Though it is generally agreed upon that the act of war is an immoral one, it’s indisputable that sometimes a nation is controlled by immoral forces willing to resort to armed conflict for any purpose. War is sometimes essential to the defense of a nation, and if not prepared for this possibility, any armed attack from another force could easily overtake the populace ignorant to military preparedness. When this nation becomes the United States, the entirety of the rest of the world becomes possible enemies, as if history proves anything, it’s that governments can’t be trusted. Also possessing the world’s largest gross domestic product, massive budgets simply follow the paradigm of the United States economy, and when criticized is rarely shown as a percentage of the federal budget, because 20% doesn’t sound nearly as impressive as that the United States’ taxpayer expenses spent on military is 48% of the world’s. However, this is easily explained as well, as American diplomatic policies guarantee acting as an international police force to defend the nations of the world.

“The best we can hope for concerning the people at large is that they be properly armed.” These resounding words were spoken by none other than Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s most famed leaders of the past. Written by Tenche Coxe in the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1788, “Their swords, and every other terrible implement of the soldier, are the birthright of an American… The unlimited power of the sword is not in the hands of either the federal or state governments, but, where I trust in God it will ever remain, in the hands of the people.” George Washington himself, the man known as the father of America, said, “The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference they deserve a place of honor with all that is good.” Clearly, all these influential men in American history saw the absolute necessity of arming Americans against all threats and dangers. Applied to national defense, the idea is easily formed in the imagination that these men would argue that the defense of American liberty depends on the advantage of having a superior technological arsenal to all potential enemies.

In the twentieth century, the United States’ diplomatic policies shifted drastically, from isolationism around the time period of World War I to the Roosevelt Corollary essentially establishing America as an international police force. Since that time, the United States has taken it upon herself to interfere in multiple affairs in order to preserve democracy, namely Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and most recently Iraq. In all of these conflicts, despite negative media portrayal, the initial military perspective was relatively successful. Loss of life of American troops was drastically small in comparison to opposition, and this would have been simply unachievable if not for the military spending that supported the technology which was implemented in these affairs. In fact, these conflicts served as testing grounds for new technologies, that, when shown to work, served as powerful intimidation factors against other countries. The massive stockpile of nuclear weapons in possession of the United States is not meant to ever be used, but it serves as a valuable intimidation factor. When the power to destroy the entire planet multiple times over is in the hands of one country, that power is perhaps reluctantly but necessarily respected by others. And supposing terrorists obtain an intercontinental ballistic missile with a nuclear warhead, American taxpayers support the developing technology that would be utilized to strike the missile down in mid-flight. The fact that this technology exists discourages the stealing of nuclear weapons, because they’re made basically useless by counter-technology developed using American taxpayers’ money. Thus, defense spending is the most effective use of taxpayer’s money to ensure peace.

Alliances, which require the full support of every member nation and even greater effort provided from the leader, have always served as a key element in international politics. The United States is frequently seen as the figurehead for NATO, due to its superiority in virtually every area of national statistics worldwide. Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty signed on April 4, 1949, never invoked until the September 11 attacks of 2001, states that an armed attack against any one of the member parties of NATO shall be considered an attack against them all. Therefore, it is the responsibility of each party to take such as action as is deemed necessary to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area. Of the member nations, the Untied States is the most powerful. Other member parties expect the aid of America in case of attack, and so the U.S. must possess military power capable of protecting the entire system of North Atlantic allies. This money can only be provided from American taxpayers, which may be protested along an ideology somewhat similar to isolationism. However, if the United States were to fail to come to the aid of an allied nation that fell under attack, the impact on trade would be devastating, as repercussions from NATO would be severe. Prices on consumer products would surge, and the economy would plummet to a much worse situation that it has already fallen to. But is it necessary for the United States to have 48% of the world’s military spending? If the defense of the entire North Atlantic region is the United States’ responsibility, then yes, such budget use is absolutely necessary, not only for the defense of the United States, but for all her allies.

