JohnDunstable

JohnDunstable t1_j9fod41 wrote on February 21, 2023 at 4:15 PM

Reply to comment by edwardrha in TIL the tradition of naming American tanks after generals was actually started by the British during WW2. by edwardrha

But first the UK named the Stuart and the Lee. Then the Grant and the Sherman.

JohnDunstable t1_j9fhimd wrote on February 21, 2023 at 3:29 PM

Reply to TIL the tradition of naming American tanks after generals was actually started by the British during WW2. by edwardrha

Confederate Generals. Brits know a sly dig.

Edit. Learn your history The Lee and Stuart tanks were named by the British prior to the deployment of the Grant and Sherman.

JohnDunstable t1_j4sk53o wrote on January 17, 2023 at 11:30 PM

Reply to comment by DrRotwang in TIL the 1979 cult classic The Warriors was based on the ancient story of the Anabasis, wherein Xenophon and his group of Greek mercenaries attempt to escape from Persia after the death of Cyrus. by kevlarbuns

Absolutely, Streets of Fire is a great film.

JohnDunstable t1_j4sdqv6 wrote on January 17, 2023 at 10:47 PM

Reply to TIL the 1979 cult classic The Warriors was based on the ancient story of the Anabasis, wherein Xenophon and his group of Greek mercenaries attempt to escape from Persia after the death of Cyrus. by kevlarbuns

Walter Hill. Made many very good movies, and a few stinkers.

JohnDunstable t1_iuidayo wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:43 PM

Reply to comment by Heliolord in TIL that one of the most popular medieval legends about Saint Nicholas of Myra (the original basis for the legend of Santa Claus) involves him magically resurrecting three children who were murdered by an evil butcher and sold as cured meat. by themightyheptagon

Jesus with a Bo Staff would be pretty bad ass.

JohnDunstable t1_iuid5a4 wrote on October 31, 2022 at 3:42 PM

Reply to TIL that one of the most popular medieval legends about Saint Nicholas of Myra (the original basis for the legend of Santa Claus) involves him magically resurrecting three children who were murdered by an evil butcher and sold as cured meat. by themightyheptagon

"The Pickled Boys" is a piece in Benjamin Britten's oratorio "Saint Nicholas" The entire work is actually not that good.

JohnDunstable t1_iu992sj wrote on October 29, 2022 at 3:30 PM

Reply to comment by ironroad18 in TIL Al Capone was only 33 when he was locked away for tax evasion and developed neurosyphilis, leading to his death at 48. Eliot Ness was 27 when he formed the Untouchables--he died in a state of financial ruin in his 50s, likely hastened by his heavy drinking in his later life by capsaicinintheeyes

This is an awesome post! Thank you for clarifying, I certainly did confound the worst parts of the stories into a single individual. And I can only imagine that dozens if not hundreds of other agents who crossed Hoover in a way or rubbed him wrong in a way that resulted in executive retaliation.

JohnDunstable t1_iu5lg6h wrote on October 28, 2022 at 6:44 PM

Reply to TIL Al Capone was only 33 when he was locked away for tax evasion and developed neurosyphilis, leading to his death at 48. Eliot Ness was 27 when he formed the Untouchables--he died in a state of financial ruin in his 50s, likely hastened by his heavy drinking in his later life by capsaicinintheeyes

He was basically treated like shit by J Edgar Hoover, who probably had a file on him full of compromising information. Hoover hated that Ness became a household name and over shadowed the FBI. Hoover sidelined him and derailed him.