The Bacon Rebellion of 1676 was an interesting combination of Indian war and insurrection against the Crown appointed Governor of Virginia, William Berkeley. Nathaniel Bacon led an unauthorized militia in multiple attacks on Indians in the Virginia Colony in reprisal of supposedly unprovoked wrongs perpetrated by those Indians, as well as attacking the government and its sanctioned militia under Berkeley. Bacon’s expeditions were of a nature that proved that a militia was, when properly motivated, capable of forming and fighting a local threat with some success. Unfortunately, attacking the wrong groups and starting what amounted to the first “revolution” in the new world in the process.  (continued below the fold)

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The Golan Heights, in September of 1973 was a contested stretch of hilly, rocky terrain that the “Purple Line” split down the middle, with the sparse but watchful Israeli Defense Force (IDF) guarding the western half and the bitter and well-equipped Syrian Army occupying the eastern half.[1]  The Syrians lost the land in the abortive attempt to push the Jewish state into the sea in 1967 with their Arab allies.[2] The Arabs had tried since Israel’s inception to vanquish the fledgling state to no avail. In spite of the Israeli government making peaceful overtones and attempting to broker a deal, the Syrians, in concert with Egypt had a mind toward only vengeance.[3] This was a continuation of the Khartoum Arab Summit that held that there would be no peace, recognition or negotiation with the Jewish state.[4] The Arabs had been preparing at breakneck pace, in great secrecy to invade and would catch most of the IDF on its heels. The stand made by the Israelis in the Golan would go down as a great success, in spite of the drive and early success of the Syrian Army. (CONTINUED BELOW THE FOLD!)

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 The video begins like so many others. Above a bright blue sky – below, a dusty tortured terrain of brown and green. The place is Salman Pak on the outskirts of Baghdad on March 20, 2005. The sounds of Kalashnikov[1] and RPG[2] fire has become the familiar staccato background in a scene that we think will end the way that so many others have. Suddenly the mood changes – three up-armored HMMWVs[3] careen into view laying down hellish suppressive fire while being pounded by dozens of rounds from the hot barrels of determined insurgents. The viewer can almost smell the sweat and fear as the insurgents mutter “Allah-hu-Akbar” whilst advancing on a convoy of supply trucks. Within moments the video upends and skews wildly before going blank.[4] This was the beginning of a battle that would see the first Silver Star Medal awarded to a female Soldier since World War II[5]. Sergeant Leigh Ann Hester of the Kentucky National Guard’s 617^th Military Police Company (Combat Support), in Iraq made history by doing exactly what she was trained to do - locate, close with and destroy the enemy. While certain influential persons in Big Army would see the role of women in combat rolled back[6], SGT Hester proved that not only were females in combat a reasonable proposition – but a winning one.

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The New York State Campaign, also known as the Saratoga Campaign was an effort by the British Army to secure the Hudson River valley. The Primary thrust was made by General John Burgoyne with 8,000 men toward Saratoga, down the Hudson that culminated in a series of battles that would end with his surrender. Colonel Barry St. Ledger would support the thrust with a thrust toward Albany and General Sir William Howe would mistakenly drive toward Philadelphia in spite of plans being made to thrust north from New York City.

More below the fold...>>

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So you guys know - I will be approaching this blog from the angle of my aspirations as a historian. I will be avoiding any politics or personal issues from here on - there are scocial sites for that - take care to you all!

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What makes these peeps believe that the GWOT was (is) the main contributing factor to the downturn in the economy? I would submit that the war has created thousands of jobs (contractors, production of military equipment, heck – even an upturn in military enlistments!) and dumped quite a bit of money into the US economy. The economy is by its very nature a fickle beast – especially the stock market. With simple speeches or even allusions by the POTUS or the FED, the market swings wildly.

(continued below the fold)

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Got most of the CID packet complete...saw Bruno...chilled. WIN! Back to the grind 2day...yay.

Oh - and the pic of the day (perhaps the week! DAYUM!):

(h/t MP.net)

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The “Bill of Rights” as enumerated in the first ten amendments to the Constitution is what I see as exactly that – a Bill of Rights – for the people. Throughout the Constitution, the language is very specific and certain words are given specific meaning through specific use and repetition. One example is the use of the word “people”. Every time that it appears, it lends itself to mean the individual people of the United States. As the Bill of Rights is generally accepted as a set of limits on government, and not the people, in fact securing the rights of the people, one specific part seems to be a politically sticky point.  The Second Amendment is an issue of States rights and in recent years has become a nexus of Federal law and agencies that are in effect unconstitutional.

