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On this day, two hundred twenty-nine years ago - April 19, 1775 - the universe changed. With the fighting at Lexington and Concord between British Redcoats and colonial minutemen, the Revolutionary War began. By the time the Treaty of Paris was signed in 1783, the United States of America was born. The Americans, the denizens of Winston Churchill's "Great Republic," have had a profound influence on the course of human events, introducing democracy on a continental scale and eventually becoming the most powerful nation the world has ever seen. And at all began on this day, with a running skirmish in the woods of Massachusetts.

Americans troops have fought their way into Berlin, Tokyo, Rome, Paris, Mexico City, Seoul, Brussels, Amsterdam, Manila, Baghdad, and a thousand others, but never conquered an empire. Even when our troops arrived as conquerors, they left as liberators (with the exception of Mexico City). Democracy has been spread to every continent of the Earth, and American culture and commerce are so dominant some worry about the homogenization of all the world. And it all began on this day, two hundred twenty-nine years ago.

How's It Goin', Eh?
Gah, I can't believe Boston let Montreal win. You hosers! Listen, I respect Montreal's status among the original six and the many, many, many, many Cups they have won, but I can never in good conscience root for the team from la belle province. Damn Quebecois bastards!