Re: Independence Day

Thank you.

This year's Independence Day is particularly meaningful for me. I recently visited Boston for the first time to attend a symposium. I walked the Freedom Trail and saw Paul Revere's house and the old North Church ("One if by land, two if by sea"). I had only known these places from the Longfellow poem before. Also walked up "Bunker Hill" (actually Breeds Hill) and saw the USS Constitution and Samuel Adams' grave. According to a display in the lobby of the Long Wharf Marriott hotel where I was staying, the Boston Tea Party took place close by.

I find it fascinating and inspiring to see historic sites in person. These sites and others really made the American Revolution come alive for me. It made me realize that the people involved in the Revolution were ordinary citezens with ordinary lives who were forced to make a decision to create a new nation or live with the status quo. It inspired me to re-evaluate my definition of the word "patriot" and what being an American means to me. Living in the Western US, I hadn't had this historical perspective before.

If you're an American or live in America, I encourage you to visit historical places in your area to discover for yourself, the meaning of America. Good or bad, ugly or beautiful, learning about the history of this country will help you better appreciate its meaning.

Martin

What? Sam Adams' grave?!? Dammit! No more Sam Adams' beer then.

I got to visit those when I was 14-15; very interesting stuff. I've always been fascinated by the Old Ironsides, so one year I requested/got the big Revell 1/96 kit for Christmas. Huge kit with at least four billion parts. I was ready to toss it out after the tenth cannon. Maybe one day I'll attempt it again, now that I have patience and supplies. :-)

TF

camshaft mtiming gears are an abomination spawned by ducati. no desmo!

boston rules!

Have you read the two Jeff Shaara novels:

"Rise To Rebellion" and "The Glorious Cause"?

They are a wonderfully thrilling telling of the military, social, and political events leading up to, and during, the American Revolution. They really bring to life, the places you mention.

Not in October...on the diamond....

:o)

You should go to Colonial Williamsburg Virginia. It was really interesting to see how they lived back in the 18th century. The people where dressed in Colonial attire, and spoke in the language of that time. It was really fun, when a shop owner of a general store, asked us where our group was from. I told him that we where from Seattle, he didn't understand where that was, so I said we were from the west coast, north of Los Angles. He said "Oh that's Spanish territory, how do you get along with the Spanish?". I said we get along well with them. The actor played his part well.

Even though it was a theme park, I really enjoyed it. It really made you think that you had stepped back 228 year in time, and where a part of history. Makes you think how lucky you are to be living in this time and age.

Gary

hey dude..leave ducati alone..or you might wake up tomarrow with a desmo up your..???

nah...revenge is best served cold...

I still want to know how Will Smith's girlfriend found the First Lady in a blown up LA.......

She turned left at page 147 of the script and there she was.

Cliff. Jones

Any tips on where to go in York? I've got relatives there and visit every now and then.

Bill Shuey

Mad-Modeller wrote:

How old was she anyway?I thought she and Kevin Costner ran off from the tribe?

i would love a 450 des. that is one mean ass thumper. i got to ride one for a weekend and fell in love. too bad a nice one is $4k these days. only think i hate about ducs is some of the arrogant ckskrs that own them. like some beemer buttheads.

dammit, it was right there on page 32 of the script. ya need a roadmap or sumpin?

Sometimes historical places are hiding all around us. I just watched a piece by the local PBS station on York, Pa. and its significance to the Revolution. And here I just thought of it as a good place to go model buying!

The Continental Congress decided against staying here in Lancaster because the Colony's government was also here and being only 60 miles west of Philadelphia was too tempting a target. York's main advantage was distance and a mile-wide river between Lancaster and York.

Happy 228th USA!!

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Plow Tavern, for one. Gates's headquarters were in the building next door and he wasn't happy with them. I'm not sure if York's original courthouse is still standing. Lancaster's is long gone but we do have a 'model' of it in Buchanan Park. Several of the older church buildings date to the 1700s but they weren't identified.

Bill Banaszak, MFE

Why not? It was you lot wot done it!

RobG Another bloody colonial

Ahh, maybe so. But can you still *see* well enough to build it? :)

RobG