The United States of America was built on the cornerstone of revolution, of bloody conflict, of a war that would not have been won as it was without funding from the French to assist the Continental Army, a collection of ragtag militias. Two hundred and thirty years later, the number of American soldiers on the battlefield has been cut exponentially and replaced with technology capable of performing equivalent tasks to soldiers. In each scenario, Americans fight to achieve a moral purpose in the face of immoral adversity, utilizing the most efficient technological marvels provided to them by the nation for which they fight. The major difference is that in the modern era, America has taken on the responsibility of serving as a lamp unto the path of other nations in need of guiding. Serving as an international police force and a member of NATO required to be able to defend all other member parties in case of attack, the United States of America must stand ready to defend against the rest of the world. While some might call this paranoia, others would call it maximum efficiency. Ideas and abstract policies tend to hold more weight in modern politics than solid facts, and so the idea of possessing enough weapons of mass destruction to destroy the planet multiple times is not to destroy the planet multiple times, but to convince anyone who dares stand in the way that it could be done if needed. Intimidation tactics are not particularly pleasant, but when compared with war, there is little question as to which a moral nation, such as the United States of America was founded as and at least claims to still be, is required to choose. If American taxpayers wish to retain individual liberty and the freedoms established for them by the Founding Fathers, in the current political and diplomatic realm, it is absolutely necessary for a certain amount of their funds transferred to the government of the people, by the people, for the people, to be utilized in developing the utmost level of military technology in order to create an arsenal capable of not only defending the interests of the isolated United States, but all those unable to defend them themselves, and all its allies and political interests throughout this world.

The battles, sacrifices, and difficult odds of the Americans came to a victorious turning point of the revolutionary war as Lord Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. This significant event was witnessed by James Thacker who describe the event in his Military Journal in 1823.

“At about 12 o’clock the combined army was drawn up in two lines more than a mile in length, the Americans on the right side of the road, the French on the left. Washington, mounted on a noble steed, and attended by his staff, was in front of the former; the Count de Rochambeau and his suite, of the latter. The French troops, in complete uniform, and well equipped, made a brilliant appearance, and had marched to the ground with a band of music playing, which was a novelty in the American service. The American troops, but part in uniform, and all in garments much the worse for wear, yet had a spirited, soldier-like air, and were not the worse in the eyes of their countrymen for bearing the marks of hard service and great privations…”

“About two o’clock the garrison sallied forth, and passed through with shouldered arms, slow and solemn steps, colors cased, and drums beating a British march. They were all clad, having been furnished with new suits prior to the capitulation. They were led by General O’Hara on horseback, who, riding up to General Washington, took off his hat and apologized for the non-appearance of Lord Cornwallis, on account of indisposition. Washington received him with dignified courtesy, but pointed to Major General Lincoln as the officer who was to receive the submission of the garrison.”

Upon accepting this submission the British marched to their surrender to a then popular tune “The World Turned Upside Down”. A peculiar choice of music still highlights the interests of many historians concerning the surrender. As Americans and French soldiers stood to witness one of the greatest military forces of the world submit to the victory of an unlikely and impossible opponent, I can’t help but think of the character of the Americans. It is a lesson that has been passed down to every soldier since. A lesson of respect to a defeated enemy.

Over the past few years, these soldiers saw their families suffer, friends and fellow soldiers killed, homes destroyed, while they endured the hardships that only soldiers can experience. Now, all of their dreams and hopes of victory is before them. Their enemy stands in front of them. The same enemy who took everything from them or inflicted all these hardships upon them. I reflect in amazement that revenge was the least of all the items on their agenda. Their treatment of the enemy after the surrender was nothing less than superior. A day after Cornwallis’ surrender he wrote the following:

“The Treatment, in general, that we have received from the enemy since our surrender, has been perfectly good and proper; but the kindness and attention that has been shown us by the French officers in particular, their delicate sensibility of our situation, their generous and pressing offer of money, has really gone beyond what I can possibly describe, and will, I hope, make an impression on the breast of every British officer, whenever the fortune of war should put any of them into our power.”

While Americans won the war they never lost sight of the humanity of living. Many may question the need for war and ignorantly pursue philosophies of anti-war policies. However, Americans of the Revolutionary War were resolved that only through war comes peace. This same generosity of humanity continues on today with traditions of our military heroes serving to protect this great nation.

Today we see how the armed forces are helping to build and rejuvenate various nations that were once at war with us. We offer assistance and education to poverished nations who lingered in dispair because of evil dictatorships. Like World War I and II, and Korea, our soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen are helping to restore Iraq and Afghanistan. This gesture has been going on since our beginnings. It is what makes America great.

