Quote From Henry Brooks Adams

This is an amazing quote. After I read it I was shocked. Here it is:

"Man has mounted science, and is now run away with. I firmly believe that before many centuries more, science will be the master of men. The engines he will have invented will be beyond his strength to control. Someday science may have the existence of mankind in its power, and the human race commit suicide, by blowing up the world. Not only shall we be able to cruise in space, but I'll be hanged if I see any reason why some future generation shouldn't walk off like a beetle with the world on its back, or give it another rotary motion so that every zone should receive in turn its due portion of heat and light."

-Henry Brooks Adams
11 April, 1862

Isn't that something. Man didn't venture into space until April 12, 1961.

Just a thought.

Until Then,

Jon

1775-present

-The united States Army-

(No, this is not a post about the history of the united States Army but rather, a thought I had today.)

Today, June 14, 2009, marks the 234th year of the united States Army.

Throughout the Army's long and glorious (and sometimes shameful) existence it has had a hard time when it comes to being prepared for war. Think about it. It's true. I once read in a book that we weren't ready to fight in WWII, and guess what: we were totally unprepared. We were still using weapons and equipment from the first world war.

Americans have a hard time making long-term decisions. We tend to act on the moment (which isn't wrong, but it can be dangerous) and not think things out. The Civil War could have been avoided, had we talk things out better. (Come on, if we were the united States of America, then we could have for sure united and talked things over. Right?) The long-term affect: slavery was outlawed, which is great. The short-term affect: the Southern economy was drained and ruined. Had we thought things out better, we could have saved that economic crises.

Had our government officials listened better too our military leaders of the past, we would not be in the predicament we are in today. Think about it.

"In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace."

-Sun Tzu on the art of war.

Until then,
Jon

Juno, Gold, Omaha, Utah, and Sword

I thought about writing a nice long post, but thought that there is already so many nice books, post, and movies on this subject that it would be silly to go with a long post. So if D-Day interests you, (which it should), I recommend the book "On To Berlin" by Gen. James M. Gavin, who fought in WWII. It is a must read.

-Operation Overlord-

Today, June 6th, 1944, the Allies spearheaded the invasion of Europe. This invasion was a major turning point in the war; we had been preparing for this invasion for sometime.

We had learned a lot from our landings in Operation Torch, (the invasion of Africa); we had tested ourselves in the Italian Campaign, and now we would attempt the biggest invasion in history: more then 160,000 troops would participate in the landings and by August more then 3 million troops would be across the English Channel. This truly was a large invasion force.

Let us remember these brave men today, as so many of these old-soldiers are forgotten these days.

-A thought-

I have seen the original footage of the invasion. I have always been puzzled as to why the soldiers were weighed down with all that unnecessary gear. I mean come on, give the soldier some food rations, ammo, an M1 Garrand (or a Tommy gun) and the needed things to breech the enemies positions and forget all the unnecessary baggage.

-Another Way of Looking At D-Day-

Just like the Allies, we all have our own D-Day. Prehaps you've just given your life to Jesus. That alone can be a D-Day. Prehaps you have given up an addiction. Or prehaps you have decided not to be a lazy bum anymore. :) Whatever it is, if its extremely hard to go through, you can call it your D-Day.

Until Then,
Jon