark on the weekends.

The beautiful scenery and the great trails here have been calling me out to do a LOT of running and biking - not to mention the inhabitants of them all male/female moose and female humans I avoid the ones with kid though, they are really dangerous - I'm talking about the moose!

[MORTARDUDE]

Communication is better than war... mostly...

me


Larry

[goodnessgracie]

Hi, Mortardude! What's your nakshatra?

Gracie "your friendly bartender" here. I picked up a priceless book several years ago entitled "PowerMoneyFameSex: A User's Guide" by Gretchen Craft Rubin. That and "The Princessa" by Harriett Rubin are both very nice strategy guides to the pop culture age

Love & Kisses,
Gracie

[PHO127]

Is worth shooting twice, Be sure not sorry.

Me, when teaching my wife about guns and self defense.

[HARDCORE]

For when the one great scorer comes to write against your name, he marks not that you won or lost, but how you played the game!

Grantland Rice (1925)

If this indeed be the case, then some 79 years later, great portions of humanity are in deep trouble (opinion)....

[HARDCORE]

A man?s honor is damned hard to come by, even harder to maintain, and almost impossible to recapture once he has surrendered it. For in realty, where there is no truth, there is no honor!

H. Rick Tavares - 2001

[Arrow]

When we come toaplace where the road and the sky collide, Throw me over the edge and let my spirit glide, They told me I was going to have to work for a living, But all I want to do is ride, I don't care where we're going from here, Honey, you decide -Jackson Browne - The Road and The Sky -

[DMZ-LT]

John , pass that , will ya............... Frank