Something Important Happens on 11/11/11 (Not Another Skyrim Thread)
- Thread starter Blunderboy
- Start date
Forces family history, and I was all set for the infantry, but a quick government policy change meant I was dropped just before enlisting.
So yeah, silence it is.
So yeah, silence it is.
I'll be at work, but I will be putting my tools down and going outside to mark the 2 minute silence
Most definatly. At work we observe the silence when the bbc announce it. I also watch the parade through my village.
When I was at school we visited the war graves in France. The German cemetary called Langemark shrouded with trees, with oak leaf wreaths and a statue representing "The slaughter of innocents". The Menin Gate listing 54000 unfound dead, where every single day they close off the road and play The Last Post. The landscape dotted with small clumps of trees, which are actually small gravesites. The small cemetary inscribed with "In life they held this trench, in death they hold it still". Tyne Cot cemetary where the graves face up the hill they died taking, where I looked back and saw the sun perfectly silhouetting the sword of sacrifice. I shall never forget that trip or what has been given that I may be here.
This is why I am saddened that people are selfish enough to not bother or care. Strange as usually I'm the cycnical and cold one.
When I was at school we visited the war graves in France. The German cemetary called Langemark shrouded with trees, with oak leaf wreaths and a statue representing "The slaughter of innocents". The Menin Gate listing 54000 unfound dead, where every single day they close off the road and play The Last Post. The landscape dotted with small clumps of trees, which are actually small gravesites. The small cemetary inscribed with "In life they held this trench, in death they hold it still". Tyne Cot cemetary where the graves face up the hill they died taking, where I looked back and saw the sun perfectly silhouetting the sword of sacrifice. I shall never forget that trip or what has been given that I may be here.
This is why I am saddened that people are selfish enough to not bother or care. Strange as usually I'm the cycnical and cold one.
I'll be doing my two minute silence. Will be in the middle of a lesson so I'd probably be silent anyway but hey, the thought is there.
Heh, I'll be taking more than two minutes' silence during school. We Americans already have a few days like that, the most recent being the tenth anniversary of 9/11.
11/11/11 is when Homestuck also ends its two weeks hiatus, which was AFTER ending a six week hiatus. So thank god we'll finally get regular updates again.
11/11/11 is when Homestuck also ends its two weeks hiatus, which was AFTER ending a six week hiatus. So thank god we'll finally get regular updates again.
I KNOW! I can't wait for the new Kinect Winter Stars!!!
Oh........ Was this thread about something else??
OT: From the US. Never heard of it, never done it, probably never will.
Oh........ Was this thread about something else??
OT: From the US. Never heard of it, never done it, probably never will.
I've been wearing my poppy today.
I studies the First World War as part of my English A level (WWI literature) and I found the whole thing very profound and very important that we don't forget about what happened.
It's not just part of British History but the history of the world, if we forget the sacrifice of people who die so others can be free their deaths loose meaning, and if we forget the tyranny that lead to those wars, well, it could all too easily happen again.
And now follows a selection of poems by Siegfried Sassoon, WWI poet and former 2nd lieuteant, that resonate very strongly with me at this time of year:
And finally, a webpage with some actual audio clips from the great man himself reading two of his most famous poems, 'Dug-out' and 'Everyone sang'.
[link]http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=1561[/link]
(and if you really fancy a bit more Sassoon: [link]http://siegfried-sassoon.firstworldwarrelics.co.uk/html/poems.html[/link]).
I studies the First World War as part of my English A level (WWI literature) and I found the whole thing very profound and very important that we don't forget about what happened.
It's not just part of British History but the history of the world, if we forget the sacrifice of people who die so others can be free their deaths loose meaning, and if we forget the tyranny that lead to those wars, well, it could all too easily happen again.
And now follows a selection of poems by Siegfried Sassoon, WWI poet and former 2nd lieuteant, that resonate very strongly with me at this time of year:
The General
"Good morning; good morning" the General said
when we met last week on our way to the line.
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead,
and we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
"He's a cheery old card," grunted Harry to Jack
as they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.
But he did for them both by his plan of attack.
"Good morning; good morning" the General said
when we met last week on our way to the line.
Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead,
and we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine.
"He's a cheery old card," grunted Harry to Jack
as they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack.
But he did for them both by his plan of attack.
Asking For It
Lord God whose mercy guards the virgin jungle;
Lord God whose fields with dragon's teeth are farmed;
Lord God of blockheads, bombing-planes, and bungle,
Assist us to be adequately armed.
Lord God of cruelties incomprehensible
And randomized damnations indefensible,
Perfect in us thy tyrannous technique
For torturing the innocent and weak.
God of the dear old Mastodon's morasses
Whose love pervaded pre-diluvial mud,
Grant us the power to prove, by poison gases,
The needlessness of shedding human blood.
Lord God whose mercy guards the virgin jungle;
Lord God whose fields with dragon's teeth are farmed;
Lord God of blockheads, bombing-planes, and bungle,
Assist us to be adequately armed.
Lord God of cruelties incomprehensible
And randomized damnations indefensible,
Perfect in us thy tyrannous technique
For torturing the innocent and weak.
God of the dear old Mastodon's morasses
Whose love pervaded pre-diluvial mud,
Grant us the power to prove, by poison gases,
The needlessness of shedding human blood.
And finally, a webpage with some actual audio clips from the great man himself reading two of his most famous poems, 'Dug-out' and 'Everyone sang'.
[link]http://www.poetryarchive.org/poetryarchive/singlePoet.do?poetId=1561[/link]
(and if you really fancy a bit more Sassoon: [link]http://siegfried-sassoon.firstworldwarrelics.co.uk/html/poems.html[/link]).