And so passes another year on this journey of ours we call life. We carry on, hoping to be better moving forward than we were in the past. For many, that is the goal, and so it should be. Without that drive to continually improve ourselves, we lay stagnant and decay. Atrophy sets in andContinue reading “And So Comes A New Year”
Tag Archives: history
November 7: Victims of Communism Memorial Day
On November 7, 1917, Vladimir Lenin led Bolshevik forces to seize power in Russia by capturing government offices in Saint Petersburg. The Bolshevik Revolution was complete and the Soviet Union came into being. Many have argued that for this reason, November 7th should be the internationally-recognized Victims of Communism Memorial Day. Since that day, numerousContinue reading “November 7: Victims of Communism Memorial Day”
The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series
October is host to the anniversary of the Battle of Tours, a less impactful, but no highly symbolic skirmish in human history. Also referred to as the Battle of Poitiers, was a skirmish fought between the Frankish Carolingians and the Umayyad Caliphate on October 10, 732. The exact location of the skirmish is unknown, takingContinue reading “The Hammer of Man: A Haiku Series”
Historic Events: The Battle of Lepanto
Hundreds of years of Muslim conquests came to a head at the Battle of Lepanto on October 7 in the year 1571. Islamic forces had been spreading through force of arms, capturing or pillaging every Christian settlement across the Middle East, North Africa, and parts of Europe. The Ottoman Empire had formed out of TurkeyContinue reading “Historic Events: The Battle of Lepanto”
Heroes From History: Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was a Japanese samurai who lived between the years of 1584-1645. He was originally known as Miyamoto Masana, but later changed his name. Musashi was also known by the name Niten, which was his artistic name he attributed to his later paintings and sculptures. Musashi is famous for having partaken in at leastContinue reading “Heroes From History: Miyamoto Musashi”
Heroes From History: Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner
Human history is filled with stories about bravery, brotherhood, and the power of friendship. There are many instances throughout the existence of our species which exemplify these traits and inspire us to be better than we are. This is one of those tales, which despite not having the happiest of endings, speaks to the importanceContinue reading “Heroes From History: Jesse Brown and Thomas Hudner”
What Does It Mean to Be Brave?
“Brave” is an adjective which can be defined as “willing to do things which are difficult or dangerous without showing fear.” So, a person who is brave has the willingness to take on dangerous and/or difficult tasks without showing fear. Does that mean they are not afraid? Not necessarily. Of course, fear can be anContinue reading “What Does It Mean to Be Brave?”
Celebrating the Bow: National Archery Day
It’s National Archery Day! The second Saturday of May is recognized as National Archery Day, an obscure holiday meant to celebrate the iconic duo of the bow and arrow. Archery is the application of the bow in combat and recreation across history. An “archer” is an individual armed with and wielding a bow. People canContinue reading “Celebrating the Bow: National Archery Day”
Iconic Weapons: The M1 Garand
Since we looked at two iconic swords from history this month and one firearm, I thought it appropriate to look at another firearm in keeping with his month’s theme. That firearm we will explore today is the famous M1 Garand. Known officially as the “United States Rifle, Caliber .30, M1,” the M1 Garand is oneContinue reading “Iconic Weapons: The M1 Garand”
Iconic Weapons: History of the Longsword
The longsword is such a classic and iconic symbol that it is used as a generic model for a sword in numerous different mediums of art and culture. Technically, the distinction between the classic “longsword” design and other types of swords such as the arming sword and “shortsword” may be a matter of blade lenght,Continue reading “Iconic Weapons: History of the Longsword”
The Pensive Warrior 