Post a link to an interesting Wikipedia article.

[SeanPlunk]

I swear I could spend hours just looking through random wikipedia articles. I'll start off with this article on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki). I did a pretty comprehensive report on the bombings back in 6th grade and remember a lot of it, but I had no idea until looking at that article that we were planning on dropping a third bomb in about another week or so after the first two. Also, if they had not surrendered we were considering dropping three more in September. They were also considering stockpiling the bombs and then dropping a whole bunch in a short time period after the invasion of Japan. I can't even imagine what the fatality count would have been if that had happened.

[Vettezuki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Recovery_Administration

This article is polite. The full reality would be pretty surprising to most Americans now. Fortunately, it didn't go too far.

"On May 27, 1935, the NRA was found to be unconstitutional by a unanimous decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of Schechter v. United States."

[Vettezuki]

I swear I could spend hours just looking through random wikipedia articles. I'll start off with this article on the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki). I did a pretty comprehensive report on the bombings back in 6th grade and remember a lot of it, but I had no idea until looking at that article that we were planning on dropping a third bomb in about another week or so after the first two. Also, if they had not surrendered we were considering dropping three more in September. They were also considering stockpiling the bombs and then dropping a whole bunch in a short time period after the invasion of Japan. I can't even imagine what the fatality count would have been if that had happened.


My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

[SeanPlunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon

Can you imagine if you saw one of those coming towards you :barf: They estimate it may have grown to up to 50ft in length and weighed up to 110 tons. Here is a size comparison with a Great White just to get a rough idea of it's size.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Megalodon_scale1.png

[enkeivette]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Israel

[BRUTAL64]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Israel

So, you are going to be deleted????????:confused:

[BRUTAL64]

My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

Good point.

[BRUTAL64]

My wife is Japanese and I work for a Japanese company . . . this is a touchy subject. My grandpa was headed out on a train from Wisconsin in 45' after Europe had surrendered. There was a munitions train of trains that stretched the entire 1,800 miles to CA. The Army ordered 1,000,000 body bags for troops specifically for the invasion of Japan . . . . we use those body bags to this day. The Japanese Army was in internal strife during this period. There was a group called the Young Tigers that wanted ALL OF JAPAN to fight to the death of every last Japnese. This is including AFTER the first bomb was dropped when they attempted to kidnap the emperor to prevent him from announcing the surrender of Japan. Fortunately, because of a conventional bombing raid, Tokyo went dark and their plan was foiled. Cooler heads within the Japanese Army prevailed and the Emperor after the 2nd bomb was dropped finally announced that the nation would have to endure the unbearable . . . that is, surrendering to a foreign army.

When we look at the war in the pacific through the lens of Western sensibilities, we are radically misunderstanding what was going down.

For the record, I actually understand what Japan was after in the War era. I obviously don't agree to their brutal methods (kind of an aberration in Japanese history actually), but once you understand their World POV during that period and their history, it get's harder to argue that their reasoning was all that wrong.

Being a History Major and having a minor in WWII. I understand a lot of WWII that is not in regular History Books. Japan was not trying to take over the world. They were just trying to get the resources that they needed ( thought they needed at the time). What they did was wrong, but it was not world domination they were after.
BUT it is greatly agreeded, that there would have been untold (possibly over a million) deaths on both sides- if we invaded Japan. If it was the right call by Truman is still in debate. But, so far, history is in agreement with Truman.

[SeanPlunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genesis_class

Crazy huge cruise ship - it's bigger than a Nimitz class carrier :surrender:

[two drink minimum]

One of my favorites...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesna_Vulovi%C4%87

[SeanPlunk]

One of my favorites...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vesna_Vulovi%C4%87

I've heard about that before, crazy luck.

[CorruptCulture]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

Now legal in the U.S.

[SeanPlunk]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

Now legal in the U.S.

Have you ever had any, what's it like?

[CorruptCulture]

Have you ever had any, what's it like?

No, but I'd like to sometime soon. They have it at BevMo! The rumors about it having hallucinogenic elements have pretty much been squashed. It's said to have a more "lucid drunkness" though.

Oh and I've heard from just about everyone that it tastes horrible.

[SeanPlunk]

No, but I'd like to sometime soon. They have it at BevMo! The rumors about it having hallucinogenic elements have pretty much been squashed. It's said to have a more "lucid drunkness" though.

Oh and I've heard from just about everyone that it tastes horrible.

I think all alcohol tastes horrible :barf:

[Vettezuki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absinthe

Now legal in the U.S.

It isn't the good ole stuff Oscar Wilde drowned himself with (illegal even in France now), possibly leading to one of the best death bed quotes of all time. "This wall paper is killing me, one of us has got to go."

There's a cool episode of "No Reservations" on the travel channel to France where Anthony Bourdain talks about the history of Absinthe.

[Vettezuki]

I think all alcohol tastes horrible :barf:

Oh, sooo much to learn young Padawan.

[two drink minimum]

No, but I'd like to sometime soon. They have it at BevMo! The rumors about it having hallucinogenic elements have pretty much been squashed. It's said to have a more "lucid drunkness" though.

Oh and I've heard from just about everyone that it tastes horrible.

I had a shot of it from someone who brought it back from an overseas trip. From what I remember, it tastes like really intense licorice but not in a good way. I doubt it would taste much better even if it was prepared correctly.

[gsteichen]

Actually, tastes similar to Pernod and enjoyed:bang:??? in a similar manner mixed with a little water which turns it cloudy. As with most herb based liqours, tastes like crap:barf:

[gsteichen]

I also posted this link in the above referenced thread-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuel_economy_in_automobiles

Have you looked at KNOL, the newish Google wiki-like site? Sparse due to newness but the authorship rights, etc. seem interesting. I'm going to post some obscure tax related articles (COD income ,etc.) and see what happens.
http://knol.google.com/k#