As we reflect on our Independence, let us not forget the sacfrices made to make us a free nation under God. Let us not forget that at the core of America lays the unstoppable thirst for freedom. This is the binding tie that unites every US citizen. In our laws and in our way of life, freedom is the foundation that this country was founded upon. May we continue the tradition of keeping this country free.

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Other historical links

10 manufacturers of quality firearms in Italy

10 historical facts about the toothbrush

10 historical facts about toasters

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            When the village first gathered and signed the muster book, this was Adam signed the book with his ego. Until the point where he faces death on the battlefield, Adam didn’t realize the sheer terror in which war brings. When the first man dropped to the ground dead, chaos erupted. “A redcoat soldier raised his musket, leveled it at father, and fired.” (101) “Our whole world crashed at us, and broke into little pieces.”(101) Everyone ran, and no one fired a shot back at the British. “I ran. I was filled with fear,,,” (101) Could facing death transform a boy into a man? If so, Adam ran from his manhood, because at first it seemed terrifying. The death of his father brings many mixed feelings to Adam. At first he is in disbelief, and denies reality. “I began to tell myself that none of this had happened”… “that my father was not dead” (102).

            Salomon Chandler comforted Adam with his words, and made Adam accept death. “ I actually realized that life would continue, and that my father’s death and what had happened in our village was not the end of everything.” Realizing this concept is a huge step towards Adams mental growth. Up until Adam and part of the militia met up with Cousin Simmons, the Reverend, and Tom Dover Adam felt like his whole world had been torn apart. “I had the feeling that the whole village had died”… “When I saw Cousin Simmons and the others from home, that broke and went away” (126) This was a huge step for Adam to realize the impacts on his life. He will still have a village to live in on his return home, and the death of his father did not ruin his entire life. Without his father’s death torturing Adam’s mind, and weighing him down, Adam had the confidence to continue with the militia. The historically true tactic that militia used was extremely important for them to have a chance against the stronger and more superiorly equipped British forces. Adam even shot and possibly wounded multiple redcoats.

            When Adam returned to his home, there is no doubt that he was different. There was a strange feel in the family. With Adam as the man of the house, he was respected more, and was not talked down to. He respectively visited his deceased father upstairs. “All my life long, death had only touched me lightly, but I had lived all day with death today. I was too numb to be moved any more. I didn’t even want to weep.” This proves Adam has accepted his father’s death, because he is no longer denying it happened. This would quantify as a manly way to accept a death. He had expressed feelings earlier, and now completes the tasks that his father would have done, rather than morn over his death. Only a man would do what must be done, under any circumstances. He was extremely tired from the day, and so much was on his mind, but Adam still held his responsibilities, and made sure his mother went to sleep.

            What defines a man? Responsibilities, knowledge, understanding and courage. There is not a quantifiable line between the point in which a boy changes into a man. Experiences define a person. With the pre-defined experiences under his belt, Adam is well on his way to manhood. He has witnessed death, violence, and extreme terror at the young age of fifteen. He took up his father’s responsibilities after his death. He had the courage to go back into the battle after the horrific scene of many close friends and family being shot and killed in front of him. Adam left his home on an April morning a boy, but returned with a heightened sense of the world, of death, and honor. He returned with the experiences of a man in the back of his mind.      

This week’s Time Waster is to watch The Crossing, a movie about the crossing of the Delaware River and the surprise attack on Trenton. The movie stars Jeff Daniels as George Washington. 

The film begins with George Washington’s army running away from the British in retreat across New Jersey. They manage to find boats and cross the Delaware River to the Pennsylvania shore. Luckily, the British cannot cross the river until the river freezes, since the Continental Army had used all of the boats.

Later, in a meeting with other officers, George Washington tells his officers that since the war started in 1775, he had lost every battle. He had started out with an army of 20,000 men, but now he had only 2,000 troops. Something had to be done, to keep the Revolution alive. 

Washington decided to attack the Hessians, camping out the winter in a sleepy town called Trenton. However, they were on the New Jersey shore, the other side of the river. And the Hessians, mercenaries from Germany, were one of the best trained soldiers in the world. But, it was close to Christmas, and Germans were known to have great celebrations. Washington needed to attack on the day after Christmas, December 26, 1776. The crossing of the river was done during the night on Christmas Day. 

