The 442nd Regiment slogging their way through France in 1944 The Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, marked the immediate start of World War II for the United States. While all Americans rallied to the cause, things did not go well for Americans of Japanese descent. While the vast majority of Japanese Americans were patriotic and committed to winning the war, they were discharged from military service, classified as "enemy aliens," and many were relocated to internment camps. In May 1942, however, the U.S. Army reversed its decision to exclude Japanese Americans from the armed forces and created the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, also known as the "Nisei Squadron." The 442nd, comprised of more than 16,000 men and women, fought in Europe -- most notably rescuing the so-called "Lost Batallion" -- and went on to earn the nickname the "Purple Heart Battalion" because of its bravery. Its soldiers earned more than 18,000 awards, including one Congressional Medal of Honor. Their give-it-all-you've-got spirit inspired the regiment's motto, "Go for Broke!," which became the title of a 1951 film celebrating one of the toughest fighting units in the history of the United States Army. Suggested Sites... Go For Broke Educational Foundation - celebrating the accomplishments of Japanese American soldiers in World War II. Asian-Pacific Americans in the U.S. Army - featuring history, narrative of events, and photographs of the "Go For Broke" combat unit. Wikipedia: 442nd Infantry Regiment - history of the combat unit. 442nd Regimental Combat Team Historical Society - facts, photos, and tributes.

Directory categories: 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 442nd Regiment Personal Accounts, WWII U.S. Army Units, World War II, Japanese American Culture

Archived under: 1940s, American History, Cultures, History, Military, WWII, War

Post a comment (2) | Email this posting

The Principality of Sealand -- all of it There's an old saying that, in America, anyone can grow up to be the President -- and it's true. You could be President tomorrow. Of course, you couldn't be the President of the United States of America, but if you lower your expectations just a little, you could rule your own country -- or, more to the point, your own micronation. Creating a micronation of your very own is an easier task than you might think. You can do it for political reasons, as an act of protest, or to create a safe haven for a like-minded community of people. Do it as an experiment in diplomacy, an educational project, or just for kicks, we don't care. You don't even need to own a private island or a prime piece of real estate. For that matter, you don't even need any real estate at all. All you need is a dream and a flag. Some micronations exist only online, or as sketches in the journals of their monarchs. In fact, we could declare this space Sparkylvania or Sparkistan right now if we wanted to ... but, frankly, going to all the trouble of setting up a constitution and establishing diplomatic relations and printing our own passports and currency and stamps sounds like too much hassle. Of course, you could save yourself the trouble and just buy an pre-existing country. Sealand, possibly the world's most famous micronation, could be yours for a mere 750 million Euros. Of course, if you buy it, it'll be you who's responsible for fighting off all those invading armies, and who needs that headache? Suggested Sites... CBC Interview With Prince of Sealand - His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Sealand discusses the micronation's past and the royal family's plans to sell it. Micronations of the World - Smithsonian Magazine explores micronations and the people who found them. Hutt River Principality - a successful secessionist state that split from Australia 37 years ago. Imperial Collection - stamps, bank notes, and other ephemera from micronations around the world.

Directory categories: Micronations, Sealand, Countries of the World, Hutt River Province, International Law

Archived under: Cultures, Government, Invention, Micronations, Regional, Society and Culture, Travel

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

"Psst! Did you hear that rumor about Cheeta? (Photo courtesy Photos8.com) Back in the Golden Age of Radio, there was a program called "I Love a Mystery." Even though it lasted only five years, there are any number of people who still subscribe to its title, and who will even create mysteries and conundrums where none exist. We call them "conspiracy theorists," and today we take note of them. Why? Well, August 5th marks the 47th anniversary of the death of Marilyn Monroe, and that occasion reminds us of the many conspiracy theories that have arisen in the decades since. Monroe, a troubled woman who had many personal problems in her final years, could not simply have either taken her own life or accidentally overdosed on barbiturates, these theorists insist. It's obvious to them that she was murdered because of her tenuous connections to organized crime or her romantic entanglements with John F. Kennedy or his brother Robert -- or both. Mentioning the Kennedys opens its own particular can of worms. Were they murdered by lone assassins, as the evidence suggests, or were they victims of a cabal that included -- solely, or in various combinations -- Lyndon B. Johnson, the Mafia, the CIA, Fidel Castro, the Soviet Union, or the military-industrial complex? You’d think a conspiracy that large would have leaked out somewhere over the past four decades, but so far, only rumor and innuendo have made it through the filter. Of course, that's the beauty of the conspiracy theory. Only a few random facts or inconsistencies can be knitted together to form a vast plot that would make even the most ambitious comic book supervillain blush. Let us assure you, though, that Dr. Doom wasn't behind the recent transition to digital TV, and Lex Luthor had nothing to do with killing the electric car. In some sense, conspiracy theories are fun. It's like something straight out of a movie to imagine that aliens did indeed crash land at Roswell, New Mexico, and that their technology is being studied at Area 51, or that water fluoridation was a plot by Communists to pollute the "precious bodily fluids" of Americans. But, on the other hand, some theories are too dark to laugh off. 9/11 "Truthers" have amassed much "evidence" that "proves" that the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon were inside jobs, and a number of coups d’etat and overthrown governments that were alleged to be conspiracies turned out to be actual conspiracies (usually headed by the CIA). Lately, the most persistent conspiracy comes to us courtesy of the "Birthers," who are convinced, despite all logic and no actual evidence or proof, that President Obama was either born in Kenya or is somehow not a U.S. citizen. (Seems like Stephen Colbert's "truthiness" went further than he imagined.) Let it not be said, though, that just because something is dismissed as a crackpot conspiracy theory doesn’t mean it's not real. The men who gather in Northern California's Bohemian Grove every year to meet and plan their global domination? That one's legit. Suggested Sites... Above Top Secret - clearinghouse for all sorts of crazy -- and not so crazy -- theories. Seven Insane Conspiracies That Actually Happened - just because they're conspiracies doesn't mean they're not real. Snopes.com - debunker (and confirmer) of rumors and conspiracies. Is This Article on Conspiracies Part of a Conspiracy? - the Skeptical Inquirer inquires skeptically. Gawker: The Birthers: Who Are They and What Do They Want? - the latest in conspiracies.

