Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Canadian




An Australian Definition of a Canadian - Written by an Australian Dentist
(This was sent to me by my cousin, and whether it is written by a Aussie, or anybody else, the sentiment is still the same.)



You probably missed it in the local news, but there was a report that someone in Pakistan had advertised in a newspaper an offer of a reward to anyone who killed a Canadian - any Canadian. An Australian dentist wrote the following editorial to help define what a Canadian is, so they would know one when they found one. A Canadian can be English, or French, or Italian, Irish, German, Spanish, Polish, Russian or Greek. A Canadian can be Mexican, African, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Australian, Iranian, Asian, Arab, Pakistani or Afghan. A Canadian may also be a Cree, Metis, Mohawk, Blackfoot, Sioux, or one of the many other tribes known as native Canadians. A Canadian's religious beliefs range from Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu or none. In fact, there are more Muslims in Canada than in Afghanistan. The key difference is that in Canada they are free to worship as each of them chooses. Whether they have a religion or no religion, each Canadian ultimately answers only to God, not to the government, or to armed thugs claiming to speak for the government and for God. A Canadian lives in one of the most prosperous lands in the history of the world. The root of that prosperity can be found in the Charter of Rights and Freedoms which recognize the right of each person to the pursuit of happiness. A Canadian is generous and Canadians have helped out just about every other nation in the world in their time of need, never asking a thing in return. Canadians welcome the best of everything, the best products, the best books, the best music, the best food, the best services and the best minds. But they also welcome the least - the oppressed, the outcast and the rejected. These are the people who built Canada. You can try to kill a Canadian if you must as other blood-thirsty tyrants in the world have tried but in doing so you could just be killing a relative or a neighbor. This is because Canadians are not a particular people from a particular place. They are the embodiment of the human spirit of freedom. Everyone who holds to that spirit, everywhere, can be a Canadian. Please keep this going! Pass this around the World. Then pass it around again. It says it all, for all of us




'Keep your stick on the ice'

Monday, February 25, 2008

Museum Pieces

Here are a couple of spaulders which are way too pretty for words. Relevant details...the roped edges, the extant picadills, the mirror polish, (thats pretty rare!) and the high integral fence.


This was a Belgian armour as well...but this one was much more industrial, more "General Issue". It has a very complex rope at the neck line though! Don't think I have ever seen a roped edge that was so complicated, yet it does not match the shoulder armour. I really like the gorget...it gimbals like a gyroscope, and is made from interlocking cones. The one in back is he same. The rest of the armour is so plain that possibly it belongs to a different suit, or (more likely) it would be covered by a cape, so it didn't matter that it was really plain.


Above is the gorget which we saw in profile in the next pic up. With its mitten gauntlet. The makers marks were right out there for the world to see! Well, until he puts on his breastplate, at which time, it will be covered.


This is what it looks like when it is all put together. The large single piece breastplate, the fancy faulds, the elbows that protect the inside of the elbow, and the fancy rolled top to the breastplate which sits on top of the gorget.
Its funny, most people will be looking at this juice can of a cod piece, but the armourer here is in love with the gauntlets!