Interrupt Driven

There was once an independent republic in the northwest corner of New Hampshire. I think that's pretty cool. But the best part is:

The republic ceased to operate independently in 1835, when the New Hampshire Militia occupied the area, following a vote to be annexed by the Indian Stream Congress. The vote arose from fears regarding a prior incident in which a group of "Streamers" invaded Canada to free a fellow citizen who had been arrested by a British sheriff and judge over a matter of an unpaid hardware-store debt, as debtors' prison laws were still in force at the time. The invading posse shot up the judge's home where their comrade was being held, causing something of an international incident. The British Ambassador to the U.S. was astonished at the idea of a war with the States over a matter of a hardware-store debt and quickly agreed to engage in negotiations to resolve the long-simmering border disputes resulting from the poor wording of the Treaty of Paris.

That is so great.