David versus Goliath

David versus Goliath

After the resolutions of the New Year, we all seem to be rushed into the routine of work and rest.  My aspirations of a more social existence with the people I am most closest to (apart from the missus and kids) have fallen away for the first three months of 2012. I was most gladened by the initative shown by one of the brethren (equally under the pump and stressed out) to take up the call to make leave for the 'card night' ritual at the factory in Blacknburn.  Nothing like a diversion and something to look forward to with good friends.

The night started well - the eight of us chatted like chooks in the hutch, as if we have not seen ourselves for years and thoroughly being at ease.  Thats what good friends are for - to fall back to basics with people that know the core of who you are and to be totally comfortable with.  I am blessed to have a core of good mates and again I think to myslef that 'we do not do this enough'.

Then the cards and gambling begin.

It is all jovial, however we are all from the same background and money, however small, is relative to the context of competition.  We all hate to lose especially to the perenial winner - lets call him 'Goliath' for the sake of anonyminity.  He always wins.  This is not luck - you can't always be lucky for 25 years.  He is a good player, mature beyond his years, careful with his bets and always probing for a weakness in his opponents.  Our standing joke is to handover the money at the start of the night to 'Goliath' to save ourselves 4 or 5 hours.

However tonight, 'Goliath' was met by 'David' the risk taker and on the side of the battlers.  After a good run at poker, 'David' took on the bank for '21' which was akin to the biblical story of standing up against the odds.  Normally this should have ended in a crushing win for Goliath, but occasionally divine intervention (like the day in the red sea over 2000 years ago), God decided that David would have his day in the sun and Goliath was to fall on the battelfield (ie., the card table).

So a history amongst our friends will recall the 'night of the 4 of spades' which dealt the fatal blow to Goliath and recorded the biggest winning hand played amongst us.  Why? Only God knows as I should have lost that hand on balance!!

God works in mysterious ways - I know I will pay this small fortune back in time which I will most gladly do.

The Theory of Natural Selecion

'I'd be an Indian here, and live content
To fish and hunt, and paddle my canoe,
And see my children grow, like wild young fawns,
In health and body and peace of mind,
Rich without wealth, and happy without gold'

Alfred Russell Wallace circa 1852

I just recentely had the opportunity to sit for 4 days and read a book cover to cover.  First time in a long time I have done that and I really enjoyed it.  This was partly due to surgery I just had that neccistated me to sit down - gravity was definetly not my friend for my poor manhood.

The book I read was titled 'Darwin's Armada' by Iain McCalman.  I bought it a while ago and it has been sitting on my bookshelf waiting to be read.  If you are into non-fiction adventure, discovery, extreme human endevour and commitment well thisbook comes highy recommended.

The Theory of Natural selection sometimes known as 'Survival of the Fittest'  is commonly credited to Charles Darwin via his book titled 'The Origin of Speices' published in 1860.  The most ground breaking, controversial and brilliant piece of scientific work in modern times it broke open the world of science to the common people and challeged the church head on via the previously held beliefs of 'creationism'.  Today it does not appear to be a big deal, but it was a really big deal in 1860!

The theory was based (amongst a whole lot of other things) on Darwins voyage to the Southern hemisphere between 1831 to 1836 on the 'Beagle' which included a stay on the Galapos Islands off the coast of Chile, which most people would identify as the 'birth' of his theory of evolution.  But it is much more complex than that as the book descibed in some detail.  Essentially, Darwin was supported by a number of other scientists that travelled to the Southern Hemisphere between the 1840's to 1860's.  This area of the world at that time was largely un touched and unexplored.  The commitment to reseach, science and thought by these individuals was really incredibe.  I was left in awe of Huxley, Hooker and probably most of all Wallace. These blokes were hard core.

This made my ponder '...who in our society is showing the same sought of commitment for essentially not for profit but human advancement in understanding?'.  I would not have a clue.  Our world is now dominated by celebrity, entertainment and profit that the normal man in the street would not have a clue who is really making an impact in areas of science, human advancement or charity.  I certainly do not! There must be people hard core and committed as these guys for the most noble of causes.  But I suppose it is boring and does not make the mainstream news which is a shame.

However just as our 1860 counterparts, if you really want to be at the forefront of thinking you need to get involved.  The ease of todays communication and connectivity are only as good as the effort individuals put in - nothing comes to you on a plate!  So there probably is someone working on the most exciting piece of theory at the moment - unless you look for it, you will never know!