March 4

1519 - Hernando Cortes landed in Mexico.

Cortes landed with around 600 troops and 20 horses, and took on the most powerful nation in the New World - with a population of millions.

There is no way the Spaniard should have been able to defeat such an empire, but Cortes' force of will and audacity, along with an incredible amount of luck, technology, horses, native enemies the Aztecs had abused for years, and smallpox, allowed him to perform the Alexandrian task of conquering the Aztecs...I'd argue what Cortes accomplished was even more amazing than what Alexander the Great did - regardless of how it happened.

That said, had the Aztecs followed the 'First Rule of Invasions':  Kill them on the beach - their civilization might still be around. But they didn't, and paid the ultimate price for their mistake.

1238 - Battle of the Sit River:  Russia vs. Mongols.

The Mongols thoroughly crushed the Russians in this battle, which effectively ended Russian, Ukrainian and Belarusian unified resistance; at least as an organized force.

As a result, these lands were subjected to two centuries of Mongol domination.  A fact which forever changed the culture, psychology and biological makeup of the region.

1776 - George Washington's colonial forces occupied Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts:  American Revolutionary War.

Overnight the Continentals secretly manned the heights, building defensive structures and lining cannon to defend Boston Harbor...On March 17th the British accepted their position was untenable and retreated.

This 'battle' was one of the early 'victories' in the Revolution and was of enormous strategic value to the Continentals:  "The rebels have done more in one night than my whole army could do in months." - British General William Howe

1789 - The U.S. Constitution went into effect when the first federal Congress met in New York.

The most perfect government system ever created took effect - a low threshold to pass, but still.

Obviously it has flaws, and required revisions, but the fact it contains a means for doing so is part of its greatness.

1801 - Thomas Jefferson became the first U.S. President inaugurated in Washington D.C.

There's a trivia question most Americans won't get correct, because they would assume George Washington was the first...Washington's first inauguration was in New York City, and his second in Philadelphia.  John Adams was also inaugurated in Philadelphia, but he was the first to live in the White House, when the federal government moved to D.C. in 1800.

1849 - Senator David Atchison was President of the United States - at least he claimed to be for one day.

This date was supposed to be inauguration day for President-Elect Zachary Taylor, but it was a Sunday and Taylor wasn't sworn in (quite a different time back then when it came to religion)...Sen. Atchison was the President Pro Tempore, and as such believed it was his duty to assume the title of President to assure continuity of the government.

Another trivia question I'm pretty certain only a handful of Americans would know.

1917 - Jeanette Rankin (Montana) was sworn in as a member of the House of Representatives and became the first woman to serve in Congress.

How odd that a woman was elected to a federal office before women were allowed to vote in federal elections...That said, lets not get too excited about Rep. Rankin. She voted against U.S. entry in WWI, and was the only representative to vote against entering WWII after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor:

"Small use it will be to save democracy for the race, if we cannot save the race for democracy." - J. Rankin.

Ugh! She would fit in perfectly with our current peacenik jackasses.

1997 - Declaring the creation of life "a miracle that reaches beyond laboratory science," President Bill Clinton barred spending federal money on human cloning.

I must admit I didn’t think he had this amount of decency in him...On the same note, why wouldn’t he have the same opinion on the destruction of life in the womb? Particularly in the case of Partial Birth Abortions?

2009 - The International Criminal Court issued and arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir for war crimes in Darfur.

Of course Bashir is a 'bad man.'  So what has the ICC done about it?  Last I checked he's still in power ...Also, why Bashir?  Or even the rest of those on the ICC list of 'war criminals and crimes against humanity?'  There are so many bad actors in the world, the list could be much larger, but the reality is the list is political and about power.  Those on the list are 'small' compared to those who belong on it.

And even if the list is legit, what is the ICC going to do about it?  Nada!

February 23

1954 - The first mass inoculation of children against polio, with the Salk vaccine, began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

DO VACCINES WORK??

Prior to 1954, the U.S. had an annual rate of polio infection between 13,000-20,000 cases per year. 1952 was the highest reported with over 58,000 cases of polio.

IN 2017 THERE WERE ONLY A HANDFUL OF CASES OF POLIO WORLDWIDE...OF COURSE VACCINES WORK!!

Go to the 'Polio History Timeline' for a brief view of the success of this vaccine...A success-story repeated by many other vaccines as well.

303 - Roman Emperor Diocletian ordered the general persecution of Christians.

Constantine couldn’t come quickly enough for the Christians...In an ironic twist, the Roman Church later performed similar persecutions in the various Inquisitions.

1778 - Baron von Steuben joined the Continental Army at Valley Forge:  American Revolutionary War.

Von Steuben was a European mercenary, and his arrival marks a huge improvement in the discipline and order of Colonial forces...The Colonials were never a very reliable group, but von Steuben was an excellent instructor, which gave Washington a semi-professional force to fight with.

1836 - The Battle of the Alamo: The fort was besieged by Mexican President Santa Anna, and the entire garrison was eventually killed.

This was a fantastic victory for Santa Anna, but was purely tactical, and the Texans had the last laugh.

1847 - The Battle of Buena Vista:  Mexican-American War. Forces led by Zachary Taylor defeated the Mexicans, led by Santa Anna.

This battle didn’t end the Mexican-American War, but it signaled the beginning of the end.

Santa Anna attacked Taylor with over 14,000 troops, compared to Taylor’s 5,000. The battle began poorly for the Americans, but ended in a route, propelling General Taylor to the presidency two years later.

