Ali G & David Beckham ("Mr. Mohawk"), Taoist Quotes (and Final Exam Suggestions!)

Firstly, FYI... speaking of soccer, there's an interview out there of David Beckham and Posh Spice by Ali G (AKA Sacha Baron Cohen, AKA Borat). It's rude, but Ali G's improv'ed interview with the Beckhams can be a scream... "Respect!" :-)

Then, just a couple of things I didn't get a chance to quote tonight...

Re: simplicity and what Kate was trying to say about the paradoxical difficulty of living simply: "Govern a nation as you would cook a small fish." - Lao Tzu :-)

"To remain whole, be twisted!
To become straight, let yourself be bent.
To become full, be hollow.
Be tattered, that you may be renewed.
Those that have little, may get more,
Those that have much, are but perplexed.
Therefore the Sage
Clasps the Primal Unity [tao],
Testing by it everything under heaven.
He does not show himself, therefore he is seen everywhere.
He does not define himself, therefore he is distinct.
He does not boast of what he will do, therefore he succeeds.
He is not proud of his work, and therefore it endures.
He does not contend,
And for that reason no one under heaven can contend with him.
So then we see that the ancient saying 'To remain whole, be twisted!' was no idle word; for true wholeness can only be acheived by return." - Tao Te Ching

"Do or do not. There is no try." - Tao Master Yoda

(and I found more on the Tao of Star Wars here!)

BTW, the most recent estimates of people worldwide who espouse Taoism as their religious belief [which is slightly different from Taoism purely as a philosophy] range from 20 million to 50 million. (from Adherents.com)

As for the Final Exam, finish reading Pooh and review the notes and articles from the class presentations. I personally envision an essay question that mixes the two (like applying one to the other, for example...)