News of the long-hoped-for sequel to the 1986 movie Top Gun was loudly cheered by its fans. Originally scheduled for a June 2020, release date, because of COVID-19, it was pushed back […]
I Feel the Need… for the Top Fun Facts About Top Gun
Was the USA Nuclear Launch Code Really ‘00000000’?
In the 1983 movie WarGames, the fictional W.O.P.R. succeeds in hacking NORAD’s launch code, revealed to be “CPE1704TKS.” National security experts at the time reassured the public that the movie was a […]
How an Overflowing Toilet Caused a Submarine to Sink
Few things are more distressing than an overflowing toilet. Aside from the utter revulsion at having one’s home invaded by the toilet’s contents and the need to get it cleaned up as […]
From Terminator to Virtuoso — the Pentagon is Developing a Jazz-Playing Robot
Imagine the most creative, intelligent, and innovative minds at the Pentagon using the government’s vast resources to build a cutting-edge robot. What will this mechanical marvel look like? What will it do? […]
A Man, His Two Houses, and a War that Wouldn’t Leave Him Alone
Wilmer McLean wanted to escape war, but war kept finding him.
Do You Know About Jefferson’s Woes?
So much is known about the life of President Jefferson, but there was a haunting tragedy about his past that history rarely mentions. He is remembered as a man of destiny. From […]
The Pepper and the Friendship that Endured Beyond War
George was cold. Actually, “cold” doesn’t begin to describe it. He was freezing. He was learning the hard way that although the desert is famously hot during the day, the nighttime conditions […]
The Award-Winning Great Dane With a Great Bladder
No account of the heroes of World War II can be complete without mentioning the two-time recipient of the Blue Cross medal. Juliana’s heroic acts included single-handedly defusing a bomb and saving […]
Fighting Terrorism With Cupcakes
When terrorist organization al-Qaeda published its first English-language publication, Inspire Magazine, it was with the intention of equipping would-be terrorists with tools of destruction. Thanks to British intelligence agents, the only damage […]
Was Alexander the Great Buried Alive?
When Alexander the Great died at the tender age of 32, he had conquered the known world. Many wondered at the time and since what he could have accomplished if he had […]
How Did Star Wars Nearly Cause a Real War?
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…. Well, actually, not that long ago, and much closer to home… Let’s start this again. Back in 1976, in the deserts of […]
A Lesson From Ike About the Privileges of Rank
The military is structured around the rank system. From the first day of boot camp, soldiers are taught that authority, responsibility, and privilege all hinge upon rank. Few soldiers experienced such a […]
What Do Disney and the Pentagon Have in Common?
The Disney theme parks are billed as being the most magical places on earth. Millions of visitors flock to the parks each year to escape from the cares of everyday life. In […]
The Confidence of Never Meeting Your Intellectual Equal
One of the hallmarks of Abraham Lincoln’s personality was his humility. He frequently used self-deprecating humor to defuse difficult situations.
D-Day Shrapnel Makes Up 4% of the Sand on Omaha Beach
June 6, 1944, saw the greatest amphibious landing in the history of warfare. Over 150,000 Allied troops braved unrelenting enemy fire in order so they could regain a foothold on the continent […]
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