1919 - Benito Mussolini created the Italian Fascist Party.

Wooo Hoo! The man who would recreate the Roman Empire!! What a joke...Without the help of Hitler, the 'Paperboy' would have been able to conquer little more than parts of semi-barbaric Africa.

1926 - U.S. President Calvin Coolidge opposed a large air force, believing it would be a menace to world peace.

I love President Coolidge, but this was a terribly, shortsighted comment...No nation can deny the march of technology, unless it is looking to commit national suicide, that is.

1942 - The first shelling of the U.S. mainland during World War II occurred when a Japanese submarine fired 25 shells on an oil refinery in Ellwood, California.

Most Americans don't realized the Japanese hit the mainland. They used these shells, balloon drops, and held portions of Alaska as well...All the more reason to call on the Atom Bombs in 1945.

Hell, if the Japanese had an atom bomb they surely would have used it on a raid such as this one...And they were trying to get one.

1945 - U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, and raised the American flag. A larger flag was then brought in to replace the first - the second flag-raising was captured in the famous picture taken by Joe Rosenthal:  WWII.

You must get to D.C./Virgina to see the Iwo Jima Memorial...It is unbelievably powerful.

1991 - President GHW Bush announced the allied ground offensive against Iraqi forces had begun. (Because of the time difference, it was already the early morning of Feb. 24 in the Persian Gulf.)

The first Persian Gulf was was a brilliantly performed mission, but Bush made the mistake of limiting the objective of the mission after being pressured to quit the task prior to finishing off Saddam Hussein.

The job eventually fell to his son, who proved up to the task of not only taking on Saddam, but also taking on world opinion...Papa Bush was a good man, but he didn’t have the nerve and moral clarity of his son.

Unfortunately, W. fell into the trap of thinking he could bring Western Civilization to the Iraqis - in the form of democracy...This mistake cost him, America and the Iraqis terribly.

1997 - Scientists in Scotland announced they succeeded in cloning an adult mammal, producing a lamb named 'Dolly.'

Very nice...Just what the world needs, Dr. Frankenstein’s and Mengele’s playing God.

February 6

307 - China's 'War of the Eight Princes' ended.

This was a 15-year civil war in China, between eight princes vying for control of the Jin Dynasty.  It's important to remember at this time China was a loosely controlled empire, and each portion of it was ruled by different warlords...Also during this time, China was under constant pressure from outside 'barbarian' invaders - similar to the events in the West which broke up the Roman Empire.

China did not break, however...It's leadership may have been in flux, but its civilization was much too strong to fall apart.

It is also important to know China has had many civil wars, which is more a fact of its 4,000 year existence than due to any flaw in its civilization. Every great nation has had them, and the longer they are around the more they will have...What makes China so exceptional is Chinese civilization and culture has been able to stand the test of time - unlike most ancient nations, which have either been transformed or destroyed.

1778 - The United States won official recognition from France as the nations signed a treaty of aid in Paris. The Franco-American Treaty of Alliance bound the two powers together “forever against all other powers.” It was the first alliance treaty for the fledgling U.S. government:  American Revolutionary War.

It's undeniable the U.S. owes many thanks to the French for helping defeat the Brits in the American Revolutionary War...It's also undeniable the U.S. has more than paid back it's debt of gratitude to the French - specifically in WWII.

1899 - A peace treaty between the United States and Spain was ratified by the U.S. Senate, ending the Spanish-American War.

The Spanish-American War was extremely one-sided, and the final nail in the coffin of the Spanish Empire, wiping out what little remained of the once proud empire - with Cuba receiving independence and the U.S. gaining the territories of the Philippines, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Equally important, the results of this war began a period of American prosperity and influence on the world stage.

1929 - Germany accepted the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

HAHAHAHA!!! This agreement was a Utopian joke, and everyone who signed it knew it.

For those who don’t get the joke: The 'pact' was an international agreement outlawing war.

I guess no one told Adolph, Tojo and Mussolini the world previously agreed to ‘make love, not war.’

1992 - Democrat presidential candidate Bill Clinton denied he'd tried to avoid the Vietnam draft, saying he gave up a draft deferment in the fall of 1969 because he "didn't think it was right to keep it."

What a complete jackass...How we elected a draft-dodging POS as Commander-in-Chief will always be beyond my understanding.

1998 - President Bill Clinton and British Prime Minister Tony Blair redoubled their pledge to use military force against Iraq if necessary.

Bill triangulated the meaning of the word 'is.'  It's a safe assumption he did the same with the word 'if' in this instance.

2007 - In France nearly 60 nations pledged not to use children to wage war and to disarm and rehabilitate underage soldiers. The Paris Commitments Agreement was seen as a strong moral step against the problem, though it carried no legal weight. They also signed a treaty banning governments from holding people in secret detention, but the United States and some of its key European allies were not among them.

And then the world sang Kumbaya!!

Kind of funny how this joke of a pledge was passed on the same date as Germany accepted the Kellog-Briand Pact.  I'm assuming it wasn't an accident...It was an equal joke, regardless of the timing.

February 4

1789 - Electors unanimously chose George Washington to be the first President of the United States.

A more perfect choice has never been made...Washington wasn’t just the 'right man at the right time,' he was probably the only man who could have pulled off the miracle of uniting the states under a federal government.

