A Good Day . . . to Die?

Tarn posts on the fear of flying and a Sioux term, "hoke hay," which translates as "today is a good day to die." I won't comment on, well, how few words in the Sioux language it takes to say "today is a good day to die," but it does take fewer than English--or Italian, I might add.

I had always thought or, rather, believed, that the Klingons had come up with the whole "today is a good day to die" thing. But then I kick myself and remember that sci-fi only reveals to us things that we already know, like alien cultures and warp drive, cloaking devices and environmental apocalypses.

Speaking of warrior cultures, is anyone else a little disturbed that Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Marine General Peter Pace cried at a Senate hearing today? (It's at the WP. Go there your own self.) I mean, maybe "It takes a strong Marine to cry," as one senator said. But maybe, just maybe, the stress is getting to Pete. Because in Baghdad, these days, no day is a good day to die . . .