My Virtual Reading Room

Vitae Lampada

There's a breathless hush in the Close tonight--
Ten to make and a match to win--
A bumping pitch and a blinding light,
An hour to play and the last man in.
And it's not for the sake of a ribboned coat,
Or the selfish hope of a season's fame,
But his Captain's hand on his shoulder smote--
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

The sand of the desert is sodden red--
Red with the wreck of a square that broke;--
The Gatling's jammed and the Colonel's dead,
And the regiment blind with the dust and smoke.
The river of death has brimmed its banks,
And England's far, and Honor a name,
But the voice of a schoolboy rallies the ranks:
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

This is the word that year by year,
While in her place the school is set,
Every one of her sons must hear,
And none that hears it dare forget.
This they all with joyful mind
Bear through life like a torch in flame,
And falling fling to the host behind--
"Play up! play up! and play the game!"

(Sir Henry Newbolt)

I Accept

I shall go out as all men go,
Spent flickers in a mighty wind,
Then I shall know, as all must know,
What lies the great gray veil behind.

( Read more... )

By Thomas H. Maugh II
December 15, 2009
Widespread overuse of CT scans and variations in radiation doses caused by different machines -- operated by technicians following an array of procedures -- are subjecting patients to high radiation doses that will ultimately lead to tens of thousands of new cancer cases and deaths, researchers reported today.

Rest of story here: www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-sci-ct-scans15-2009dec15,0,3370000.story