“The United States of America has been fortunate in many ways, especially in the magnificent endowment of nature. But not the least of its blessings was the man who first led it to victory (Washington), then made the new nation that emerged law-abiding, stable and prosperous, as well as free. This double achievement is without parallel in history.” – Paul Johnson

Washington truly was the 'Irreplaceable Man' in American history - meaning no one else could have pulled off the miracle he did...And part of what makes him so special is he left office after two terms, trusting that he was 'replacable,' and the young nation he helped found could go on without making himself 'president-for-life' or 'king,' which he could have been - and many wanted.

960 - The Song Dynasty in China was founded by Emperor Taizu.

This dynasty ruled China for over 300 years.  It was a time of great achievement:  The world's first banknotes were created, China created it's first permanent navy, and the use of gunpowder was discovered...All during a time when the West was in a period of semi-barbarism in the Dark and Middle ages China continued to progress and was by far the greatest nation on earth.

1783 - Britain declared a formal cessation of hostilities with its former colonies, the United States of America.

In their minds this was a cease-fire, not an acceptance of American independence...It took the War of 1812 for the Brits to finally realize they were never going to recover their thirteen colonies.

1938 - Adolph Hitler assumed direct control of the German Army.

What a huge blessing for the Allied and Soviet armies...The German Army was an awesome fighting force in every way, but Hitler insisting on controlling it doomed it to failure.

1945 - The Yalta Conference began: Winston Churchill, Franklin Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin met at Yalta, in the Crimea, to discuss plans for the defeat of the Axis powers and to decide on the post-war future:  WWII.

FDR is often ripped for giving up Eastern Europe and Berlin to the Soviets in this meeting. Of course he was in poor health, and Uncle Joe got a Hell of a deal, but Roosevelt had no other choice.

Those who blame Roosevelt for the Russians 'conquering' Eastern Europe would be much better off questioning his reasoning for keeping America out of the war in 1939-41...Had FDR been a statesman instead of a politician he would have entered before Pearl Harbor, but this wasn't the route he took.

Also, the Battle of the Bulge (as well as Montgomery's Market Garden fiasco) held up the Allied assault on Germany to a point the Soviets were able to subdue Berlin, and Eastern Europe was already in Stalin’s hands...Were we going to fight the Russians? I think not. The deal at Yalta was tragic, but it was reality because of the events which occurred prior to Yalta.

1974 - Mao Tse-tung proclaimed a new 'Cultural Revolution' in China.

The Chairman was so creative in his titles for plans to repress and kill his population.

1997 - A civil jury in Santa Monica, California, found O.J. Simpson liable for the deaths of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend Ronald Goldman, awarding $8.5 million in compensatory damages to Goldman's parents. (Six days later, the jury added $25 million in punitive damages to go to Nicole Brown Simpson's estate and Goldman's father.)

I thought he was innocent???

It's hard to believe this POS got away with murder. It's equally hard to believe he met justice 11 years later due to an act of stupidity - trying to 'recover' some of his football paraphernalia.

1998 - President Bill Clinton vowed "one way or the other" he would deny Iraq any weapons of mass destruction and said he was encouraged by an international consensus that Baghdad obey U.N. mandates.

Bombs with (D) = Good, Bombs with (R) = Bad...But then again, we know the Democrats would never have done much more than make useless threats and launch a few cruise missiles.

Now that I think about it, what was Clinton talking about? I thought there was no risk of Iraqi WMD's and President Bush made the whole thing up?...This is what his party has tried to sell us since the 2004 presidential election.

January 14

1784 - The United States ratified the Treaty of Paris, formally ending the Revolutionary War.

It took almost 10-years, but the Colonists proved to the world that Americans would never live under a monarch again.

It's important to remember how difficult it was to gain freedom, and how long it took as well...We must keep this in mind as countries around the world take their time establishing a modicum of freedom in previously tyrannical lands.

Freedom isn't free, nor is it easy to obtain...It is even more difficult to maintain.

Sadly, I'm also afraid it isn't for everyone.

1526 - Charles V and Francis I signed the Treaty of Madrid. Francis was forced to give up French claims in Burgundy, Italy and Flanders.

The reign of Charles V is one of the most impressive in all of history...His holdings were greater than that of any previous European ruler (including the Romans and Charlemagne), and matched that of any in world history.

Charles' largest holdings: He was Holy Roman Emperor (Germany, Austria, etc.), and King of Spain (including Spanish America, the Netherlands, the Low Countries and parts of Italy).

Unfortunately for Charles, his holdings were extremely contested, and he spent most of his reign defending them in almost constant warfare...There was also a German priest who raised Hell during his rule as well - Martin Luther - and the never-ending threat of invasion from the Turks.

1942 - President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered all U.S. aliens to register with the government:  WWII.

Sounds like a good idea. All U.S. citizens are registered with the government (birth certificates, SS#'s, etc.), so why is it such a big deal to do the same with aliens? Hmmmmm?

1963 - George Wallace was sworn in as Governor of Alabama, with a pledge of:  "Segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever!"

I hope everyone realizes the Governor was a good ol’ Democrat...As were most of the hard-line segregationists.

Also, you know President Lincoln was a Republican right? The guy who made the Emancipation Proclamation...Ike was also a Republican president - he's the one who forced Gov. Wallace to accept segregation.

I’m sure this history isn’t properly taught in schools however, because Liberal educrats have never been too worried about history which doesn't fit their propaganda.

1980 - The U.N. General Assembly voted to "deplore" the USSR for invading Afghanistan.

Really?  What a joke!

