Wednesday, May 20, 2020

Vauban Architecture: The Foundation of Central and Northern Vietnam's Citadels

Pigneau de Behaine MEP portrait.jpg

In our previous article on Vietnam’s southern citadels, we covered a mix of ancient structures and those constructed just before the dawn of French colonization of Indochina. In particular, we focused on Gia Dinh Citadel, a hulking structure that once stood in what would become Saigon’s city center. 

Undertaking a similar exercise for Vietnam’s central and northern regions is less practical, given the sheer quantity and variety of citadels in those regions. So, for the second part of our citadel series, we instead will focus on a unifying feature across such fortifications — Vauban architecture

The style is the brainchild of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, a Frenchman described as one of the most prominent and influential military strategists during the reign of Louis XIV. His designs, strategies, and principles remained in use until the early 20th century. The development of Vauban architecture emerged against the backdrop of the turbulent geo-political and religious strife which engulfed Europe in the 17th century, which involved major siege warfare. At this point in military history, it was accepted that even the strongest fortifications would eventually fall, so their ultimate function was to absorb the attacker's energy to take the wind out of the larger offensive at hand.

More @ Saigoneer

Donald Trump Threatens to Punish Michigan for Mailing Absentee Ballot Applications to Voters

 President Donald Trump

President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to punish Michigan for mailing absentee ballot applications to all state voters ahead of the election.

“This was done illegally and without authorization by a rogue Secretary of State,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “I will ask to hold up funding to Michigan if they want to go down this Voter Fraud path!”

More @ Breitbart

Phase two of North Carolina reopening beginning Friday; some businesses to remain closed

Via Cheryl

 

Phase two of Governor Roy Cooper's plan to reopen North Carolina amid the coronavirus pandemic will begin later this week.

Cooper says the "Safer at Home" phase, Executive Order No. 141, will begin on Friday at 5 p.m. and will allow more businesses to open. It will remain in effect through at least June 26.

More @ ABC

Facebook Evicts PragerU from Normal Public Visibility, Claiming ‘Repeated Sharing of False News’

CAMBRIDGE, MA - MAY 25: Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the commencement address at the Alumni Exercises at Harvard's 366th commencement exercises on May 25, 2017 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Zuckerberg studied computer science at Harvard before leaving to move Facebook to Paolo Alto, CA. He returned to the …

Facebook has buried the page of Conservative non-profit group PragerU and “reduced distribution” of its posts claiming that PragerU has engaged in “repeated sharing of false news.” The decision comes on the heels of a fact check of a PragerU video about polar bears by Facebook third-party fact-checker Climate Feedback.

Conservative non-profit group PragerU is once again facing censorship from tech giants. Facebook has reportedly reduced the reach of PragerU’s page on its platform and implemented restriction for the “repeated sharing of false news,” according to notifications that PragerU has received from Facebook following Mark Zuckerberg’s third-party fact-checker Climate Feedback labeling a PragerU video on polar bears as fake news.

More @ Breitbart

Liberal Law Professor Calls Out Judge in Michael Flynn Case: This Could Devolve into Mob Rule

 Liberal Law Professor Calls Out Judge in Michael Flynn Case: This Could Devolve into Mob Rule

Jonathan Turley is no conservative judicial mind. The professor at George Washington University Law School has been featured for his opposition to the impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump. He saw the partisan nonsense behind it. Everyone could, but the Democrats had promised their base impeachment. Something had to be done.

With the case against ex-National Security Adviser Michael Flynn coming apart, Turley has noted that the former general may have grounds to launch a malicious prosecution lawsuit against the FBI.

More @ Townhall

North Carolina Declares Independence on May 20, 1861

Via Greg 

 Image may contain: sky, outdoor and nature
 

Quotes On The War

“I regard the levy of troops made by the administration for the purpose of subjugating the States of the South as in violation of the Constitution and a gross usurpation of power. I can be no party to this wicked violation of the laws of the country, and to this war upon the liberties of a free people. You can get no troops from North Carolina.”
~~N.C. Gov. Ellis
In response to Lincoln’s Secretary of  War call for troops to invade South Carolina. 

Sir…I owe no allegiance to any men or set of men on earth, save only to the State of North Carolina, and, so far as she has parted with her sovereignty, to the United States of America.”...
~~Judge William Gaston
    Craven Co., N.C.

Home Depot Co-Founder: Media Has Done A ‘Wonderful Job Frightening America’

 FREEPORT, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: People wearing masks and gloves wait to enter Home Depot on April 03, 2020 in Freeport, New York. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic Home Depot implemented social distancing while shopping in the store by letting only a certain number of people enter at a time. The World Health Organization declared coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic on March 11th.
“But there are bureaucrats all over the country in the blue states that are still closed and god knows when they’ll open. Those people up there, they are still struggling and it is desperation time for many of them.”“But there are bureaucrats all over the country in the blue states that are still closed and god knows when they’ll open. Those people up there, they are still struggling and it is desperation time for many of them.”

As the COVID-19 lockdowns continue to destroy the American economy, Home Depot co-founder Bernie Marcus has credited the media for “frightening America.”

Speaking with Laura Ingraham of Fox News on Monday, Marcus said that America needs to focus on protecting the vulnerable instead of locking everyone down.


Steve Mnuchin: Employees Who Reject Offer To Resume Work Ineligible For Unemployment

 Steven Mnuchin, U.S. Treasury secretary, speaks during a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) event in the East Room of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Tuesday, April 28, 2020. President Trump defended his early, dismissive response to the coronavirus outbreak, saying Tuesday that he was told late in February that it wouldn't be a problem.

With more reports surfacing of employees refusing to return to work due to the benefits of unemployment, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin said on Tuesday that people who persist in staying home despite an offer to work will not be eligible for federal unemployment benefits.

“If you offer a person a job…and that person does not take the job…then that person would not be allowed to get unemployment,” Mnuchin said Tuesday, as reported by Fox News.

Homeschooling Thrives in the Face of Coronavirus: "Mass home schooling during this pandemic, may actually be a blessing."

Via David


If the pandemic steers more parents away from state schools, that's probably a good thing.

The government has closed most schools.

So, more parents are teaching kids at home.

That upsets the government school monopoly.

Education "experts" say parents lack the expertise to teach their kids.

More @ Reason