Stardate 20030625.1115

(On Screen): There are ceremonial foods we eat on special occasions to help us remember important events. I'm reminded of the unleavened bread which is part of the Jewish celebration of Passover, or of America's Thanksgiving turkey.

There's a traditional punch made by artillerists at the annual St. Barbara's Ball, made up of a list of ingredients each of which is intended to remind them of part of their history. From the sound of it, the result is a pretty vile concoction, but soldiers traditionally have been willing to drink damned near anything as long as it had ethanol in it, and no matter how this stuff might taste it's definitely "high octane". And in this case I think it is deliberately intended to taste foul.

The mixing of the punch is a ceremony, where each ingredient is added with a description of why it's there. Captain Scarlett (on Silent Running) reports that his National Guard Artillery unit just held their St. Barbara's Ball with German comrades who were here for joint training exercises, and when the punch was ceremonially mixed, they left one ingredient out and commented on why.

I wonder if in future the ceremony will be changed to always include a step where they describe why it is that they are not adding Cognac to the brew?

Americans are often thought of elsewhere as having short memories, but that is not true. We don't obsess on little things, but when it comes to what is truly important, memories are long and memories are deep. We do not forget liars, and cheats, and those who prove they have no honor.

We will forgive an honorable enemy, but never a treacherous friend.