The snow destroyed Le Grande Armee, not fighting Russians.
However, Kutuzov did somewhat lure Napoleon into Russia knowing about the reality of Russian winters.
Morning of September 11, 2001
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I remember all the antics with shutting the all US airspace down, and the frantic people trying to call loved ones who were flying that day.
And the afternoon fears about more attacks, after the pentagon was nailed.
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It was back when I was still young enough to WANT to wake up early and watch cartoons before heading off to school. I had poured myself a bowl of frooty pebbles and was watching the Looney Toons at 6:30am. 17 minutes into the show the phone rang. It was awfully early for someone to be calling, and I was simply pissed off at having to be moved away from my cartoons. I answered and it was some random lady who to this day I don’t know who she was. She demanded that I give the phone to my parents so I went in, woke em up and gave them the phone.
A few minutes latter, as I’m finishing my bowl of cereal, my mom rushes into the room, rips the remote from my hands and before I could protest she flips it to CNN….We got to CNN THE MOMENT, the exact moment, the second tower got hit.
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I was in elementary school. I was sitting in my second grade desk and then the principle came on the intercom saying we had been attacked, but reassured us we were all safe. we had a code red? (i dont remember the different codes) and then we were sent home. I came home to my mom watching the news in shock.
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My sister was stuck in Chicago for a few days and was contemplating renting a car and driving back to southern Ontario until she could fly back to San Diego where she and her family live. There was awhile where we didn’t know where she was. Statistically it was unlikely she was on one of those planes but she did fly quite a bit for her job and there was a chance > 0 so there was real concern for her safety for awhile.
My thought was that Al Qaeda had succeeded more than they had hoped and that if anything, it worked too well. Too well in that there was going to be bloody hell to pay for them.
I wonder when the Chinese will become the new ‘great satan’? The US will be energy self sufficient in a few years and with China supporting Assad in Syria……the groundwork for a strong Sino-hate of godless commies ought to be formulating…
Internal politics aside, it seems to be a good time to be an American.
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I don’t think China would be viewed in the same light. Critiques against the US historically have been: international meddling, support for Israel, suppression of political movements. China really hasn’t dabbled in those same things.
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I was driving to a work related class in my 91 GMC truck listening to a radio station when the DJ broke the sound of music to tell of the first plane hitting.
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At the time, one of my co-workers (Pakistani) had been at the world trade centre Sept 11th 2000.
Looking at his vacation photos was eerie…
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I wonder when the Chinese will become the new ‘great satan’? The US will be energy self sufficient in a few years and with China supporting Assad in Syria……the groundwork for a strong Sino-hate of godless commies ought to be formulating…
The PRC’s foreign policy is universally non-intervention. China isn’t concerned who runs Syria. When the dust settles, China will work with whoever wins.
Saying that China supports Assad only makes if sense if non-opposition equals support.
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Garg: do not forget your Kipfel(croissant) with coffee tomorrow!
Anniversary of battle of Vienna is the 12th.Kipferl and Melange ;)
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Thanks Alexgreat.
Hope you remembered. -
who could forget.
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@alexgreat:
who could forget.
Good answer! Did Garg though? He said he would celebrate a year ago when I posted about Vienna.
I should have PMed.I even had one on the 11th, as a pre victory practice run.
I am missing posting other battles, but truly have my hands full with our daughter starting school and reopening our small restaurant with a replacement chef for my wife and after 10 days redecorating.
I couldn’t wait to work again. I have been bored senseless, drinking every night and bemoaning my empty till. -
The PRC’s foreign policy is universally non-intervention.
Abstaining from UN votes is non-intervention.
Casting veto votes blocking action the rest of the world and the majority of citizens within a country is not exactly a text book definition of non-intervention.
Huge engineering project may signal geopolitical changes in a region Washington sees as its “backyard.”
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/09/02/nicaragua_china_bet_40_billion_on_a_canal_to_rival_panama.htmlSure it’s a “private individual” just like it was a private individual who bought that Ukrainian air-craft carrier for a floating casino project I believe.
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The PRC’s foreign policy is universally non-intervention.
Abstaining from UN votes is non-intervention.
Casting veto votes blocking action the rest of the world and the majority of citizens within a country is not exactly a text book definition of non-intervention.
Huge engineering project may signal geopolitical changes in a region Washington sees as its �backyard.�
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2013/09/02/nicaragua_china_bet_40_billion_on_a_canal_to_rival_panama.htmlSure it’s a “private individual” just like it was a private individual who bought that Ukrainian air-craft carrier for a floating casino project I believe.
Very well, consider them non-interventionist and selectively anti-interventionist.
For all practical purposes vetoing a UN Security Council proposal blocks nothing. Nothing stops any state from unilaterally choosing to intervene or from forming an independent coalition.
I should also note that by “intervention” I mean actions seeking political/social change in a foreign sovereign state (typically, but not always, via military action). Economic ties are not intervention nor are military upgrades.
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I agree with weatbeer 100%
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Guys,
On 9-11-01:
––I was 1 month into the 4 month training session (it used to take 2 1/2 years) to become a railroad conductor. I was switching cars intn track #21 in the yard at Temple, TX when my engineer looked down from the cab and gave us the word. It was amazing news, and after a while I called a short break for my crew and we went over to the carman’s shack and as we walked in and looked at the TV we saw the 2nd airplane hit. Wow! we were shocked. :-o
----But we were soon right back at it because like everything on the railroad, it never stops. Every day is Monday because you work EVERYDAY,…and there’s no such thing as week-ends or holidays either. 24/7/364 (they now TRY to give us Christmas mornings off). Great MONEY,…but no LIFE.“Tall Paul”
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If you get NO days off… how the hell do you play Axis and Allies!?!?!
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Whether or not blocking a UN action actually does or doesn’t do something, it’s the perception the counts.
All things being equal, I’d rather be a citizen of a country that appears to be doing something for the majority of the citizens of a country (read US of A) over that of being a citizen of a country that appears to be blocking actions that hold a dictator to account against the best interests of the majority.
If you want to argue that its better to be lead by the Chinese in the case of Syria then let’s hear the premesis and conclusion. I was just observing that the US seems to be doing the right thing on Syria. Again, me say USA good on this one, but feel free to disagree or cast negative votes chuckles
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In my opinion China does not have the moral high ground re. Syria and I never suggested otherwise. I only wanted to point out that your original comments strongly misrepresented China.
Evaluating the morality/efficacy of the US position on Syria would belong in different thread, which I’d be happy to comment in and might well surprise you.
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To be on topic:
On 9-11 I had just walked back to my dorm from a ridiculously early Russian language class and saw a crowd around the lobby TV. Seeing the events unfold gave me a surreal feeling. I was up to date on foreign affairs (including extremist groups) but never expected anything like that. -
Gar,
If you get NO days off… how the hell do you play Axis and Allies!?!?!
––2 “sick days” per month. I try to do everything I can on the 24 hours of each “sick day”. See family/friends, go to meetings/games, etc. Not much, though. Just ask anyone who knows a railroader how often they ever SEE them. Probably almost never.
----Hopefully I’ll soon be transitioning from a railroad conductor to a Railroad & Military History Museum Director.“Tall Paul”
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