Facts About the Vietnam War
Vietnam War trivia is an extremely important part of studying the military history of the world. There are many different viewpoints in military scholarship about how this war was run, and the consequences of it, but the information surrounding the events of the war is very important for anyone with an interest in American, Vietnamese or Military history.
This war raged for fourteen years, and was fought between the two major parts of Vietnam. A Vietnam War quiz will show that North Vietnam was a communist state, and that it was supported by communist allies. The South was in turn supported by the American forces and other countries who were opposed to communist rule.
Five Excuses Not to Train, Why They Suck, and How to Overcome Them
There are always excuses when it comes to hard work. It’s inevitable…much like death and taxes. There is always a reason why so-and-so can’t do such-and-such….and often times those excuses are completely rediculous. As a leader and trainer of Soldiers, I’ve heard all sorts of excuses as to why Private Schmuckatelli can’t (doesn’t want to) do this run or hard PT session. Of course more often than not the good Private is informed it would be in his/her best interest to shut up, get back in formation, and just do it…but what about the folks whose motivation has to come from within themselves, and not from some angry, fire-breathing Drill Sergeant who looks like he could swallow you whole?
Often the best intentions of people to get in shape are derailed by their own inner monologue. That lazy, pessimistic, doubting voice inside their own head that tells them there are plenty of reasons why they should skip the workout today…maybe go back to bed, or hell…go ahead, stay out late and have another beer. “Why not…we can always make that run up later…” Yeah, roger. Later is a relative term. If they don’t do their workout in the morning…and continue to put it off for another month before they finally get back on the track, then technically, he DID do it later, right? You get what I mean…there is always something. Well…what do you do when that little voice of self-doubt takes the gag out of it’s mouth and chimes in with it’s two cents? How do you deal with the early mornings, lack of motivation, occasional aches and pains…whatever? How do you put all that out of your mind and just do what you need to do to improve? Here are five excuses I’ve heard constantly along with some suggestions for dealing with them.
The Sword and the American Diplomat
The sword has long been a part of the formal wear for diplomats from around the world. Unlike a sword used for military purposes, the diplomat did not have any regulations on the type or sword he may carry, so it was quite common to find a wide range of sword varieties on these ambassadors. However, for the sake of convenience and tradition, early American diplomats generally wore a small sword fashioned after a late 18th century or early 19th century design. The blade of the weapon would be somewhere between 36-38 inches. It is generally considered that the sword of the early diplomat falls into one of two categories.
1830-1850: The sword that was most prominent for the American diplomat during this era featured a straight blade that tapered evenly on both sides to a fine point. The blade was triangular in shape, with each of the three sides hollowed out. The bottom portion of the blade was covered with various decorative elements, including military emblems and floral patterns. This sword also featured a pommel that was finely decorated, with two female heads and two lion heads. Flowing around these heads were more floral and wreath patterns. The hilt featured gilded brass, and was surrounded by a knuckle-bow.
Strength Training
I’ve just read a wonderful book on strength training called “Modern Trends in Strength Training,” by Charles Poliquin and I think you’ll find this information interesting.
In order to have a successful resistance training program for strength, you must consider the concept of maximal voluntary contraction. This can be defined as the ability or attempt to recruit as many motor units as possible to develop force. Intensity is the key here. In order to increase intensity, a person must work at a higher percentage of their maximum ability by lifting heavier weights or moving the weight faster. Proponents of the “super slow” weight-training programs claim their programs are more intense however, reducing the speed of movement merely increases the time under tension not the intensity.