The Ultimate Answer to Kings: Grandatter Fresh from the Fair

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.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Grandatter Fresh from the Fair - the Fruits of Victory

6 comments:

The Grey Lady said...: She's a little piece of magic isn't she Joel.; August 15, 2011 at 11:29 AM
Joel said...: Now that's she's moving away from Generic Newborn and getting some character in her face, I can clearly see my daughter. The eyes, in particular.; August 15, 2011 at 12:15 PM
Claire said...: I can clearly see YOU, Joel.

Be afraid. Be very, very afraid.; August 15, 2011 at 12:58 PM
MamaLiberty said...: Beautiful, but she's doing an awful lot of deep thinking already, it seems. :); August 15, 2011 at 3:53 PM
Joel said...: She's just working out windage, elevation, wind velocity, target lead...

Actually Daughter went about looking worried as hell for the first several months. We made a game of trying to jolly her out of it.; August 15, 2011 at 5:13 PM
Anonymous said...: She looks very adorably elfish. I suspect mischief being contemplated.; August 16, 2011 at 3:20 AM

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Monday, August 15, 2011

Grandatter Fresh from the Fair - the Fruits of Victory

6 comments:

Why the hell did you scroll all the way down here?