The Soviets weren't cowed at all by this resolution, and the only thing that got them out of Afghanistan was a good ol' fashioned ass kicking by the Afghanis and their Jihadi pals.

2011 - Tunisian dictator Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia.

It's always good to see dictators deposed - even better when they are killed - but we need to be very careful in our hopes for a better Muslim world after the current crop are kicked out...What follows may be much worse.

I made that comment in 2012...I was correct, even though it must be admitted Tunisia has been much more stable than the other Arab Spring countries.

January 10

49 B.C. - Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon and invaded Italy, beginning a civil war after being ordered to disband his army three days earlier.

"Alea iacta est!" = “The die is cast.”

Caesar is one of the ten most important people in history, and this day began the path towards his crowning achievement...It was also the beginning of the end of the Roman Republic, which was soon to become the Roman Empire.

1776 - Propagandist Thomas Paine anonymously published 'Common Sense,' a scathing attack on King George III's reign over the American colonies and a call for complete independence.

"O! ye that love mankind! Ye that dare opposed not only the tyranny but the tyrant, stand forth! Every spot of the Old World is overrun with oppression. Freedom hath been hunted around the globe...O! receive the fugitive and prepare in time an asylum for mankind." - T. Paine

Within a year over 500,000 copies of 'Common Sense' were purchased in the Colonies, which proved to be as much a spark for the American Revolution as anything.

Paine was a great man, and a Patriot of the first order...I can’t even express how proud I’d be to be called a modern-day Thomas Paine, who was known as a 'poison pen' during his time.

I admit to stealing this for my 'Blogger name,' and you’ll soon see where the 'Pero' part comes from.

1847 - General Stephen Kearny and Commodore Robert Stockton retook Los Angeles in the last California battle of the Mexican War.

Mexico lost the war, but has never given up the battle of reclaiming its former territory...The Mexican Reconquista has long been underway, and the re-population of the Southwest U.S. is more of a Mexican success than anyone wants to acknowledge.

1901 - Oil was discovered in Texas - at Spindletop Hill, in Beaumont.

A huge state was soon to become an economic monster.

1920 - The League of Nations came into being when the Treaty of Versailles went into effect. The United States did NOT join the League.

The League was an abortion from its very first day, and the U.S. was smart enough to stay out ...We will see this intelligence reversed shortly.

1928 - The Soviet Union ordered the exile of Leon Trotsky.

It's amazing Trotsky wasn’t simply assassinated...Most of Uncle Joe’s rivals met a much quicker death.  Not that Joe didn't eventually kill him.

For those who don’t know, Trotsky was called 'Pero' by Lenin, for his writing ability (Pero = Pen, in Russian)...Although I am no admirer of Trotsky, I admit to stealing this for part of my 'Blog name.'

1944 - The G.I. Bill of Rights was passed by the U.S. Congress. The bill, formally known as the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, was intended to smooth demobilization for America's almost 16 million servicemen and women.

This is a small token of what this country owes its brave troops.

Unfortunately, some of our current troops joined the military with the intention of doing so ‘just to collect on the benefits’...The reality of the job was not in their minds, and now they are bitching about being called on as warriors.

Luckily, most of our troops are not like these, and joined the military to defend our great nation.

1946 - The League of Nations was officially superseded by the United Nations when the first meeting of the General Assembly began in London.

The U.S. stayed out of the League (rightly), but didn’t have the foresight to stay out of the U.N...Which has proven to be every bit as corrupt and useless as its evil mother.

1967 – PBS (the Public Broadcasting System) began as a 70-station network.

Why is the federal government funding a Liberal propaganda network?

I have no problem with Lefty networks, like CBS, CNN, MSNBC, etc., because they are at least privately funded...The fact PBS is paid for by the American taxpayer is completely absurd.

2003 - North Korea announced it was pulling out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

As if it was following the declaration anyway...Every country should pull out of it (including the U.S), and just do what they are doing.

The next global war will occur in due time anyway, and treaties with participants who refuse to follow them are useless.

January 5

1919 - The German Workers Party - later known as the National Socialist (Nazi) Party - was formed in Germany.

It isn’t amazing Germany fell under the spell of Hitler and his nutty Nazis.  It could happen again; it could happen anywhere - including in the U.S., because people in general are want for a strongman...What's amazing is how so many psychopaths were able to gather in one place and function as well as they did. It would have been much more natural for them to cannibalize one another much faster than they did.

1066 - English King Edward the Confessor died.

Edward died without a son, and allegedly promised the English crown to Norman duke, William...But before he died, he named another man as his successor - Earl of Essex Harold.

Harold became King on January 6, but William never forgot the 'promise' Edward made.  And it wasn't long until William came to stake claim to that promise.

1349 - Jews were massacred at Nuremberg during Black Death riots.

'The Jews poisoned the wells, causing the Plague'...People in the Middle Ages were scientifically ignorant, and it's always been easy to blame the Jews for just about anything - not just in Germany, either.

1781 - A British naval expedition, led by Benedict Arnold - infamous American traitor - burned Richmond, Virginia:  American Revolutionary War.

Arnold was one of the true heroes of the American Revolution, but he was a narcissist who didn't feel he received 'enough love' from Washington and the political leadership, so he turned.  It's too bad, because had he stayed the course, Arnold would have went down in American history below only George Washington and Nathaniel Greene as military leaders in the War for Independence.

1896 - German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen discovered x-rays.

