January 28

814 – Charlemagne, King of the Franks and Lombards, and Emperor of the Romans, died of pleurisy in Aachen.

Charlemagne was the most important figure in the Dark/Middle Ages. He began a brief European renaissance, held the Muslim horde at bay in Western Europe, and brought much of Central Europe into the Christian fold...But please, pretty please, don't be confused by his title of 'Emperor of the Romans.' 

Remember the Roman Empire in the West fell in the late 400's. Charlemagne was given the title by the Pope, but was in no way a 'Roman Emperor.'

Shortly after his death his empire split in three, creating the foundation for most of the countries of modern-day Europe, but Charlemagne's empire has been the hope of many Europeans since his day, including the modern-day European Union.

1871 - France surrendered in the Franco-Prussian War.

A pattern they began in 1815.

1915 - The U.S. Coast Guard was created by an act of Congress.

Time for a short history lesson:

In the United States a coast guard was formed in 1915 when an act of Congress combined the Revenue Cutter Service with the Life Saving Service. The Cutter Service was established by Congress in 1790, at the suggestion of Alexander Hamilton, to prevent smuggling; until the creation of the Navy in 1798 it was the only U.S. armed service afloat. The Life Saving Service developed some years later.

The U.S. Coast Guard subsequently absorbed the Lighthouse Service (1939) and the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation (1942). In peacetime the Coast Guard is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security (since 2003); in wartime, and for such other periods as the president may direct, it is under the control of the Navy.

Also, this date is the official founding of the Coast Guard, but not considered its 'birth date,' which is recognized as August 4, 1790 - date of the founding of the Revenue Cutter Service.

1923 - The first 'National Socialist German Workers Party' (NSDAP) was formed in Munich.

It’s hard to believe this rag-tag group of clowns eventually evolved into the Nazi Party, ruling Germany within ten years, and much of Europe in less than twenty.

1932 - Japan attacked and occupied Shanghai, China.

WWII in Europe began in 1939, but the Japanese actually got the ball rolling much earlier.

1935 - Iceland became the first country to legalize abortion on medical-social grounds.

Sadly, the reason has been bastardized to little less than a world-wide fetal holocaust.

1943 - The Nazis mobilized women for military service:  WWII.

They were running out of men, and Hitler figured he may as well kill the whole nation off...He got to the old-folks and children in due time as well.

1955 - The U.S. Congress passed a bill allowing the mobilization of troops if China should attack Taiwan.

By the way, this bill is still in effect.

I’m not one to give up territory to any Communist nation, but look at a map: Taiwan is part of China...It sure as Hell isn’t worth going to war with China over.

1986 - The space shuttle Challenger exploded 72-seconds after blastoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members.

A horrible, but inevitable, day for NASA and the whole nation...I am all for space travel, exploration, and conquest, but the reality is there will be losses if we continue to send humans into space.

"The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted. It belongs to the brave....The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them this morning as they prepared for their journey and waved good-bye and 'slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.'" - Ronald Reagan.

1993 - A federal judge in Los Angeles ruled the U.S. military's policy against homosexuals was unconstitutional because it's based on cultural myths and false stereotypes.

What a complete crock of crap...The policy of allowing homosexuals in the military has been destructive to unit moral, and will eventually lead to widespread problems; including abuse.

The military is not the place to conduct social engineering, and we will pay dearly if we continue to screw around with the fabric of the forces which protect our nation.

June 23

1888 - Abolitionist Frederick Douglass became the first black American nominated for U.S. President.

Frederick Douglass was born a slave, but escaped to freedom in 1838.  He went on to be the most important black man of his time, and one of the five most important in American history...It should be noted, Douglass was nominated by receiving one vote from the Kentucky delegation at the Republican Convention.

FYI: Top 5 American blacks = Barack Obama, Jackie Robinson, M.L. King, Frederick Douglas, George Washington Carver.

Being elected President of the U.S. instantly jumped Obama to #1...I didn't want him to win the job, but unlike Liberals, I am an honest historian.

930 - The world's oldest parliament, the Iceland Parliament, was established.

This parliament is known as the Althing and is the oldest, but has little if any other historical significance...Such is Icelandic history.

1995 - Dr. Jonas Salk, the medical pioneer who developed the first vaccine to halt the crippling disease of polio, died.

Salk, known as 'The Man Who Saved the Children,' was a giant of his time...His vaccine has saved millions from the debilitating effects of polio, and his name should be listed with the brilliant minds of any time.

1983 - The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Congress could not veto presidential decisions.

DUH!!! But is anyone surprised to see a Democrat led Congress trying to push its luck constitutionally?

1993 - In a case which drew widespread attention, Lorena Bobbitt sexually mutilated her husband, John, after he allegedly raped her. John Bobbitt was later acquitted of marital sexual assault; Lorena Bobbitt was later acquitted of malicious wounding by reason of insanity.

If he did rape her, more power to her! If he didn’t, he should be justified in cutting off her breasts, as a moment of insanity...One had to be wrong, and at least one should have done jail time.

That said, I tend to believe Lorena, and John probably got what he deserved.

2003 - The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the University of Michigan's School of Law affirmative action policy.

Someone please show me the portion of the Constitution which explains how the sins of the past are to be paid for by the generations of the future...Affirmative Racism is bad for blacks and wrong for America.