Originally known as Armistice Day, the first Veterans Day was celebrated on November 11, 1938 - the twentieth anniversary of the effective end of World War I.  Starting in 1954 the scope of the holiday was expanded to commemorate all those who fought and served for the United States. I don't have any stirring essays in me, so my small tribute to our armed forces is a small collection of images portraying the history of American military conflict.  Thank you all for your ... Read on, Daddy-O

Our journey through Ye Olde New Yorke continues - from the air!  This image, quite obviously taken from a shiny prop plane, is of the departure of the famed cruise ship RMS Queen Elizabeth.  The really cool thing about this photo is the scale.  You can get a good sense of just how huge this ship was when compared to not only the other boats around it, but even the buildings on the shoreline.  Incidentally, the ship held the record as the ... Read on, Daddy-O

Thelonious Monk isn't the first name you think of when conuring up images of the French Resistance movement during World War II (it isn't even the 100th name, in fact), yet it was precisely that motif that was used for his underappreciated 1968 album, Underground.  And that motif turned out to be so good that it took the Grammy for Best Album Cover in 1969. Even more notable than this evocative image (featuring a tied-up Nazi, no less) is the fact that Underground ... Read on, Daddy-O

Having only ever read one other Frederick Forsyth book (his 1971 debut, The Day of the Jackal), I had high hopes for The ODESSA File.  And while it isn't quite the classic that his first novel is, it's a damn fine yarn just the same.  It did prove, without a doubt, that the greatness of Jackal was not a fluke.  Of course, his long and successful career proves that too, but I digress. The story takes place in 1963-64 and centers on a ... Read on, Daddy-O

Due to time constraints I wasn't able to enjoy yet another Band of Brothers marathon over the Memorial Day weekend. But all was not lost as I finally got to catch a viewing of The Great Escape, which I had never seen before. And I'm pleased to say that for the most part, the film's reputation as a classic is well-earned. The basic premise of the movie is thus: It's World War II and the German High Command, tired of dealing ... Read on, Daddy-O

Sherlock Holmes has an older brother, and his name is Mycroft. At 727 feet, the Renaissance Center is the tallest building in Michigan (the Empire State Building, by comparison, is 1,250 feet). Geraldine Doyle is the model for the iconic WWII "We Can Do It!" poster, but didn't even know it until 1984. Gargoyle originates from the French word gargouille, originally "throat" or "gullet". California currently has 53 congressional districts in the US House of Representatives, the most in the country. Alaska, Delaware, Montana, North ... Read on, Daddy-O

Back in the day (1935 to be precise), President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Works Progress Administration (WPA), an enormous government program aimed at providing employment for millions of Americans affected by the Great Depression. The WPA produced many public works (bridges, roads, etc.) and cultural projects. And while that is great, what I really care about are the cool posters designed to promote many of the WPA's programs. All of these images and hundreds more are available as part of ... Read on, Daddy-O