“For the first time in weeks the valley was quiet, without the thunder of gunfire. Only the rattle of drums and shouted commands broke the silence, and in the American camp a chaplain delivered a sermon of Thanksgiving, taking as his text words from the prophet Joel: ‘But I will remove far off from you the northern army, and will drive him into a land barren and desolate with his face toward the east sea…'” — Richard M. Ketchum

This is my placeholder for the long weekend. Randomness guaranteed.

(1) Timeline of the American War of Independence (Historic UK)

(2) British bike brand Brompton sells stake to Decathlon (Yahoo)

(3) A quote from Bermuda Story by Terry Tucker:

“During this time trouble was brewing between the colonists in America and the Government in England. The Seven Years War had loaded the Mother Country with an enormous debt and a land tax. Since it had been fought against the French and Red Indians in the new World, it seemed reasonable to the Home Government that the colonies should pay something towards the upkeep of the military force necessary to enforce the peace. A tax was levied which the American colonists resisted on the ground that they had no say in the matter. All this led to armed resistance and to the outbreak of war in 1775. The American colonists were determined to fight for what they felt to be their rights. George Washington, a Virginian landowner, was their leader.”

(4) 1972 Mark 2 Stock Driver’s Guide (YouTube)

(5) Rogers’ Rangers and the Battle of LaBarbue Creek (Warfare History Network)

(6) Toy Story 5 – Did We Really Need This? (The Critical Drinker) < The way he describes the feeling of returning to a game universe you soundly completed is spot on. I don’t understand why Square Enix isn’t doing more with KH3 while we all wait 10-15 years for the next title.

Scan from Walt Disney’s EPCOT Center (1982)