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Got the lawn mowed - finally...still have to do the weedeating, but that can wait until 2morrow morning...when I start my body-clock reset. I have laundry, weedeating, shifting of my crap, cleaning, going to the library, taking delivery of my mattress and box springs, and perhaps - if I am up to it, canoeing to Tiger island. I feel like such a frackin slug on this mid-watch. I cannot wait to get back to a real schedule. It wouldn't be so bad actually if I were staying on it...but I am not...so I am not looking forward to the reset.

In other news - work gets more boring each day...I swear I love the ppl I work with and the pay...but Christ - I need SOME sort of action...this place is WORSE than Mayberry - @ least they had that drunk guy and the occasional out of town bank robbing fugitive. We have exactly DICK. My war has ruined me. I am trapped in my mind with memories of fortune and glory.

I miss those heady days of being out in Baghdad...just me and another Joe or two...daring the Jihadis to fuck with us...while we move scanning and panning through the streets, hyper-alert for signs of danger to our principal...damn it.

working with men from Denmark, Iraq, England, Australia, Poland, etc...seeing what few have seen...feeling what few have felt...watching through an ACOG with bored interest as hundreds of Iraqis below mill about, unaware of our presence...

the sound of the turbo in the M1151 spinning up, and the professional banter over the headsets...the rapid churning of the turret as it swept back and forth, the gunner's head on a swivel...damn it.

The sudden slap of incoming, like the sound of an angry god...the too late moan of the alarm and the shouts of INCOMMING as men scurry like so many cockroaches for hard cover...damn it.

The snap or hiss of a round passing overhead...and the split second decision to take cover or move toward the sound of gunfire...damn it.

I still have too much on my plate to make any real progress on fun stuff...and am seriously thinking of ditching the CID thing - too much gawddamn paperwork...and going to be an OC - I am just sort of over the whole thing...any opinions?

I really want to finish school in a hurry, but I have already exhausted my TA at the end of August - so it is a little over a month off from school while I wait on the new fiscal year. Str8 "A" student @ AMU so far (knock wood).

OK enough soul bearing bullshit. Off to bed. Phuc it.

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Seriously....it seems that people don't know when to NOT push me...

In other news - what the hell in more important - A Soldier missing in action, in the custody of head chopping Wahabbis - OR How MJ died - OR Whether Sarah Palin has ruined her career?

1 frackin guess.

My mattress was not delivered - and now after one of three 10 hour mid shifts on Independence Day weekend, I have to stay up to call the foolios who sold it to me...yay.

AND my lawn mower battery is dead. FML

carrion.

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And I am there! I can't WAIT!!!

http://firstcoastteaparty.org/

5:30 - 7:00 PM Jacksonville landing - Will be rocking the "Lem Esteslem" Black Tshirt and tan operator hat. NOOOOTCH! Pics will most assuredly follow.

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The United States has, from its conception, been part of the global community. However, in the modern era of renaming, repackaging and rewriting the world wide economy has become globalized. Of course, there is an important distinction between being a part of a global economy and having your economy globalized. As the laws of supply and demand work their magic on the markets, the economy fluctuates, sometimes violently. However, apart from the complete collapse of international trade and travel the system survives, revives and soars to greater heights each time. From the very birth of our great nation with the writing of the Constitution, we have had to consider the impact of international trade. While our nation was born of enlightenment and came of age in industrialization, the 21^st Century has redefined what it is to be part of the global community, possibly to our detriment.

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Viddy well - o - my brothers! (this reminds me of the VA!) - oh and this is NSFW!

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a nice long and dangerous deployment that I could slide into?

JUST KIDDING PEEPS....mostly.