The Germans were far ahead of the rest of the world scientifically at this time, and continued its domination throughout WWII...Sadly, they made far too much use of this genius destroying their neighbors and themselves, instead of creating such things as medical x-ray technology.

1945 – The 'House Un-American Activities Committee' (HUAC) became a permanent House committee.

With the modern-day Benedict Arnold's running around, it would be nice to see Congress revive this long-since-dead, 'permanent House committee.'

1948 - Alfred Kinsey's 'Sexual Behavior in the Human Male' was published.

How many little boys were raped by Kinsey's subjects in order to get his deviant research? I'm sure a few little girls were 'test subjects,' too.

1993 - The state of Washington executed Westley Allan Dodd, an admitted child sex-killer, in America's first legal hanging since 1965.

All sexual predators should face execution...I guarantee if we killed enough of them the level of sexual crimes would drop.

January 3

1868 - The Meiji Restoration.

The authority of Japan's emperor was re-established, ending the Shogun period of military rulers. The feudal clan system was also abolished, industrialization started, and Japan opened itself up to the West - thereby obtaining the benefits of Western technology.

The Shogunate was replaced, but their militarist system wasn’t...Instead it was expanded, and ceased to limit itself to the Japanese islands.  In a short period of time (1905 - Russia, 1937 - China, 1941 - U.S. and British Empire, etc.), the world would find out just how much Japan ceases limiting itself.

1521 - Martin Luther was excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

Excommunication is a terrible sentence for any Catholic - especially in the 1500’s...Luther was condemned to Hell, and more or less evicted from the 'community of man.'

Lucky for Luther, there were plenty who were as disgusted with the Church as he was, and even more important there were enough German princes who were jealous of the power of the Holy Roman Empire and the Church who were willing to provide protection for him...Without the help of these princes, Luther would have died very shortly after this date, and the Protestant Reformation would have likely died with him.

1565 - Ivan the Terrible threatened to abdicate the Russian throne.

'Terrible' he was, but he was also a great Russian leader...At least by the standards of the time. As such, he was begged to stay, which cost the Russian nobility greatly, but saved the Russian nation from its neighbors.

1777 - The Battle of Princeton: American Revolution.  The Continental Army, commanded by General George Washington, defeated the British at Princeton, New Jersey.

The Battle of Princeton had little tactical value, but was a strategic victory because it was a huge moral boost for the Colonial cause.  As a result, recruitment for the revolution increased.

1920 - The New York Yankees purchased Babe Ruth from the Boston Red Sox for $125,000.

Not only is this the worst trade in the history of American sports, but it is the beginning of the greatest dynasty (Yankees) and one of the worst curses (Red Sox) in American sports.

1925 – Italian Fascist leader Benito Mussolini dissolved the Italian Parliament and announced he was assuming dictatorial powers in Italy.

Italy was ripe for a strongman, and Mussolini was such a man.  Oh, and the 'trains ran on time'...Unfortunately for Italy, ‘Il Duce’ also proved to be a nut, and made a huge mistake joining with the even more nutty lunatics to the north - Nazi Germany.

1930 - The Second Conference on War Reparations began in the Hague.

The French decided they needed to bleed Germany a little more for their actions in WWI...Another in the long line of events leading to the Nazi’s and WWII.

1932:  Martial law was declared in Honduras to stop a revolt of workers fired by United Fruit.

Ever wonder where the term "banana republic" came from?

1938:  The March of Dimes was established to fight polio.

Less than 20 years later a polio vaccine was created...I have no doubt we could cure many of our current diseases just as successfully if the political and regulatory chains were taken off.  And if there wasn't such tremendous fear of lawsuits due to negative reactions to new medications.

1961 - The United States severed diplomatic relations with Cuba after Fidel Castro announced he was a Communist.

Eisenhower was a good man, a great general, and an above-average president…Unfortunately, his presidency will always be tainted with the establishment of a Communist country next door.

He was a lame duck president, but he and Kennedy should have worked out a way to eliminate this problem.

1973:  George Steinbrenner bought the New York Yankees for $12 million.

As of 2017, the Yankees estimated worth is over $3 billion...A pretty fair deal for the 'Boss.'

January 2

1492- Muhammad XI, leader of the last Arab/Moor stronghold in Granada, Spain, surrendered to Spanish forces loyal to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella.

Muslim Moors held Spain for around 780-years before the Spanish Reconquista was complete. The Christian Spanish have held it for around 500-years, and the Muslim Reconquista is just beginning...It's debatable if the Christians - though its almost comical to call any European country 'Christian' anymore - will be able to hold off the Muslims long enough to match their 780-year reign.

Personally, I doubt if they can...If nothing else they'll be conquered through moronic immigration policies, which will lead to the Christian population being out-bred by the Islamic.

1570 - Russian Czar Ivan the Terrible began marching on Novgorod.

Ivan was most definitely 'terrible', for his own people and his neighbors, but he was instrumental in strengthening and building the Russian nation...Which is why he is one of the most respected and approved of Russian rulers in history - by the Russian people.  A fact, which is true for most of the 'great' Russian rulers - including in our time.

1776 - George Washington designed the first U.S. Flag with thirteen red and white stripes and a Union Jack in the corner:  American Revolutionary War.

Most will wonder why he put the British 'Jack' on the flag, but it's important to remember the colonies hadn't declared independence from England at this time - and many still held out hope of avoiding doing so.

1872 - Brigham Young, leader of the Mormon Church, was arrested on a charge of bigamy. He had 25 wives.

