November 21

1783 - Jean Francois Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis Francois Laurant d'Arlandes made the first flight in a balloon, thus becoming the first men to fly. The pair flew nearly six miles around Paris in 25 minutes reaching an altitude of around 300 feet.

I hate giving the French credit for anything, but they were the first to get a human being off this great big ball we call Earth...An accomplishment which led to much bigger ones.

1806 - The Decree of Berlin: Emperor Napoleon banned all Continental trade with England.

Unfortunately for Napoleon, the Brits were in the process of blocking every European harbor with its superior navy, as well as attacking French merchants in the open seas...Thereby limiting Continental European trade to the continent itself anyway.

That said, neither blockade was very effective and did more to hurt non-combatants than those actually at war.

1938 - Nazi forces occupied western Czechoslovakia (the Sudetenland) and declared its people German citizens:  WWII.

This was the last good chance the Brits and French had to stop the Nazis, and end WWII before it began...Predictably, they chose to 'appease,' just as they had when the Germans reclaimed the Ruhr and overtook Austria, and instead prayed for "peace in our time." The result of such foolishness was tragic.

Less than a year after this ‘last chance’ the Germans attacked all of Europe with the greatest military power ever seen up to that time.

1981 - 400,000 Dutch demonstrated for peace in Amsterdam.

What 'peace' were they demonstrating for? They were demonstrating against President Reagan’s verbal and political assault on the Soviet Union.

If these joker’s had their way the U.S.S.R. would still be in full bloom.

We'll see how peaceful they remain when their country is taken over by Muslims...And exactly how will the Muslims take over?  The Dutch aren't having children, the Muslims are.

1999 - President Clinton called on prosperous nations to spread global wealth by helping poor countries with Internet hookups, cell phones, debt relief and small loans.

I think he must have 'inhaled' before making this statement...Only a Liberal could come up with such foolishness as Internet hookups for starving people without electricity.

The poor need food and clean water more than anything, not 'toys'...Maybe he's planning on them eating them, but I’d think it would be hard on the gut.

Along with basic necessities, they also need decent leaders who will allow them to live freely...Which is the longest of long shots.

2000 - President Clinton agreed not to punish China for exporting missile components to Iran and Pakistan after China promised to end future technological cooperation with countries seeking to develop missile weaponry.

I know it is hard to believe, but the Chinese didn’t keep their promise, and along with Russia, have been a large factor in the evolving nuclear crisis in Iran...Not that our so-called friends in Europe haven't had a hand in the matter, either.

2002 - The Baltic nations of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania joined former Communist states Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia as the next wave of NATO states.

Great!  Lets stomp around in the Ruskie's back yard when they are down...I'm sure this will turn out just fine.

The question these countries should be asking: 'is the U.S. as loyal an ally as they are to the U.S.?'...That question must be very scary.

2003 - The U.S. Air Force conducted a second test of the 'Mother of All Bombs,' officially the Massive Ordnance Air Blast.

Here’s hoping the MOAB is currently being fitted for use with bunker-busting technology, because it may need to be used on Iran’s nuclear facilities...Either that or low-grade nukes.