A fun read!

Here’s the section on evolution:

• The word theory in the theory of evolution does not imply doubt from mainstream science regarding its validity; the concepts of theory and hypothesis have specific meanings in a scientific context. Whiletheory in colloquial usage may denote a hunch or conjecture, a scientific theory is a set of principles that explains observable phenomena in natural terms.^[148][149] Evolution is a theory in the same sense as germ theory, gravitation, or plate tectonics.^[150] (See Objections to Evolution.)
• Evolution does not claim humans evolved from monkeys,^[151] chimpanzees^[152] or any other modern-day primates. Instead, fossil evidence has shown that humans and monkeys share a common ancestor that lived about 40 million years ago.^[153] This common ancestor diverged into separate lineages, one evolving into so-called New World monkeys and the other into Old World monkeys andapes.^[154] Humans are included in the Homindae family of apes, which also includes chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans. Similarly, the common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees, which lived between 5 and 8 million years ago, evolved into two lineages, one eventually becoming modern humans and the other splitting again into chimpanzees and bonobos.^[151] Thus, one cannot consider any present-day monkeys or apes as reflecting how humans “used to look” or behave. All extant animal groups have evolved over the same amount of time.
• Evolution is not a progression from inferior to superior organisms, and it also does not necessarily require an increase in complexity (see evolution of complexity). A population can evolve to become simpler, having a smaller genome, but devolution is a misnomer.^[155][156]
• It is a common misconception, even among adults, that humans and dinosaurs (in the ordinary sense of the term) coexisted. According to the California Academy of Sciences, around 41% of U.S. adults mistakenly believe they co-existed.^[157] The last of the dinosaurs died around 65 million years ago, after the Cretaceous–Tertiary extinction event, whereas the earliest Homo genus (humans) evolved between 2.3 and 2.4 million years ago.

I love Eddie Izzard.  Funniest 8 minutes ever.

”In the ’30s, Hitler: Czechoslovakia, Poland, France, Second World War… Russian front not a good idea… Hitler never played Risk when he was a kid. Cause, you know, playing Risk, you could never hold on to Asia. That Asian-Eastern European area, you could never hold it, could you? Seven extra men at the beginning of every go, but you couldn’t fucking hold it. Australasia, that was the one. Australasia. All the purples. Get everyone on Papua New Guinea and just build up and build up…”

”Hitler ended up in a ditch covered in petrol on fire… so, that’s fun. I mean that’s funny. Because he was a mass-murdering fuck-head!” 

”We stole countries! That’s how you build an empire. We stole countries with the cunning use of flags! Just sail halfway around the world, stick a flag in. “I claim India for Britain.” And they’re going, “You can’t claim us. We live here! There’s five hundred million of us.” “Do you have a flag?” “We don’t need a bloody flag, this is our country you bastard!” “No flag, no country! You can’t have one. That’s the rules… that… I’ve just made up!” 

Google has released a remarkable toy for history buffs and armchair sociologists: The so-called Google Ngram, which allows you to see how often a given word has been used in books, ever since 1800.

Myself and my wife (and our child) at the United States Marine Corps 235th Birthday Ball.

“So it’s true… freedom is not free, but the United States Marine Corps will pay most of your share.”
- President Barack Obama

The Commandant’s 2010 Birthday Address 

Today marks the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps

JOURNAL OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS
(Philadelphia) Friday, November 10, 1775

Resolved, That two Battalions of marines be raised, consisting of one Colonel, two Lieutenant Colonels, two Majors, and other officers as usual in other regiments; and that they consist of an equal number of privates with other battalions; that particular care be taken, that no persons be appointed to office, or enlisted into said Battalions, but such as are good seamen, or so acquainted with maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required; that they be enlisted and commissioned to serve for and during the present war between Great Britain and the colonies, unless dismissed by order of Congress: that they be distinguished by the names of the first and second battalions of American Marines, and that they be considered as part of the number which the continental Army before Boston is ordered to consist of.

Ordered, That a copy of the above be transmitted to the General.

fuckyesmaps:

sandypoint99:

American Colonies, 1775, via upload.wikimedia.org

fuckyesmaps:

ilovecharts:

everythingislost:

diewis:

(via forodreamland)

Imperium Fail.

Take that Spain! I’m not sure where this chart was made, but for pretty much every country who once had aspirations to be an Empire this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

This amuses me, reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw years ago that said something like “Portugal: World Power for 15 Seconds”