Here's betting bigamy/polygamy, incest and pedophilia become the next battle in the redefinition of marriage.  And those who support multiple marriages will take the same path as those who support gay marriage:  'Who is to stand in the way of consenting adults in love?'

Mark my words.  All of this will be brought forward in the name of 'progress' (which is actually historical regression) in our lifetime.

1882 - Standard Oil was organized as a trust to avoid anti-monopoly laws.

Interestingly, this same 'trust' was eventually broken up under anti-trust laws designed to break up monopolies.

1905 - After a six-month siege, Russia surrendered Port Arthur to the Japanese.

The Japanese Navy destroyed the Russian Far East and Baltic Fleets, setting itself up for a 40-year run as one of the world's great military nations...An accomplishment of major significance; especially considering Japan is such a small nation with almost no natural resources - outside of its loyal and brilliant people.

1954 - Senator Joseph McCarthy was condemned by Congress, and later censured by the Senate.

McCarthy went over the top - particularly in attacking the Army - but it's not surprising many of his claims proved to be true about Communist infiltration of the government and Hollywood.

1997 - California's law against smoking in public places, passed in 1995, was extended to bars. Reports from the first day in effect was the law was widely ignored.

I'm not a smoker, and generally prefer not being in places where smokers are, but I can't be the only one who finds it bizarre that California fights smoking tobacco so hard yet finds ways to support smoking marijuana.

2001 - President Bill Clinton met with Yasser Arafat and coaxed him to curb Middle East violence.

These two should always be listed together for their efforts at ending the Jihadist insanity in the Middle East.  In other words: They should be linked as absolute frauds and failures when it comes to Middle East peace.

December 31

406 - Vandals, Alans and Sueves invaded Roman Gaul.

Time for a history lesson (I'm not sure where the following reference comes from; probably one of my old reference books - but I don't want to have anyone think it is all my own.)

The Alans or Alani were an Iranian nomadic group among the Sarmatian people, warlike pastoralists of mixed backgrounds, who spoke an Iranian Language
- The Sarmatians, Sarmatae or Sauromatae (the second form is mostly used by early Greek writers, the other by the later Greeks and the Romans) were a people whom Herodotus put on the eastern boundary of Scythia beyond the Tanais (Don River). They were Iranian people akin to the Scythians (Saka).
- Scythia was an area in Eurasia inhabited in ancient times by an Iranian people known as Scythians. The location and extent of Scythia varied over time from the Altai region where Mongolia, China, Russia and Kazakhstan come together to the lower Danube River area and Bulgaria. Saka are Asian Scythians.

The Sueves, Suebi or Suevi were a Germanic people whose origin was near the Baltic Sea.
- The term Germanic peoples or Germanic tribes applies to the ancient Germanic peoples of Europe. The Germanic tribes spoke mutually intelligible dialectics and shared a common mythology and story telling, for instance Beowulf and the Volsunga Saga.

The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe who entered the late Roman Empire, and created a state in North Africa, centered on the city of Carthage. The Vandals probably gave their name to the province of Andalusia (originally, Vandalusia), in Spain, where they temporarily settled before pushing on to Africa.

Needless to say, by this time the Roman Empire was in its death throes, and these were just three of the many barbarian tribes in the process of overrunning it.

1775 - George Washington ordered recruiting officers to accept free blacks into the army.

How sad...Blacks were good enough to fight for America's independence, but not to receive it themselves.

Such is the cruelty of history...Luckily, hundreds of thousands of white Americans fought to right this injustice less than 100 years later.

1946 - President Truman officially proclaimed the end of hostilities in World War II.

The war had been over for a year, but the killing was nowhere near ended...Winning the peace is often as hard as winning the war.

1964 - Syrian-based al-Fatah guerrillas of Yasser Arafat launched their first raid on Israel with the aim of provoking a retaliation and sparking an Arab war against Israel.

50-years later and nothing has changed...How the Israelis have survived, surrounded by the Islamic horde, is a miracle.

The question is, can they continue; or, how long can they continue?

1987 - Robert Mugabe was sworn in as Zimbabwe's first executive president.

Mugabe may be called President by the jackasses at the U.N., but here in Peroville he is nothing more than a butcher...But then again, the rest of the world accepted Saddam Hussein as well.

In the eyes of the U.N., Mugabes and Saddams are good, but George Bush is bad...Which is why the U.N. is nothing more than a Circle Jerk Group.

1998 - Europe's leaders proclaimed a new era when eleven nations merged currencies to create the euro, a shared money they said would boost business, underpin unity and strengthen their role in world affairs.

Many Americans are worried about how well the Euro has performed against the Dollar, but the Dollar is 'tried & true,' and the Euro is the monetary system of a group of people who will never stay together...Sure the Euro was hot for a decent period of the early 21st Century, but long term I'd put my money on the Dollar.

1999 - Russian President Boris Yeltsin announced his resignation and handed power over to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

His status in our time is iffy, but history will be kind to Yeltsin - it will take awhile, however...It will be interesting to see about Putin.  So far he has proven to be a chameleon, but like most Russian strongmen I'm betting he comes out ok - by Russian standards.

2002 - U.S. executions for the year rose from 66 to 71, with 33 in Texas.

Of course this doesn't include fetal executions: 2001 = over 1,300,00, 2002 = over 1,300,000.
Every one of the 66 and 71 executions noted above was protested against by Leftist idiots, but I doubt if any of the 2,600,000 innocent BABIES were.

