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  • You're right, palooka. It is fun to say.

    June 26, 2008

  • It's an evocative phrase: "unleash the dogs of war." First used by Shakespeare ("let slip the dogs of war" per wikipedia), the dogs of war has been the title of a novel, a movie, an album, a computer game, etc.

    June 26, 2008

  • Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!

    I try and say it as often as possible in the office environment.

    June 26, 2008

  • That's an excellent idea, yarb. I have just the mind-numbing meeting for it, too.

    June 26, 2008

  • This makes me wonder what kind of dogs war. Wouldn't it be funny is someome cried "havoc" and then let slip a bunch of basset hounds, or whippets?! *snort*

    June 26, 2008

  • Good point. It's hardly worth crying "havoc!" if you're going to let slip the toy poodles of war.

    June 26, 2008

  • Let Ares doze, that other war

    Is instantly declared once more

    'Twixt those who follow

    Precocious Hermes all the way

    And those who without qualms obey

    Pompous Apollo.

    The sons of Hermes love to play

    And only do their best when they

    Are told they oughtn't;

    Apollo's children never shrink

    From boring jobs but have to think

    Their work important.

    If he would leave the self alone,

    Apollo's welcome to the throne,

    Fasces and falcons;

    He loves to rule, has always done it;

    The earth would soon, did Hermes run it,

    Be like the Balkans.

    In our morale must lie our strength:

    So, that we may behold at length

    Routed Apollo's

    Battalions melt away like fog,

    Keep well the Hermetic Decalogue,

    Which runs as follows:--

    Thou shalt not do as the dean pleases,

    Thou shalt not write thy doctor's thesis

    On education,

    Thou shalt not worship projects nor

    Shalt thou or thine bow down before

    Administration.

    Thou shalt not answer questionnaires

    Or quizzes upon World-Affairs,

    Nor with compliance

    Take any test. Thou shalt not sit

    With statisticians nor commit

    A social science.

    Thou shalt not be on friendly terms

    With guys in advertising firms,

    Nor speak with such

    As read the Bible for its prose,

    Nor, above all, make love to those

    Who wash too much.

    Thou shalt not live within thy means

    Nor on plain water and raw greens.

    If thou must choose

    Between the chances, choose the odd;

    Read The New Yorker, trust in God;

    And take short views.

    (from Auden's "Under Which Lyre")

    June 26, 2008

  • One of the infamous Weimeraners of War

    June 26, 2008

  • I need a poster size of that photo framed and hung in my office like, right now!

    June 27, 2008

  • Make that two poster sized photos. That's great!

    June 27, 2008

  • Thanks for the Auden poem, Sionnach! It's what I seem to be living by.

    June 27, 2008

  • You laugh. But it's well established that Aries had two pugs and a Pomeranian.

    June 27, 2008

  • Now with maps:

    Satirical WWI maps of Europe

    November 30, 2008