I live in the Philippines. I used to live in America. I like it better here, but sometimes that's because I have to.

My passion is ...

Writing. Seriously, I'm not just saying that.

I know too much about ...

Cars and my own shortcomings.

My parents always told me ...

Too many things I wish I'd paid more attention to.

My childhood ambition ...

Turns out to have been unrealistic.

My favorite memory ...

Is nobody's business but my own.

Why I write ...

So much to say, so little time to say it all.

What I am reading/watching/listening to ...

Commentaries on Asian history and society.

My first job ...

Mowing fairways at a golf course.

My best moment ...

Lately, it's a tie between going to a reception at the Belgian Ambassador's residence, and watching my toddlers play together in a big washtub full of water on the back porch.

My inspiration ...

Julie, for many complex and sometimes strange reasons.

Arts & Humanities > 19th Century US History The worst Union general of the Civil War

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There are several good candidates for the dubious title of "Worst General" in the Union armies during the Civil War. Ambrose Burnside, whose best contribution to history was being the source of the term "sideburns," was an uninspiring alcoholic whose lack of tactical imagination was first revealed at Antietam, where his idea of trying to mount a division-sized attack across a bridge about 12 feet wide pointlessly cost the army about 1,000 men in an hour. To his credit, he knew he wasn't Army commander material, and twice declined President Lincoln's request to take command of the Army of th...

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