December 29

1890 - The Battle of Wounded Knee: The last major conflict of the Indian Wars took place in South Dakota after Colonel James W. Forsyth of the 7th Cavalry tried to disarm Chief Big Foot and his followers. Some 300 Sioux Indians were killed by U.S. troops sent to 'disarm' them.

The Anglo-Franco-Spanish-American conquest of the American Indian is a sad, but natural occurrence...We can feel bad, and we can reminisce, but the reality of the situation is this: World history is the spread - as a result of military, demographic, biological or epidemiological conquest - of people over space and time.

The American Indians are no different than the Philistines, Lydians, Hittites, Sumerians, etc, etc, etc...People come and people go. Over time, our people will as well.

1778 - British troops, attempting a new strategy to defeat the American Colonials, captured Savannah, capital of Georgia, in some of the bloodiest fighting of the Revolutionary War.

The British ‘Southern Strategy’ was doomed to failure:

1. Colonial population centers were in the north.
2. France and Spain were neighbors to the south, and would do whatever it took to slap their European foe, helping the Americans by default.

1845 - Texas (comprised of the present state of Texas and part of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming) was admitted as the 28th state, with the provision that the area (389,166 square miles) be divided into no more than five states "of convenient size."

America was getting closer to its 'Manifest Destiny.'

1934 - Japan renounced the Washington Naval Treaty of 1922 and the London Naval Treaty of 1930.

Seven years till Pearl Harbor...It’s truly amazing how powerful this tiny island nation became.  It's unfortunate for itself as well, because the price it paid for such a rise was the ultimate downfall.

1940 - In a radio interview, President Roosevelt proclaimed the U.S. as the "arsenal of democracy":  WWII.

It's too bad FDR's successors, modern-day Democrats, don’t see it this way.

1970 - OSHA was established by an act of Congress.

OSHA is an enormous drag on American production, which affects everything from household income levels to Gross National Product. Of course, workplace standards are necessary, but nothing is needed with such reach and punitive power as this bureaucratic monstrosity.

What happened to Adam Smith-style economic policy? Sadly, we have allowed pseudo-socialist economic policy to replace the tried-and-true genius of laissez-faire...Just wait until some real socialists get power.  Then we'll see just how fast they prove the genius of laissez-faire, and the abject failure of socialism.

Unfortunately, we're going to have to live through such proof before Americans give up on this monstrosity.

1998 - Two top Khmer Rouge leaders apologized for the deaths of as many as two million people during their regime in the 1970s, and asked Cambodians to forget the past.

'Forget the past'? You’ve got to be kidding me...This would be like asking the Jews to ‘forgive the Nazis.'

December 25 (A Triple)

1 - The date celebrated as the birth of Jesus Christ.

Was Christ born on this date? No. Is Christ the son of God? Personally, I'd say no...Neither of these questions - or my opinion - is of importance, however.

What is important is the life and death of Jesus Christ, and the historical results of his life and death...Results which have been as important as any life and death in history.

336 - The first recorded celebration of Christmas on December 25th took place in Rome.

The ‘birth of Christ’ had been celebrated on various dates for over 200 years, but this is the first sanctioned by the 'Church' on the 25th.

800 - Charlemagne was crowned Emperor of the Romans.

The Pope crowned Charlemagne emperor in order to pay back the many times Charles saved him from his enemies in the Vatican, and also from his own family...Charlemagne was also a strong defender of the church, and liked to think of himself as the founder of a new Roman Empire.

There are many who consider Charlemagne as the founder of the Holy Roman Empire, and there are others who consider Otto I the founder in 962...I fall in line with those who look at Otto, because it was he who stabilized the 'Germanic nation,' and made the HRE a consistent functioning institution.

Either way, I hope you aren't foolish enough to think the Holy Roman Empire was either 'Holy,' 'Roman,' or an 'Empire.'

1. 'Holy': Hahahaha! This was a political entity if there ever was one.
2. 'Roman': Hardly. Remember Charlemagne was a Frank and Otto a Saxon (both were Germanic tribes), and the HRE was always ruled by Germans/Austrians in the future.
3. 'Empire': The HRE had a brief period as an empire thanks to it's association with the Spanish Empire (during the reign of Charles V), but other than that, it was a loose confederation of German States...Nothing more, nothing less.

1066 - William the Conqueror was crowned King William I of England.

A great day in the history of what had previously been a backward nation, and what would eventually became one of the greatest empires in world history.

1651 - The General Court of Massachusetts passed a law making the observance of Christmas a penal offense and ordered a fine of five shillings for "observing any such day as Christmas."

During this time, Christmas in the Americas resembled Mardi Gras, and the Massachusetts Puritans wanted nothing to do with such debauchery...As a result it was a long time before Christmas became a mainstream American holiday.

1776 - The Battle of Trenton: American Revolution.  General George Washington and his troops crossed the Delaware River in a surprise attack against Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey.

A 'surprise attack' on a drunken force...It was a minor tactical battle, but an enormous strategic victory because it provided an important psychological lift for the Colonists.

1799 - Napoleon’s new constitution went into effect. It gave him, as First Consul, powers to promulgate laws, nominate senior officials, control finances and conduct negotiations with foreign powers.

A dictator was born, and France began a periods of true greatness...Though not necessarily one of 'goodness.'

1868 - President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all persons involved in the Southern rebellion which resulted in the Civil War.

