June 13

323 B.C. - Alexander the Great died of fever in Babylon.

Alexander is one of the ten most important people in the history of the world, and it is doubtful anyone has accomplished anywhere near what he did in such a short lifetime: 33-years.

It's too bad he didn't have a chance to consolidate his empire, because his successors (Macedonian generals, the 'Diodachi') were nowhere near as skilled militarily or administratively as Alexander...Who knows how history would have turned out if he had been given the opportunity to live a full life?

1900 - China's Boxer Rebellion against foreigners and Chinese Christians erupted into violence.

The rebellion gets its name from the revolutionaries who started it:  The 'Fists of Righteous Harmony.'

For most of the late 1800’s, every world power picked away at Chinese sovereignty, and the Chinese had enough...I can’t say I blame them, but they were eventually overwhelmed by an international force (U.S., Japan, Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Russia).

The overall result was the continued weakening of China, which also propped Japan up as the lone Asian power...Unfortunately, within 50-years we paid the price for creating a 'victorious' Japan, and for sticking it to China.

Don't think for a minute they've forgotten this period, either.

1920 - The U.S. Post Office Department ruled children may not be sent by parcel post.

You’d think this ruling would be unnecessary, but there is no limit to human debauchery.

1966 - Miranda v. Arizona: The U.S. Supreme Court declared a suspect must be informed of his rights.

This is a reasonable decision, but no one could have foreseen how lawyers would use it as a tool against justice, instead of as part of it.

1979 - Sioux Indians were awarded $105 million in compensation for the U.S. seizure of the Black Hills in South Dakota.

So we should be even, right? Nah! The ball-busting and extortion will continue forever.

1983 - Pioneer-10, a robotic spacecraft, became the first man-made object to leave the solar system, eleven years after it was launched.

Eleven years to leave our solar system and still nowhere near another one...A huge event for science, and a harsh reality for those with the pipe-dream of finding life outside of our solar system.

1992 - Bill Clinton stirred controversy during an appearance before the Rainbow Coalition by criticizing the rap singer Sister Souljah for making remarks "filled with hatred" toward whites.

Freedom of speech only applies when it meets agendas. Truth-telling isn’t good enough...Clinton should have told these thugs to 'go to Hell.'

1996 - Bush v. Vera:  The U.S. Supreme Court placed greater limits on congressional districts intentionally drawn to get more minorities elected to Congress.

So the Court ruled Affirmative Action for congressmen is unconstitutional...How about for the rest of the country?