Washington gathered his other generals’ armies, with John Glover and Henry Knox in command. Other generals, such as Horatio Gates, played a minor role, as he got forced out of camp by Washington after questioning the attack. The Continentals started the crossing on Christmas Day, but didn’t get done until dawn the following day. They arrived at Trenton, attacking at 8:00 AM. The Hessians were completely overwhelmed, and were quickly surrounded. They did have one or two cannons, but were destroyed by General Knox’s artillerymen. 

The Continentals retreated back to the Pennsylvania shore in triumph, and that victory showed the Americans that had already given up that independence was still worth fighting for. And after seven more years of heavy fighting, victory for the Patriots was certain. The Battle of Trenton was an important victory for the Americans, for without it, the Americans would have most likely lost the war. Can you imagine a modern world with all of America belonging to the British? 

When you owe more money than there is in existence then you have every right to be worried and begin to panic when you can’t pay even the interest on the debt.  It seems that the American Government and many governments around the world find themselves financially on the edge of a cliff that might tumble into bankruptcy. This is creating an atmosphere of unrest, disgust and fear with the masses of “sheeple” harbored within the economic restraints of failing economies.

Just what are the true facts about the present financial debt crisis? The truth please! Let’s leave the sensational media sound bites and hysterical hyper-venting to the tabloids and late night comics.

Here are the facts as of 10/2010.

The failure and collapse of many financial companies has deepened the liquid monetary hole for people world- wide, as retirement funds and savings have either disappeared or been decimated. (Examples include – Bear Sterns, AIG, Countrywide…)

The collapse of the single family housing  market has led to hundreds of thousands of foreclosures and forced thousands of people to scramble for affordable housing (if there is such as thing anymore).

Consumer Debt exceeds the National Debt, in the USA.

There are more than one billion credit cards in circulation today in the United States, including 600 million retail cards, 320 million bank cards, 140 million oil cards, and 30 million travel and entertainment cards.

Three out of five U.S. households have an average credit card balance of more than $11,000.

Supply-Side Economics has given us a 9.3 Trillion Debt: 

Reagan Administration = $3.73 Trillion

George H Bush = $1.74 Trillion

George W. Bush =$3.75 Trillion

What has this debt bought the USA?  Corporate Bailouts, 2 Wars: Iraq and Afghanistan to name a few things.

Our nation began its existence in debt from the time of the Revolutionary War.

The Revolutionary War Debt stayed with the US Budget until the Administration of President Andrew Jackson. Jackson did not believe in national debt, credit borrowing or spending or even banks, and he tried to eliminate all federal debt.  Under his mandates the National Debt got down to $18,000 just before he left office.

Since 1938, the national debt has increased at an average annual rate of 8.5%. And it doesn’t seem to matter if the Democrats or the Republicans were in control of congress, as to the debt continuing to rise! The only exceptions to the constant annual increase over the last 62 years are: the Clinton Presidency, when he brought spending under control and the USA debt growth down to almost zero and even though the debt did go up every year during President Johnson’s time in office (Johnson’s average was a debt increase of 3% for the six years he served -1963-69), he was the last president before Clinton to submit a balanced budget.

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It is interesting to note that the National Debt decreased under –President Truman, President Nixon, President  Carter (YES CARTER!), President Kennedy, President  Johnson and President Ford.

                The British colonists in the colonies wanted to move west for trade with Natives. The French wanted to defend themselves, and built a series of forts near the Ohio River. The French had 1 government, more native allies, spread out populations and less population to defend them. The British had less native allies, 15-30 times as many people, 13 separate governments, and a much more condensed area to use.

                They battled it out from 1754-1760, and eventually the French lost. They signed the Treaty of Paris in 1763. This gave all French lands east of the Mississippi River to Britain and all French lands east of the Mississippi River to Spain. The French are still there, but the government is gone. Britain also got all of the French Canadian lands.

                So now the 2 groups left are Britain and Spain. Britain spent a lot of money on the French and Indian War, and started taxing their citizens to help pay off the debt. Also they told the colonists to not go past the Appalachian Mountains for safety reasons, and the colonists didn’t listen. They decided that because it had helped the colonists, they should help to pay off the debt as well. They had multiple tax acts. The colonists didn’t have a problem with the taxes, it was the fact that they weren’t allowed to represent themselves. They boycotted, petitioned, attacked, and had speeches against the taxes.

