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LTC Stephen F.
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Thanks for letting us know Maj Marty Hogan that April 2 is the anniversary of the birth of 18th century Italian adventurer and author from the Republic of Venice Giacomo Girolamo Casanova who wrote what may well have been an honest autobiography, Histoire de ma vie (Story of My Life) which is considered by many cultural anthropologists to be "the most authentic sources of the customs and norms of European social life during the 18th century."
Rest in peace Giacomo Casanova
Image: Giovanni Giacomo Casanova
Background from biography.com/people/giovanni-giacomo-casanova-38011
"Giovanni Giacomo Casanova, an 18th Century figure, is known for his archetypal reputation as a seducer of women.

Synopsis
Giovanni Giacomo Casanova led a dissolute lifestyle, a free-spirited existence filled with random adventure and scandal, culminating in his lively autobiography, which established him as the epitome of the libertine and made his name synonymous with "womanizer" or "playboy."

A Life of Adventure
The son of Venetian actors, Giovanni Giacomo Casanova aimed to enter priesthood as a young man, studying at the Seminary of St. Cyprian in Padua. Not long after enrolling at the school, he was expelled for his bawdy behavior, so he returned to Venice, where he served a Roman Catholic cardinal in Rome—a post from which he was quickly fired amid scandal.
Casanova’s path then became yet more tortuous, as he served as a violinist, became a Mason and then traveled across Europe (Paris, Prague, Vienna, Dresden), returning to Venice to start a new career as a magician, alchemist and general occultist. Casanova’s luck ran out when he was accused and found guilty of witchcraft in 1755, and sentenced to serve 5 years in prison. In October of 1756, however, he managed to escape and fled to Paris. There, a sensationalized account of his exploits appeared as a pamphlet, and Casanova was instantly famous. Calling himself "Jacques Casanova, the Chevalier de Seingalt"—a name he later used to title his autobiography—his next scheme was launching and making a small killing in a lottery.
During this period, Casanova began traveling extensively, using his bottomless charm and gambling winnings to support himself financially. Those resources, however, didn’t last long. In an effort to escape his growing number of creditors, Casanova fleed from Paris in 1760, traveling as simply "Chevalier de Seingalt." He kept moving, from Germany to Switzerland, to southern France, Florence and Rome. He was finally allowed to return to Venice in the early 1770s, and acted as a spy for the Venetian inquisitors of state from 1774 to 1782.

Ensuring His Legacy
From 1785 to 1798, Casanova lived in Bohemia, working as a librarian in the chateau of Dux. Nearly forgotten, he ensured his legacy would be remembered by writing an autobiography, later renamed Histoire de Ma Vie. Today, the book is highly acclaimed for its portrait of the Enlightenment society in continental Europe, but less renowned for its biographical accuracy. The book was a vivid look at Casanova’s encounters with luminaries of his time, including Pope Clement XIII, Voltaire, Rousseau and Mozart, and detailed Casanova’s seemingly endless romantic exploits."

Casanova: The Great Chameleon
While many know Casanova as the world's greatest lover, few know anything about his historical roots or his family heritage. For years Casanova's true identity has evaded historians until recent discoveries surfaced regarding his Armenian heritage. For the Armenian people, victims of a Genocide that wiped out 1.5 million people in 1915, the historical significance of such a discovery is paramount. Could Casanova have really been Armenian? Or are the Armenian people just clinging onto shakey evidence? If he is Armenian, why would he actively hide his true ethnicity from the world? This short documentary journeys through the canals of Venice in search of the real Casanova.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDY9HV_92Es

FYI SPC Douglas Bolton sfc-stephen-lucas Sgt John H. Sgt Albert Castro Debbie Pomeroy Cloud Kathlean KeeslerSGT Tim Fridley (Join to see) SSG Jon Hill Michael Horne SSG David Andrews Lt Col Charlie Brown Sgt Randy Wilber Sgt John H. Sgt David G Duchesneau CPL Dave Hoover SGT Mark Halmrast Cynthia Croft SGT Cynthia Barnard
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SSG David Andrews
SSG David Andrews
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Thank you for the mention LTC Stephen Ford.
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LTC Stephen F.
LTC Stephen F.
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You are very welcome my friend SSG David Andrews
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CPT Special Forces Officer
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According to my pathology professor his romantic advantage was Condyloma Accuminatum (genital warts) in strategic locations. Now how Dr. Bernstein determined that is a mystery, but that is what he taught us.
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Alan K.
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Very interesting read Marty, didn't know a lot of that.
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