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fandomhigh2009-10-02 07:06 am
makesfaces.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2009-10-02 07:06 am
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Humorous History: Friday, Period 1, Class 5
"Before we get started this week," Jim said when everyone who was going to show up had shown up, "I'd just like to remind everyone that families will be here sooner than you think and that you only have a few hours to tell me what crazy things about the island I should keep from mentioning to your parents in case they ask. I'm more than happy to plead complete ignorance."
"And with that out of the way, let's talk about a place called Sark. It's a two-square mile island in the English Channel with about six hundred people living on it. They also have a windmill without any sails on it. And they kept a feudalist system until last year. And that's most of what's notable about Sark except for the story of the greatest invasion in world history."
"One night in August 1990 a man named André Gardes - who was, I swear, an 'unemployed French nuclear physicist' - came to Sark with a semi-automatic gun and signs saying that he was going to take over the island the next day at noon. The next morning he sat on a bench, patiently waiting for twelve o'clock, when a volunteer constable came by, saw him loading a new clip into his gun, told him - and this is supposedly a direct quote - 'That's a nice gun you've got there,' and arrested him."
"And that's the story of the invasion of Sark. A deranged but extremely punctual man who wanted to take over an island of 600 people with a single gun got stopped by a constable who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And in this case, that means 'in the park before noon.'"
"There are a few obvious questions. What exactly was Gardes thinking? How does a guy go from nuclear science to this? And if you were going to take a shot at taking over a small island with a bad plan that had no chance of success, how would you do it? The crazier the plan, the better. Just remember, you have to take it over by yourself."
"And with that out of the way, let's talk about a place called Sark. It's a two-square mile island in the English Channel with about six hundred people living on it. They also have a windmill without any sails on it. And they kept a feudalist system until last year. And that's most of what's notable about Sark except for the story of the greatest invasion in world history."
"One night in August 1990 a man named André Gardes - who was, I swear, an 'unemployed French nuclear physicist' - came to Sark with a semi-automatic gun and signs saying that he was going to take over the island the next day at noon. The next morning he sat on a bench, patiently waiting for twelve o'clock, when a volunteer constable came by, saw him loading a new clip into his gun, told him - and this is supposedly a direct quote - 'That's a nice gun you've got there,' and arrested him."
"And that's the story of the invasion of Sark. A deranged but extremely punctual man who wanted to take over an island of 600 people with a single gun got stopped by a constable who just happened to be in the right place at the right time. And in this case, that means 'in the park before noon.'"
"There are a few obvious questions. What exactly was Gardes thinking? How does a guy go from nuclear science to this? And if you were going to take a shot at taking over a small island with a bad plan that had no chance of success, how would you do it? The crazier the plan, the better. Just remember, you have to take it over by yourself."
Re: Discussion [Week 5]
Re: Discussion [Week 5]
Re: Discussion [Week 5]
Re: Discussion [Week 5]
Re: Discussion [Week 5]