Directory categories: Conspiracies, John F. Kennedy Assassination, Moon Landing Conspiracy Theories, Bohemian Grove, The Illuminati

Archived under: 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 9/11, Aliens, Anniversaries, Assassinations, Assassins, Astronauts, Barack Obama, CIA, Celebrities, Communism, Conspiracies, Counterculture, Cover Ups, Cultures, Dead Celebrities, Fanatics, History, Hoaxes, Illuminati, Issues and Causes, Marilyn Monroe, Murder, Mysteries, Organized Crime, Presidents, Suicide, Unsolved Crimes, Urban Legends, Villains

Post a comment (1) | Email this posting

Couldn't you just bite these two on the neck? (Photo from Yahoo! Movies) If you’ve been in a movie theater lately, chances are you’ve heard a chorus of teenage girls screaming at the trailer for the new "Twilight" movie, "New Moon." But it's not just adolescents who are giddy over the series -– fans of all ages will be convening in Dallas, Texas, from July 30th to August 2nd for the first-ever "Twicon." And lest you think that a convention about vampires who sparkle in sun is silly, it’s certainly not the first fan gathering of its kind. "Harry Potter" fans, or "Potterphiles," have been convening for years now -- most recently in San Francisco at the cleverly-titled Azkatraz." Then there are "Xena" fans, "Star Trek," a slew of other science fiction conventions, and countless comic book conventions. "Twilight" fans, like any other fandom, have their fair share of hardcore devotees (sometimes known as "shippers"). Fans express their undying love for Edward and Isabella by writing "fanfic" (short for fan fiction) or creating fan art. Then there are the fans who bring a little reality to the party by poking fun at the diehards or by parodying the movies and books themselves. This year's Twicon might not be filled with giant Wookiees or people dressed like Spock, but it's sure to feature some oddities of its own. But just remember, if you or someone you love starts wearing fake fangs and body glitter to channel their "inner vampire," it might be time to stage an intervention. Suggested Sites... Twicon 2009 - everything you need to know about this year's Twicon. The Twilight Saga - official move site. Stephenie Meyer - official site for the author. TwiFanatics - movie news, fan fiction, gossip, pictures, and more. Yahoo! Movies: Twilight - movie info and more.

Directory categories: "Twilight" Saga, "New Moon" Movie, Science Fiction and Fantasy Conventions, Fan Fiction, Vampires

Archived under: Books, Celebrations, Celebrities, Children´s Literature, Comic Books, Communities, Conventions, Cultures, Entertainment, Events, Fan Fiction, Fanatics, Festivals, Fiction, Harry Potter, Horror, Monsters and Creatures, Movies, Mythology and Folklore, Reading, Society and Culture, Star Trek, Star Wars, TV, Vampires

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting

"Where are we going?!" (Photo by Curtis Perry) Recreational vehicles have come a long way since Americans started using them to tour the country in the 1920s. "Tin Can Tourists" were (and are still) blessed with curiosity and a sense of adventure, but didn't necessarily want to give up the amenities of home -- and thus was born the RV. After World War II, such companies as Airstream and Winnebago sprang up, dedicated to giving motor tourists comfort in a surprisingly compact form. Even Hollywood got into the act, as Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz attempted to drive across the U.S. in their movie, "The Long, Long Trailer" (a feat emulated 32 years later by Albert Brooks and Julie Hagerty in "Lost in America"). And just what do these road warriors want to see? Well, they might start in Collinsville, IL, just to get a peek at the World's Largest Catsup Bottle, then it's east to Flanders, NY, where the "Big Duck" holds court. After that, it's northwest to Ironwood, MI, home of Hiawatha, "The World's Tallest and Largest Indian." Finally, it's all the way west to Livermore, CA, and the World's Oldest Working Lightbulb (burning continuously since 1901!) -- or any number of other unique destinations. The price of gas may be high, but so is their enthusiasm. Suggested Sites... RV Advice - recreational vehicle events, tips and tricks, FAQs, and more. Roadside America - you're out on the road; here's what to see. Roadside Architecture - keep your eyes peeled for one-of-a-kind buildings, restaurants, and giant... things. Gas Buddy - get your motor runnin' and head out on the highway -- but first know where to find the cheapest gas. Vintage Vacations - restoring and selling period trailers and campers.

Directory categories: Road Trips, Recreational Vehicles, Roadside Attractions, RV Parks

Archived under: 1920s, 1940s, 1950s, Adventure, Autos, Camping, Cultures, Driving, Fanatics, Parks, RVs, Roadside Attractions, Society and Culture, Tourist Attractions, Transportation, Travel, Vacations

Post a comment (0) | Email this posting