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Well I know, I miss more than hit
With a face that was launched to sink
An' I seldom feel, the bright relief
It's been the Worst Day Since Yesterday

If there's one thing I have said
Is that the dreams I once had, now lay in bed
As the four winds blow, my wits through the door
It's been the Worst Day Since Yesterday

Fallin' down to you sweet ground
Where the flowers they bloom
It's there I'll be found

Hurry back to me, my wild Colleen
It's been the Worst Day Since Yesterday

Though these wounds have seen no wars
Except for the scars I have ignored
And this endless crutch, well it's never enough
It's been the Worst Day Since Yesterday

Hell says hello, well it's time to I should go
To pastures green, that I've yet to see

Hurry back to me, my wild Colleen
It's been the Worst Day Since Yesterday

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I had a GREAT night... After finishing my finals - I went and had some...errrrmmm....a lot of 10 Cane –

.…and the link from FB is gone, again my apologies to all.>>

While on the dock @ the park on the bank of the Ortega River - I had a revelation or three....>>

See the rest below the fold…>>

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every moment not miserible - is a moment stolen. Gods ~ how I feel that.

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The outcome of the American Civil War is perhaps the events that most often evokes the question “What if?”. From novels like Turtledove’s fanciful The Guns of the South to scholarly debates amongst historians, the Civil War has had people asking the question since Reconstruction. Many times, this question is asked in relation to the big decisions or seminal events that are instantly recognizable to casual students of the war. There are dozens of variables in the battle of Gettysburg alone that beg debate. The outcome of that bloody battle could have changed the face of the war as well as the world we know today. Had Chamberlain failed, Stuart been more timely or Picket succeeded, perhaps Washington DC would have been threatened and the outcome of the war less of a foregone conclusion.  More often than not, these events get the most attention and are hotly debated.

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       The word genocide evokes images of bodies filling mass graves or scattered across the landscape lying where they fell, limbs akimbo. The efficiency of the Nazi killing in Europe overwhelms the psyche with the hollow look in the eyes the victims, long since dead. The acts of brutality that man visits on his fellow man in the name of God and country are the stuff of horror movies, except all too real. One such orgy of violence was perpetrated in Nanking, China in 1937 and 1938. What leads men to the point where another man is less than human, or even less than an animal in his eyes?

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so far, has been a festival in introspection. Coupled with watching "Under the Cherry Moon", "Wolverine" and "Chasing Amy" -

I suppose that says something about me...and the current situation. There are those of you who will understand...Look up those movies - better yet watch them  - and maybe you can see a little of my soul.

I feel strangely detached...

more later.

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This is my only place to rail against the idiocracy that runs our country. Jeeeeez.

Why I don't like this guy...he doesn't like us.

Fixed bitches.

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Some pretty damned good shots if I DO say so meself - HERE

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A reminder of why.

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To all of you Naysayers - (h/t JAWA) -

"Act like you are a friend, and then kill him, just like in the book (Koran)"

Moderate Muslims my ass.

For more get they whole video - HERE

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What EVERYONE needs to know about the Iraqi security forces.

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Well - we showed up @ the Ritz at about 1700 after my mom showed up to watch the kids - My loverly wife explained in the course of conversation that this was our little getaway after I got back from Iraq.  - They comped our valet parking and upgraded us to an ocean-side suite. Sweet.

We can back down to go out to dinner and it was time for the Ritz "Rum Toast" with the pirates - so we donned our pirate hats and downed our "Peppermint Patties" (2oz Rum, 2oz Creme de Coco[dark], 2oz Peppermint Schnapps) - yummy! Jumped into the Fusion and sped off to downtown Fernandina. En Route a fool in a late model V6 Mustang did they whole re-the-engine thing @ the stop lights on the way - so I decided to play his silly game - and demonstrated that the black on black sports sedan might not be the one to pick on

We arrived @ the Crab Shack for dinner I had Shrimp and Ma-hi (Dolphin) and the Shaza had Scallops. It was GRAND - yummy yummy. We then made our way down to the Palace Saloon for cocktails and the live band - "QUEST" from Jax - I had "Mount Gay" Rum (not "Mount Ghey") and Shaza had a variety. We ran into 3 Scots who are working on a project across the river and chatted until about 11. Back to the hotel for adult activities and enjoying our seaside balcony and the cold moonlight - BTW - the hotel left chocolate and gold dipped strawberries and a nice note for us - yummy

I woke up with a ridiculous hangover - musta been the Mount Gay - did not burn clean. Had room service breakkie and feeling poor went back to bed until about 1030 - off the the boy's basketball game @ the Y and then to Taco Bell and the drugstore for gatorade (both to kill the lingering hangover). Feeling all betterz we headed back to the hotel for more adult activities, and watched the new episode of BSG on demand in the room - DAMN  - crazy start to the last season of BSG !!!

