Battra92

But what about the Island of Sodor?

I do wonder why there isn't representation of Wales on the flag. Also, as I understand it, those who live on the Isle of Man are technically UK Citizens but they aren't part of the United Kingdom as they rule themselves which is why their crazy three legged flag isn't part of the Union Jack

Today in the US is Flag Day so I thought it might be fun to point out some of the history and variations on the US Flag. This isn't comprehensive but just a sort of an "Intro to the Flag." Ring the bell, school's in, Sucka! The American flag as we know it most likely dates back to the British Red Ensign flag. Most colonists were familiar with this flag as it was flown throughout the colonies and was probably seen more than the straight Flag of Great Britian (aka The King's Colours) From there, many variations on the flag were made. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, this variant was flown: The Green Mountain Boys (Lead famously by Ethan Allen and John Stark) flew this variant (which was also the flag for the short lived Republic of Vermont. General Washington used a different style flag for that of his headquarters: In 1775 in Boston, Washington had some "Armed Vessels" afloat that had a flag that looked like this: but most of the Navy used a flag something like this: However it's most likely that the flags did not include the snake or the logo and were just stripes. But anyway, as you can see, when many of the themes of the flags got together to form the Grand Union flag (no, not the grocery store) But the Flag Resolution of 1777 in the Second Continental congress decreed: Resolved, that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field representing a new constellation. It is then popularly believed that in 1777 Robert Morris, George Ross and Washington went to local Philadelphia upholsterer and flag maker Betsy Ross requesting the flag of this type. Though she is widely credited with designing the flag, if she made any design changes it was simply to change from 6 pointed stars to the 5 pointed stars in use today: Of course, the flag wasn't universal overnight as it's widely believed that at the Battle of Bennington this flag flew (along with the Green Mountain Boys flag as well) though some historians believe this design was made up for the centenial in 1876. After the war when Vermont and Kentucky entered the Union two additional stripes and stars were added to the flag. This was the famous "Star Spangled Banner" that Francis Scott Key wrote of in his poem (The Defence of Fort McHenry) during the Battle of Baltimore After more states were added the additional stripes were added and we ended up with 13 stripes and 50 stars. It will be interesting to see what route the flag goes should Puerto Rico ever decide to join the union. So it's quite interesting how we got from the Merchant flag of Great Brittan to Old Glory.

It only took me 14 years (well, a week or two this time around) but I can finally say I completed a conquest of all England in Lords of the Realm.

Yeah that I could deal with. It was the $150 textbooks that we never used that would piss me off.

Black and white through a regular printer with regular paper. Yeah I hated getting textbooks like that. I liked the professors who assigned cheap used books (one prof had us all order them from Amazon for $5 each because he hated the school encouraging him to assign expensive books so the bookstore could make money.) Oh and I got one of these: I figure, new kitchen it's probably about time I gave up on eating Teflon.

So is the edition printed badly or is it crappy because it's in print form?

Nothing like slave labor to celebrate monarchy.

Which is funny because most people, even those of Mexican heritage that I know, don't even know what Cinco De Mayo is about or why you'd celebrate a minor victory that caused the French to regroup and send massive reinforcements to crush the Mexicans a year later and to install a puppet government. :-/ It'd be like the British celebrating the fall of Charleston in 1780.

I'm referring to what kids are asking for. No need to be rude.

I take it that's from Bedtime for Bonzo. Stupid movie and really stupid caption there. To turn this to a positive, my favorite Ronald Reagan movie would be The Girl From Jones Beach. It's also one of my favorite Virginia Mayo films, though it's hard to top The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

Yeah, I'm just being overly dramatic. In all seriousness, I grew up watching a variety of different shows but I want my kids to end up less involved with whatever the media trend du jour is. I mean, I hate how most toys these days are branded. Want to buy LEGO, it has to be Harry Potter or Star Wars etc.

Mister (Fred) Rogers was a Children's educational television pioneer. He was also an ordained Presbyterian minister, song writer and puppeteer. His show was a big part of my early childhood and he explored many themes in his shows from getting angry, to going to school for the first time to death. I kind of feel sad thinking that my future kids only have shit like Yo Gabba Gabba and Dora the Explorer to look forward to. Maybe I'll raise them without access to a TV or computer.

Part of my issue with Mormonism is that they claim to accept the Gospel as in the Bible but yet supplement it with an additional gospel. Paul was very clear in his Epistle to the Galatians that no other Gospel, even if delivered by an angel or even by himself should be accepted. Mormonism introduces additional gospels that contradict the Bible. Being a Christian requires certain beliefs and center to that is salvation is what came to be known as the Five Solas in the Reformation. Among these that are in direct opposition to Mormonism are: Sola Scriptura: The Bible is the one and only inspired work of God. Sola Fide: Justification comes via Faith alone. (Acts 16:31 - And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. ) No works we can do on Earth can account for our sins. Sola Gratia: We are saved not by any work or anything on our own part. We are in fact completely unacceptable for salvation but Christ alone (Solus Christus) and no works at all: not tithing, nor baptism, nor good works. Mormons preach a completely different version of salvation that comes about either by default (which plays down the whole requirement of the resurrection.) So there are pretty clear distinctions between Christians and Mormons (and Jehovah's Witnesses and Seventh Day Adventists for that matter) yet many Mormons will self identify themselves as Christians or of the Christian faith. This presents what my pastor used to call a "wolf in sheep's clothing" situation. Many Christians worry that their brothers and sisters in Christ may be fooled into thinking that Mormons are no different than Methodists or Presbyterians or Baptists when in fact there are clear cut differences that cause them to fall outside of the umbrella of Christianity.

My siblings and I used to fight over the pretzel shaped ones. For some reason here in the States you can only buy them around Christmas time. I did see them in a warehouse club store recently but I didn't feel like buying several pounds of them. The recipe I use for shortbread comes from (of all places) the UK Guardian. Outside of having to mill my own rice flour (in a blender) it's pretty simple. I suppose I could just *buy* rice flour but we should never, never buy that which we can make.

Don't forget cashmere! I wanted to buy my wife a nice cloak on our honeymoon but it was literally more expensive than what I spent on my TV. ;; I bought a tin of Marks & Spencer shortbread and have been looking to find their equal ever since getting back from my honeymoon. So far the best I have found is a homemade recipe I found. My wife's family is Scottish, (her great, grandfather came over as a kid.) so her grandfather is big on eating shortbread. He eats the American version: I've never had them but I'm sure they are good. If you haven't had Shortbread, Ethan, the closest thing I can think of would be these delicious Christmas treats:

Saw these in Walmart the other day. I had no idea you could buy them over here:

The queen is also a bitch. I mean, who the fuck brings earplugs when Elton John, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney give a concert in YOUR honor?

Not at all. The only comment I heard at work was someone asking why British people still have a monarch. That said, the only thing I cared about were those cool tins released by M&S:

Drudge links to it a lot. That's the only time they check it.

Awesome photo-op is awesome. 500 Million taxpayer dollars were wasted on this money laundering scheme. Good on Romney for pointing out how reckless Obama has been with taxpayer dollars. The whole Bain Capital thing turned out to be an "open door hit face" moment for Obama so good to see Romney go on the attack like this.