5 Largest Arms Exporters

Image by Gregory Wild-Smith via Flickr

(between 2000 and 2004)

1. Russia

Russia is the world’s largest arms exporter. It exported over $26 billion worth of arms.

2. USA

The United States exported over $25 billion worth of arms.

3. France

The third largest exporter in the world, France exported over $6.3 billion worth of arms.

4. Germany

Germany exported $4.8 billion worth of arms.

5. United Kingdom

The UK exported over $4.4 billion worth of arms.

Brought to you by 95centpromos.com, the leading provider of factory direct, custom imprinted, promotional badges.

5 Deposed Dictators

Image via Wikipedia

1. Idi Amin

Amin was a disgraced former president of Uganda. Later Uganda president Yoweri Museveni vetoed a vote to give a state funeral to Amin, saying: “I will never touch Amin. Never. Not even with a long spoon.”

2. Pol Pot

The leader of the notorious Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, Pol Pot’s four year reign was ended by Vietnamese forces. Pol Pot continued executing anti-Khmer Rouge individuals into the late nineties until he died of a heart attack.

3. Manuel Noriega

Noriega was the former leader of Panama, manipulating all sides and pulling in massive amounts of cash from drug trafficking, racketeering and money laundering. When Noriega opposed election results, G.H.W. Bush invaded Panama and made Noriega stand trial. Finally, in 2010, Noriega was sentenced to seven years in prison.

4. Augusto Pinochet

The former commander of Chile’s armed forces, Pinochet assumed the presidency after an armed coup. He routinely executed political opponents and embezzled millions of dollars. He lost the next election but stayed on as chief of armed forces. He was arrested and placed under house arrest until he died in 2006 with hundreds of charges still pending.

5. Suharto

Suharto assumed the presidency of Indonesia and launched anti-Chinese and anti-Communist military campaigns that killed over 500,000 people.  Following this and a massive economic downfall in Indonesia, Suharto was forced out of office. He died in 2008.

Brought to you by 95centpromos.com, the leading provider of factory direct, custom imprinted, promotional flags.

5 Secret CIA Armies

Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr

1. Bay of Pigs Invasion Force

One of the most notorious American military gaffes. The CIA trained Cuban refugees from Miami for a surprise attack on Cuba. It didn’t work – all but 150 of the 1500 men were captured or killed in three days.

2. Nung

The Nung were Chinese people used as mercenaries against the Vietnam forces during the Vietnam War. Their only requirement was a steady supply of beer and prostitutes.

3. Guatemalan Rebels

In an effort to overthrow a new Communist regime in Guatemala, the CIA trained rebels and invaded successfully in 1954.

4. Nicaraguan Contras

In order to stop the Nicaraguan Sandinista government, President Reagan signed an order authorizing (without congressional approval) the CIA to support the Nicaraguan Contras, groups who opposed the Sandinista government. Efforts to find loopholes to support the Contras without congressional approval resulted in the Iran-Contra affair.

5. Kurd rebels

In order to help Iran reach a border agree with Iraq, the CIA moved into Iraq under the guise of helping the rebelling Kurds stand up to the pro-Soviet Iraqi army. A border settlement was agreed upon, the CIA left and the now vulnerable Kurds were quickly dominated by Iraqi forces.

Brought to you by 95centpromos.com, the leading provider of factory direct, custom imprinted, promotional cameras.

5 People Killed by Laughter

Image by doug88888 via Flickr

1. Philemon

Philemon was a Greek poet and playwright who specialized in comedy. Apparently he was pretty funny, as he allegedly died from laughing too hard at one of his own jokes.

2. Mrs. Fitzherbert

An English widow in 1782, Mrs. Fitzherbert couldn’t stop laughing at a theater gag (a man dressed as a woman). Still laughing well into the second act, she was asked to leave and passed away the next morning.

3. Pietro Aretino

This Italian author was laughing so hard at a lewd story told by his sister that he fell back in his chair and died from apoplexy.

4. Ole Bentzen

Bentzen was a Danish audiologist. He went to see the A Fish Called Wanda and, at one funny scene, laughed so hard his heart rate jumped above 250 beats a minute. He died from a heart attack.

5. Alex Mitchell

While watching a scene from the TV show The Goodies, Mitchell laughed so hard he had a heart attack. His widow sent a letter to the show’s producers thanking them for giving her husband such entertainment in his final moments.

Brought to you by 95centpromos.com, the leading provider of factory direct, custom imprinted, promotional CD/DVD players.

5 Most Bizarre Duels

Image via Wikipedia

1. M. de Grandpre VS M. le Pique

Pique and Grandpre decided to settle their differences over a woman by (naturally) dueling in hot air balloons. Grandpre punctured Pique’s balloon, causing him to fall half a mile and die upon impact.

2. Comte Jacques de Levis de Quelus VS Sieur de Dunes

What started as a duel blew up into an all-out battle between the additional men brought along to stand aside their man. Four men died in all, including Quelus.

3. Ella Zeiglin VS Mrs. Daughson

An offhand remark about Mr. Daughson from Ella Zeiglin was the last straw for the long-feuding neighbors. They squared off with revolvers; Mrs. Daughson scored two hits in her opponent’s breast, who was then hospitalized.

4. Serge Lifar VS The Marquis de Cuevas

The Marquis wanted to perform one of Lifar’s plays. Lifar objected, and the two dueled with swords. After a minor injury, the two hugged and admitted their mutual respect.

5. Johann Mattheson VS George Frederick Handel

Mattheson allowed Handel, who was visiting a production of one of his own plays, to conduct for a short time. When Mattheson requested to resume, Handel refused, and two dueled. The duel ended when Mattheson stuck his sword on one of Handel’s ornate wooden coat buttons and the two were separated.

Brought to you by 95centpromos.com, the leading provider of factory direct, custom imprinted, promotional swords.