The man in the Iron Mask died today in 1703.

@ABWorsham:

Spain was known as Napoleon’s bleeding ulcer.

Ulster was known as England’s bleeding pain.

@toblerone77:

@Gargantua:

I remember reading about a balloonist in the 80’s who was trying to circumnavigate the world.

He crossed into soviet airspace over Romania accidentally and was shot down.

But that wasn’t the best part lol… the pilots who shot him down recieved medals for “bravery in the face of extreme danger”

L O L !

Another case where a balloon was mistaken as an “UFO”. Lol

Well Garg, those pilots WERE flying Soviet aircraft. Pretty brave if you ask me.

On the 5th November 1854 a  smaller British and (yes) French army beat off an assault by the Russians at Inkerman in the Crimea. It was known as “The  Soldier’s Battle” as men fought small engagements due to poor visibility in dense fog.
The Russians had massed 32000 men on the Allied flank and headed for the 2700 man 2nd Division, commanded today by the aggressive Pennefather. Instead of falling back in the face of superior numbers, he advanced. The British had their rifles to thank this day as they took a terrible toll on the musket armed Russian Infantry, who were hemmed in by the valley’s bottle neck shape. The British 2nd Division pushed the Russians back onto their reinforcements and should have been routed by the Russians’ numbers, but the fog and the British Light Division saved them. Three successive Russian commanders were killed in this engagement.
The Russians other 15000 men approached and assailed the Sandbag Battery, but they were routed by 300 British defenders vaulting the wall, blunting the lead Battalions, who were then attacked in the flank. More Russian attacks ensured the Battery exchanged hands several times.
The British 4th Division was not as lucky. Arriving on the field, its flanking move was itself flanked and its commander, Cathcart, killed. This enabled the Russians to advance, but not for long. They were soon driven off by French units arriving from their camps and made no more headway.
The battle was lost and they had to withdraw.
This was the last time the Russians tried to defeat the Allied troops in the field. Despite this reverse, however, the Russian attack had seriously stalled the Allies from capturing Sevastopol. They had to instead, spend one harsh winter on the heights overlooking the city, before it fell in September of 1855.
The British suffered 2573 casualties, the French 1800 and the Russians 11959.

Many of them seem to have been unhinged. I think it was in the blood.

I wonder if you are hanging there thinking: I hope they do not snap. Or are you thinking I hope they do and I tumble 100ft to my death?
How can you not be on the point of passing out?

In San Gimignano(near Siena, Tuscany) they have a Torture Museum.
I love it. One of the first instruments you view is an anal pear.
I believe it was used on sodomites.
Of course the Rack was much used here and that was a hell of an instrument.

I suppose if you ste commiting treason, the lesson is: do not get captured alive!

thank you for sharing ,I allways wonderd.

Man talk about luck.

Good luck to survive both.

Bad luck to be there for both.

Lots of luck involved anyway.

As far as the age thing certain areas in Japan have been known for having people regularly live to 100 or more due to diet and lifestyle.

hey man I have the exact same dice with my game .annoying isn’t it.