Was the Haitian Revolution really a revolution?

Steelers-Browns game?

With everything shut down, I have been catching up on my reading.  My book journey took me to Haiti the other day, which was a little surprising since I usually don't sail into the Caribbean.  Nonetheless, I splashed ashore and looked around.

The primary force behind the Revolution was the horrible working conditions that African slaves had to labor in.  Who can you not expect a revolt in the cane fields.  I am surprised it did not happen sooner.  Also, there were a lot of class tensions between poor whites and the white aristocracy. When the revolt happened, it blew up rather quickly.

Another factor to the revolution was the French Revolution.  Since Haiti was a colony of France, anything happening in Paris would eventually make its way to Port-au-Prince.  Thus, the Revolution swept France in 1789 and landed in Haiti in 1791. 

In 1794, the National Convention in France outlawed slavery throughout French possessions.  That would include Haiti.  So, the slave revolt sweeping Haiti is not longer a revolt since slavery is outlawed, therefore the "rebels" are just enforcing the law.

Later Napoleon would try to overrun the island and tried reimpose slavery.  He was also trying to secure communication lanes with newly reacquired Louisiana.  General LeClerc overran the island but could not hold on to it and the French eventually left.

Haiti was free though saddled with debt they agreed to pay France for losses in the Revolution.

In the end, the Haitian rebels were legally in the right, so was it a revolution at all?

Bring that up and see where the argument goes!

United States of Corona

The COVID19 virus has shut the United States down.

Something is odd about this considering nearly 61 million were infected with the flu a few years back and there entire country was not shut down.  I am not downplaying the virus but out of a country of 330 million, about 17,000 have been confirmed infected and 200 people have died.  It is a tragedy, but nearly 12,000 people died from the flu last year. 

Nonetheless, many businesses are shut down and the stock market has lost all of the gains it has made in the last three years.  On the positive side of things, gas prices have dropped to pre-Iraq War levels.  The economy has a a good launch pad to get away from the recession that is all but certain.

Hopefully, I am wrong on the recession part.

This virus began in Southern China and spread to Italy and from there to the rest of Europe.  Just like the Bubonic Plague of the 1300s, it has followed the same path.

Eerie.

Things are shut down and there are shortages, but remember two things.

(1) This too shall pass

(2) Wash your hands!

XFL 2.0

The XFL relaunched and this version is a different animal from the "outlaw biker league" from 2001.  This version appears to be running with the "quirky spring league" approach. So far, it is pretty interesting.

I did not like the kickoff rule when it was first explained, but after seeing it in action, I think it could work even in the NFL. and we can avoid some CTE injuries.

I like the fact that the league put a team in St' Louis, which watched the Rams leave after their demand for a new stadium was rejected by a city that was bankrupt.  The XFL Battlehawks seem to love the old stadium.

I hope this league lasts.  I think it is great to have an alternative Spring football league so that some people can try to get to the NFL or CFL and even if they do not, they get to play pro football at some level.

I like the Tampa Vipers' horrifying green uniforms.  Naturally they are 0-3 but that elusive first win is around the corner!

No threat to my Pittsburgh Steeler loyalties :-)

What was the point?

What was the point of this whole impeachment stuff?  We knew that the President would not be removed.  We knew the case was flimsy.  We know that a trial without witnesses or the ability of the accused to face his accuser was unconstitutional.  And we know that the millions of dollars wasted here could have been used for something useful...like helping people in some way.

This was embarrassing for the entire country and I am glad it is over.

Of course, the partisan rancor will be worse.

George Washington warned America in his Farewell Address about the dangers of "factions."

Time for our esteemed (?) Congress to reread it.

Assuming they can read.

Looking forward to the new XFL

Virginia's doomed gun laws

This guy wants to take your Second Amendment away

Ralph Northam, governor of Virginia and questionable race relations credentials, has created a firestorm that has alienated almost every county in Virginia.  "Red flag"laws are susceptible to abuse and the mass civil and polite disobedience will render and pronoucement from Richmond as the hot air it usually is. 

Also kind of hard to take the moral high ground when you have a picture of yourself in blackface and with a Klan hood.

So why is he still in office?

Where are the liberal protesters?

If he had any sense, he would have met the gun rally and talked with them and try to find common ground.  Instead, he declares a state of emergency, shouts about neo-Nazis and surrounds the State Capitol with a fence.

What happened? 

A calm peaceful rally where people of all races had a great time.

Of course, having no Antifa helped.  No Antifa was going to show up at a rally with 20,000 plus gun owners and start anything.

The Northam gun laws will be ignored and Virginia's governor will remain a hypocrite and coward.

Freedom of speech.

Get used it.

Harry and whatsherface...I don't care.

And neither should you.

We fought a revolution to get away from this idiocy.  And I get the feeling Canada does not want anything to do with it either.

I think the main source of angst is that the feeling that these two are entitled and want to be paid for not working.  I don't blame them, but the Royal Family is a pretty good job to have...basically tax-funded parasites.

Just like our government...

The British press is usually all over the royal family,  So what.  Ignore them and move on.  No need to run from them.  They don't remember what they write anyway and neither does anyone else.

Above all, don't bother me with it.

Looking forward to Brexit!

US vs Iran--Not going to happen

Despite some extremist (left and right) fantasies, there will not be a war with Iran.

Neither side is that stupid.

The United States will not invade Iran, a large country with mountains and deserts and over eighty million people.  Holding and occupying such a place would be a nightmare as we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan.  The American people are tired of Middle Eastern wars.

And we are broke.

The worst the Iranians can do is launch some terrorist attacks which are essentially pinpricks and we can destroy their navy fairly quickly.  In the end, both sides are still standing and glowering at each other.

Any attempt by Iran to halt oil shipments through the Straits of Hormuz will result in the destruction of Iran's navy and oil industry as US airpower hit everything on the Iranian coast and work inland. 

Granted, history is full of wars that should not happen, but I really cannot see the United States attacking Iran without a major attacking hitting American forces.  Both sides will suffer a lot of damage and nothing changes in the long run.

If you are not willing to go out and destroy the enemy, don't bother.

No point for either side on this one.