We then wen for a sunset walk on the beach (although the sun was setting on the mangroves as opposed to the water like on the left coast. More adult activities -and room service dinner (BTW room service @ the Ritz was not great - it was good but NOT worth the outrageous sums charged)  

Slept like logs - more adult activities and then off to breakfast @ Barbara Jean's (excellent!) and back downtown to shop for furniture for the Shaza's office. Found some awesome stuff at some of the antique shops downtown and then drove around the island looking for all the cool nooks and crannies for later. Eventually we made it down to Freakville to pick up the kiddos from Mom's house (Thanks Mom and K!) and then back home in time to watch the playoffs! Yay!

This morning - back to the Honey-dos - last day before work

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Click HERE!

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Yes - that is the remnants of the icy frakin hail that pelted us - damn!

And Arabs are racist against Orange Joos.

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Death to Islamicists.

Click for the news.

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Propaganda - Vader Style.

Motivation - Algore Style.

Pinups and more below - WARNING may be NSFW! (and be patient - some of them are large files)

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Over @ the UNcyclopedia.

A very informative and historically accurate article about the founding of Islam: (click the pic)

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So to finance the bailout of failing companies - which is Socialism - we are borrowing money from the countires that already have a stranglehold on us via Oil - which is Stupidism.

Of course the other option is to just print more $ and devalue the dollar....even worse...

OR - they could let the free market ride - and businesses will sink or swim - the market WILL recover on it's own - and be healthier for it -

I swear the news agencies trumpeting doom and gloom is self fulfilling - and the bail out is something right out of Atlas Shrugged.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20081120/bs_afp/financeeconomyusgulf_081120072928

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Pinup - Piss off a Wahabbi style!

Propaganda - Florida Style. (I can't WAIT to get home)

Motivation - Interwebs Style.

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First off - Somali Pirates - These are not just frakin PIRATES people - they are NOT like Captain Jack Sparrow - these nasty buggers kill people and kidnap for ransom. These guys are supported by Wahhabi fundies in that shithole Somalia. These guys are linked to AQ - why are SEALs not going BREACH-BANG-CLEAR on thier skinny asses?!?!? Thomas Jefferson took care of a similar African Islamic Terrorist problem back about 200 years ago - on the Barbary Coast (North Africa for all of you historically challenged peeps) - Yeah - seems a few frigates sporting "Don't Tread on Me" jacks and a couple of dozen Leathernecks cured that problem for a while - why not now? It is the SAME DAMNED THING - and instead of paying tribute like the Europeans (and sadly we did for a time) did 200 years ago - we need to save the world for free trade and LIBERTY like we have always done.

"...to the shores of Tripoli"

More below the fold...

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From WIKI:

The second version of General of the Army was created by Pub.L. 78-482 passed on 14 December 1944,  first as a temporary rank, then made permanent 23 March 1946 by an act of the 79th Congress. It was created to give the most senior American commanders parity of rank with their British counterparts holding the rank of Field Marshal. The acts also created a comparable rank of Fleet Admiral for the Navy. This second General of the Army rank is not considered comparable to the American Civil War era version.The insignia for General of the Army, as created in 1944, consisted of five stars in a pentagonal pattern, with points touching. The five officers who have held the 1944 version of General of the Army were:

•  George Marshall  16 December 1944

•  Douglas MacArthur 18 December 1944

•  Dwight D. Eisenhower 20 December 1944
 
•  Henry H. Arnold 21 December 1944
   
•  Omar Bradley 20 September 1950

The timing of the first four appointments was coordinated with the appointment of the U.S. Navy's five-star Fleet Admirals (on 15, 17, and 19 December 1944) to establish both a clear order of seniority and a near-equivalence between the services.

Ha! I love being right

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In other news - WE WON...it is official. Over @ Zombietime.

Victory in Iraq day is 22 NOV - we won this war - see the link above - pass on the good news - lets make this viral!

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It seems that the "Republicans" in Congress can't wait to please Dear Leader with a revival of the SCARY GUN BAN - I am, however, glad that I already have all of the SCARY guns that I want. (I still may invest in a few stripped AR15 lowers very soon) (h/t JAWA)

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