They finally stopped all of the acts except for 1. This gave the colonists a lower price on tea, but cut out the merchants. They still rebelled against the tax. Finally, a group in Boston throws tea into Boston harbor. This led to the Intolerable Acts, which heavily punished Massachusetts for their actions. The other colonies supported them. This led to the next big event in American history. The Revolutionary War came next, but that isn’t what this article is about.

It all began in 1609 when a Dutch ship pulled into the American ports with what was described by an English prick at the scene as “10 negures”.

The Native Americans had turned out to be the world’s best at going and staying on strike. They weren’t working for them.

Cotton picking is a very timely and annoying process. You have to get on your knees, pick these two-inch tall plants, and extract the seeds from very sharp needle-like thorns. And then keep going to the next one less then two inches away. Repeat the process of bending your knees, pulling those things out…

And so it was the reasoning of these so called honest, persecuted, unappreciated colonists to go and kidnap people to do it. The workforce that led to America becoming the world’s number one superpower and setting a world record for quickness at accomplishing this…consisted of people who had no say, sold out by their own kings in Africa.

African slaves didn’t know English, nor did any ten African slaves share the same tribal language. They had dark skin and came from hot climates, which told white people that they were adapt to spending hours and hours in the kind of weather that could cause a stroke. The slave’s workday began at dawn and went on until after dusk. They would be encouraged to bond with one another for the sole purpose of having something to use against any of them who thought to fight back — the slaveowners could simply take it out on their loved ones. They would tar the gates so that a runaway slave could be located if one followed their footsteps. They were kept illiterate so that they could never wonder if there was a better life then the one they were leading. They were cast out if they were too black, and the ones with lighter skin were given special favors such as house duty rather then field duty, thereby assuring a degree of loyalty by creating a subsection of “snitches”. Slaves had one day when they were treated like humans — Christmas. And the mental torture of Christmas ending made the rewards and privileges Christmas garnered to be worse then if they had recieved nothing. Politicians for the next two hundred years will risk losing votes for being tough on big business, which is what slavery and the goods it produced was. Big business. For people who would have hated Barack Obama whether they were white or non-white. In fact history has been labelled a “woman”’s subject in America, and has been ushered out of countless school cirriculums across America. Exactly why do you figure that is, boys and girls? 

A war in America would start against the rich writers and musicians of Western Europe, who, unlike rich businessmen, didn’t have to get up early in the morning and put on a business face should they happen to get richer. Business people did. This started jealousy, and began a crusade to make all the traits of a punk-ass bitch…the uniform sign of normalcy. Yet because many of their talented opponents who came to the New World had money as well, they would not be simply relegated to second class citizenship. That would take selling. The United States thus will become the first country in human history where business fought democracy and democracy fought business as if both had EQUAL CLAIM. We became the “United States” in the first place in order to legitimize the idea of “states”, of independent sectors of the country where a small portion of idiots could exercise legitimacy against the wishes of a greater “nation”. Yet the smarter of the dumb people does not make them smart, and thus throughout our nation’s history, almost nothing that actually involves “states rights” involves justice or democracy or fun. 

Liberal societies, for all the ways they encourage criminals to join their community, make room for the possibility that those in charge of prosecution could be guilty. 

It was this thinking throughout the gated communities of Tori-dominated New England that would make the Salem Witch Trials possible. People saw just how many people will take them on their word for just putting on louder phony outrage then the next person.

Throughout the 1600s, slavery and indentured servitude had existed side by side with very little of a racial component. That was until enough indentured servants started their own companies. Their employees were other indentured servants. Whites hiring whites. Soon it was just the blacks who were working for free permanently. Add to that, i.e., another way we can illustrate how slavery became a black thing, is to understand the nature of Europe at the time, particularly England. There were millions and millions of people from England coming to America by now, all looking for work, and all making the overall price for help…very low.

Slaves were different. The same people who managed that insane trade were also the kind to hit you with some fat ass import tax, making the price of the black African slave…very high.

This is why you can tell how brutal slavery is in the Americas…by measuring the viability that an Englishman would wind up there.

Observe –

All the states in the north where it’s cold. Englishmen everywhere.

The Carribbean and Louisiana…Englishmen nowhere.

