Why "…Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness...&q

The destruction of the WTC and other attacks are known as “9/11”. Its not an official holiday and no one calls pearl harbor “12/7” day because its not catchy or resonant. If we call it independence day, that’s an american-dependent reference; people from other countries are not likely to know (or care) when our independence was declared or why that particular day was chosen to commemorate a 7 year long war or a 30+ year struggle, and are likely to have their own “Independence Day”, in some countries it might ironically mark independence from the rule of the US (like Phil).

It’s like Canada Day. I have no idea why July 1 is marked that way on my desk calendar, it just is. Canada never fought a war of independence and it was peacefully and gradually partitioned off from its parent nation and so unless I open the wikipedia article I have abs. no idea (nor do I care) why or what that is or how its celebrated.

Take Boxing Day. To an american, its WTH is that? But to a UK resident, they’re like–that’s when you open presents. And we say, you mean Christmas? And they say, well no–we don’t open presents Christmas morning thats a custom thats not universal. It might be better called “unboxing day” but there was a point not so long ago when regular people were too poor to afford to give gifts at regular intervals and so such a holiday might have been exceptional in the past but a common and universal event today. The timing of that “feast” or exchange is…entirely customary.

Or Guy Fawkes Day. They set off fireworks–that must be when the UK became independent? How does that relate to a catholic plot to blow up Parliament? Because…well…fireworks? Or perhaps we just liked your July 4th celebration idea and its alot like chinese new year but the chinese are able to provide fireworks all year round–can we just arbitrarily choose a certain holiday then decide how to celebrate it at some other point?

Well, yes.

Same halloween. In the UK they didn’t have a dress-up holiday, but they liked that idea when they saw it in the US and so now they do.

Because these are all cultural customs and without culture-specific knowledge, they’re all meaningless.

Lol!

@CWO:

It would be an intriguing intellectual exercise to devise a set of house rules for a strip version of A&A…but regretably it would also be kind of pointless because, alas, most A&A players are guys.

I feel like a house rules version of “strip A&A” would be about as useful as my drinking game version of A&A. I lasted about 3 rounds before the game got called, mainly because I crawled under the table, refused to come back out, and promptly fell asleep. Mind you the rule was one shot for each territory you lost and a double if you lost your capitol, and it was me and one other person playing.Needless to say the fall of France really messed me up.

Either way, bad idea, or “bad” idea, i’ll let you figure out which it is  :-P

@MrMalachiCrunch:

I wasn’t going to comment but positive feedback should not be withheld.  The choices were pretty amusing especially the one about the original Nova version, I wish I still had mine.  Had the question been “ever” and not “last 5 years” I would have been honoured to check that one.  I guess I really am getting old!  Say that to me at the gym after an hour sonny!   :wink:

True, I could have checked off a few more myself if the question was ‘ever,’  but I was more curious as to what games are still being played, and from the looks of it, most of them are, even the ones that are more than a decade old.

@balungaloaf:

not many. i count two.  and then it took a thousand+ years and america to bring it back.

and both democracies spawned civilizations which had a great impact for the world and knowledge and spreading of ideas.  same with america.

yeah, and then they fell… are we going to fall? It’s hard to determine whether or not a nation with such an amazing amount of power will fall. Yet, history has proven every nation has… Roman… Ottoman… French… German… they all went down.

Don’t worry, I have my fingers crossed for us.

Ooops off topic.

Oookay,…

You could use the back ground music from “Pearl Harbour” for the Japanese. (I know the movie is weak)

You know what I mean? Everytime a scene from the moive cuts to the Japs this awesome drum beat kicks in. The best part of that movie is the scene that has a far away shot of Hawaii then a one Zero flies into frame and then another and another until the whole sky is filled with Jap Zeros and that deep, epic, drumming is going on……tight. I get goose bumps watching it.

Now that I’m thinking about it, in addition to the drumming there is some flutie type piping going on. It sounds very “far easty”

@Emperor:

@Jermofoot:

@Emperor:

The bottom line is she cheated on you.  After that there can be no “trust”, without “trust” no relationship can survive.

Well, technically we weren’t together, so she technically didn’t.  Doesn’t mean it didn’t hurt.  I think it was wrong, and deep down she probably feels it as well, but I’m not sure.

And, I’ve hurt her in the past…I wouldn’t call it cheating, but I’m sure she felt that way.

Trust can always be rebuilt.  But it takes two parties dedicated to the task.

I’m sorry but I don’t think that trust can ever be rebuilt.  There will always be that doubt, and those doubts will lead to arguments.  You say she didn’t “technically” cheat, but you have a child together, that creates a husband-wife-family bond, she chose to ignore her obligations to that “family unit” for her own selfish physical gratification, is that the kind of mother you want raising your child?

I know my words are harsh, but really you need to think about what’s best for your son.

In many ways you are right.  But I “did it first.”  Being an idiot and not thinking about consequences, not realizing that I didn’t really want to mess around with someone else, and drinking way way too much.  Took me a bit to get my perspective.
Doesn’t mean it is an excuse for her to do the same.  But she did.  It can always be healed.  If the love is there.

She and I had a great talk last night.  She’s still on the defensive some, but as long as you don’t accuse and actually talk about what matters, then you can make progress.  She knows I’m hurt, I don’t need to repeat it.  And if I love her, then there is always room in my heart to let her in.  The door is shutting, but it will never close.  It will just take more work after some time to get it back open.

The thing is, she’s not so much rebelling against me, but against her life.  She admits that the other guy was a mistake and it shouldn’t have happened.  She wishes I was in the place I am now 2 years ago.  It would have been perfect.  But you can’t force anyone that way.

So now she’s dealing with her new “freedom” and burdens of responsibility.  She’s getting quite a bit out, but her roommate tells me there isn’t anything I should be afraid of.  Deep down, she loves me, and he’s pretty sure, as most people who know us, that she’ll come around sooner or later.  And she acknowledged that herself.  It may take both of dating a few times to realize that, though.

But, I’m not holding my breath.  Just slowly releasing my grip from the things I want since they aren’t immediately obtainable.

we never should of been in nam. Diem was a jack-ass, and the country didn’t want to fight.

At least we were successful protecting south korea.