The Ultimate Answer to Kings: ...And it's about time.

They say that Louis XIV had the inscription Ultima Ratio Regum cast into all the cannon of the French Army. It means "The Ultimate Argument of Kings," and that always struck me as one of the most honest and up-front things any ruler or would-be ruler ever said. "We can dress it up prettier than this, but when it comes down to the unvarnished truth this is what it's about: You'll do as I say or I'll send my goons to kill you."

I thought about that for a long time. If there's an ultimate argument, it seems only logical that there must be an ultimate answer. For years I thought the ultimate answer must be the bullets in my rifle, but it never seemed quite right. I've got bullets - he's got frigging Cannon Balls. I mean, if there were three hundred million rifles throwing bullets at him, then maybe. But we all know that's not going to happen. So if there's an ultimate answer to his ultimate argument, it sure as hell ain't bullets.

It finally came to me - and that's when I left the city, abandoned a goodly percentage of my goods, and gave all that was behind me a good, stiff Randian Shrug.

The ultimate answer to kings is not a bullet, but a belly laugh.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

...And it's about time.

I've finally added a TUAK blogroll, something I've been meaning to do for ... um ... how long has TUAK been around? About that long. Blogs and other sites on the roll are either sites I visit and/or ~~steal from~~ comment upon on a regular basis, those who link to me, and those of people who comment here regularly. The three lists, of course, often intersect: Basically, I'm trying to return favors others have been doing for me for quite some time. I don't really expect it to do them any good, my traffic not being of Tam-esque proportions, but they at least deserve the courtesy. If - and it is inevitable, I'm afraid - you belong on this list and I've left you off, please just let me know here and I'll fix it.

5 comments:

Carl "Bear" Bussjaeger said...: Huh; that prompted me to take another look at my 'roll, and I realized that for all I occasionally link back here... you weren't on the 'roll.

Fixed.; June 19, 2011 at 7:11 PM
The Grey Lady said...: Thanks for putting me on your roll Joel. I feel honoured :O); June 20, 2011 at 7:13 AM
Claire said...: Honored. Me, too. :-) And in good company. Thanks, Joel.; June 20, 2011 at 7:26 AM
Joel said...: Yes, it's an honor roughly equivalent to getting a mention in Paranoid Recluse Quarterly. Savor. Savor.; June 20, 2011 at 11:03 AM
Mayberry said...: Thankee good sir!; June 20, 2011 at 4:41 PM