And thus, in this second group, the southern states, the hot places, you will see a culture where, rather then recruiting a bunch of poor European immigrants and maybe the sporadic sight of a black slave, you see almost uniformally black slaves on hot plantations…with the OWNER VERY VERY DETERMINED TO GET HIS MONEY’S WORTH!!!!

OUCH!!!

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In the 1700s, the west coast of the new Americas was the Appalachian Mountains. They would make excuses as to why an ocean was a cinch but tiny hills suddenly warranted a complete remodeling of the plan, because they were understandably afraid of France and Spanish-colonized Mexico.

They would, due to immobility, become densely overpopulated. The English would seize on this, and promise the colonists land in the Midwest terrorities should they help them fight the Indians and French.

They lied.

Once it was finished, the English said forget it…they weren’t sending troops out there to supervise the safe passage of their own colonists.

The British represent the very first instance of modern-day economics. The tea that was dumped into Boston Harbor was literally the highest quality tea one could get for such a low, low price. But the American thugs wanted to push their crappy, expensive, mom-and-pop tea instead that tasted like sewage.

The British assumed that they were dealing with Englishmen trained by Englishmen, and thus fought in a way that was indicative of this — marching in two-by-two formation in bright red coats. Literally the colonists who would fight this war — black and white alike — would bring their kids to the proceedings to practice their tire and tin-can shooting on the British instead of the other way around.

Thus the Americans, guerilla fighters who covered themselves in mud for camouflage and ran around and hid behind several shields within a span of a minute, won, and so the debate started, around 1785, about slavery.

The poor Americans who had won this war were the first to recognize the contributions of the African-American population at not only providing the heaviest hitters against the British, but at saving their Caucasian hides in the heat of battle.

To not then fight for their freedom within the walls of a convention designed to draft a document listing the rights of all men…was insane to them.

The jerkoff said no, these are not people, they are property.

The cool people said wrong, these were people being TREATED as property.

Yet the pressure to come out with a Constitution in a timely fashion was made worse and worse by the mess caused by the Articles of Confederation. No national laws meant that people could continuously escape punishments for ANY crime just by going to a different state. People spent most of their time at currency exchanges because every state had different money. The amount of paper bills being printed and exchanged and re-issued was enough to make the American dollar anywhere worth nothing.

And so the debate over slavery would be swpt under the rug.

The United States would get underway with big banners and fireworks…and more than half of its’ population in chains.

End of Part 2 of 25

Finding the right girl for prosperity is a difficult task indeed because the world is filled with girls who only want to feather their own nests.  This is a very nearsighted view of things when the same girl married to the right man could have a lifetime of economic prosperity and happiness.

The right girl or for that matter the right man make a team that under the right circumstances are unbeatable.  It really doesn’t really matter who rules the roost at home what is really important is they are capable of working together as a team.  They should share something like similar goals and the ability to bring them to frutition. 

Something most men will never admit to is the fact that in order for a marriage to work is in the hands of the wife rather then the husband.  It is also the wife that determines the social standard of the husband. 

We don’t like to speak of class in America, but the truth is it does exist.  By marrying a woman that belongs to a higher class then the man will cause his status in the world to rise.  By marrying a woman belonging to a lower class will cause the man to be dragged down to his wife’s level.  That may seem to be a strong statement, but unfortunately it is true.

In some marriages the role gets reversed, and the woman makes more then her husband.  This can work, and it does providing the couple are able to accept the truth of the condition as it exists.

All to often a man will pick a pretty-face for a bride most often because he needs an ego boost, and after the honeymoon is over he finds that they really are not meant for each other.  On top of that, she is a gold-digger!

The best solution to who shall rule the roost in any marriage was solved almost three hundred years by a man known as Samuel Forbes from East Canaan, Connecticut that after he was wed came home and threw a long length of rope over the barn roof with the ends hanging off both sides. 

With that he told his new bride that whoever could pull the other over the roof would rule the roost at home.  They were both strapping individuals, and after much pulling and straining it was finally determined that neither of then could pull the other over the ridgepole of the barn roof.  After that tug of war Forbes told his new bride that was how they would run their house together.

Squire Forbes as he became known was one of the fathers of the American Iron Industry, and was the Iron-master that cast 850 cannon for the colonists during the Revolutionary War assuring us of our freedom from the British Empire.  This is an example of co-operation between a couple that should stand us all in good stead.

Image by Ed Yourdon via Flickr