You have to wonder if Lincoln would have done likewise.  I tend to think he would have, because from the beginning of the war his intent was to keep the Union whole...This pardon went a long way towards re-establishing this wholeness - though it pissed off many in the North who felt the South should pay a much greater price then it did.

December 22

1944 - During the Siege of Bastogne, in the Battle of the Bulge:  WWII.  The 101st Airborne Division and part of the 10th Armored Division were encircled by German forces within the bulge. The German commander besieging the town demanded that the Americans surrender or face annihilation

U.S. Major General Anthony McAuliffe prepared a typed reply that read simply:
To the German Commander: "Nuts!"
From the American Commander.

The Americans who delivered the message explained to the perplexed Germans that the one-word reply was translatable as "Go to Hell!"

America’s WWII commanders were great...McCauliffe forever immortalized himself, and the 101st Airborne did likewise in their brilliant defensive battle at Bastogne.

1775 - A Continental naval fleet was organized in the rebellious American colonies under the command of Ezek Hopkins.

1785 - The American Continental Navy fleet was organized, consisting of two frigates, two brigs and three schooners. Sailors were paid eight dollars a month.

Don’t get these day confused with the birthday of the U.S. Navy, which is October 13.

1864 - Union General William T. Sherman sent President Abraham Lincoln this message - "I beg to present you as a Christmas present the city of Savannah with 150 guns and plenty of ammunition":  U.S. Civil War.

A Christmas present indeed...Grant definitely picked the right man when he let Sherman loose on the South, and this terrible war was shortly entering its last year as a result of such fighting men.

1989 - Romanian President Nicolae Ceausescu, last of Eastern Europe's hard line Communist rulers, was toppled from power in a popular uprising.

Nikki was replaced by some of his ‘less aggressive’ Communist buddies, but communism was definitely on its way out in Romania.

Keep an eye out for Nikki in a few days...His execution is soon to follow.

1997 - Actress Hunter Tylo, whose pregnancy got her fired from TV's 'Melrose Place,' was awarded $4.9 million by jurors who agreed she was wrongfully terminated.

Her job was to portray a 'Tylo-Ho,’ and in her pregnant state she was unable to perform this function. She should have been fired for not being able to do her job.

Decisions like this are ridiculous, but the Liberal insaniacs are doing everything they can to create judicial anarchy, and to poison business.

December 17

1903 - Wilbur and Orville Wright made the first successful controlled flight in a powered aircraft, the Wright Flyer, on the beach at Kitty Hawk, N.C.

The world shrank considerably with this event...The ability to overcome time and space is a huge factor in civilian and military life. Travel was sped up by an incredible amount, and as a result the enormity of the planet was cut down more than a little.

The ability to pull off such genius is one of the many things which separates humans from every other living thing on earth.

546 - Totila, King of the Ostrogoths, captured Rome.

The Goths claimed Rome when the Empire fell, but the East Roman Empire (Byzantine) rightfully felt they were the true holders of the Roman tradition...Unfortunately for these ‘Romans,’ they couldn’t hold the Goths out of Rome, and were eventually run out themselves.

That said, it's a joke to think of anyone ruling Rome at this time as anything close to ruling the Empire - which had ceased to exist in reality around a hundred years earlier.

1526 - Ferdinand Hapsburg, of Austria, was elected King of Bohemia - establishing the Kingdom of Austria-Hungary.

The Hapbsurgs had been consolidating power for years (through political marriages), and uniting the Austrian and Hungarian nations was a major issue...It also re-started a period of non-stop European wars over control of Central Europe.  And more important, it led to a European fight about Hapsburg control of Spain and its possessions - most important of which were the the Netherlands, South and Central America

1538 - Pope Paul III excommunicated England's King Henry VIII for the second time.

Another in a long line of events which pushed England away from the Continent...A blessing for the English, and later, American people.

1777 - France formally recognized American independence, and agreed to send the new nation money, troops and ships.

France had its own strategic issues in mind with this act, which was more an act against Britain than for the U.S...That said, receiving French help was instrumental in the American victory.

Little did the French know, they'd soon have their own revolution coming their way.

1927 - U.S. Secretary of State Frank Kellogg suggested a worldwide pact renouncing war.

What an idiotic Utopian.

"Sometimes war is the only answer.” – Dennis Prager

War is part of the human condition.  Always has been.  Always will be.

1944 - The U.S. Army announced the end of its policy of holding Japanese-Americans in internment camps, allowing 'evacuees' to return home:  WWII.

Japanese Internment was terrible, but necessary...National Security is every nation’s top priority, and it's unfortunate that civil liberties are often stomped on, but the other option isn’t acceptable.

Sadly, it will happen again someday - with Muslims.

FYI:  I made that statement long before Donald Trump became a presidential contender.

1957 - The United States successfully test-fired the 'Atlas' intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time.

An extension of the U.S. Military’s policy of ‘Global Reach, Global Power’...And a truly awesome power it is.

December 16 (A Quadruple)

1653 - Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland.

After emerging victorious in the English Civil War, Cromwell took control of the British nation as Dictator...He was an excellent military commander and banned the monarchy, but an average civil administrator as Lord Protector and left a weak successor, who was quickly replaced by King Charles II.

An interesting note on Cromwell: Charles II hated him so much he had Cromwell’s dead body dug up in 1661 and gave him a 'posthumous execution,' then a public hanging and finally had him drawn and quartered.

1689 - The English Parliament adopted a Bill of Rights after the Glorious Revolution.

Don't mistake this Bill of Rights with the first ten amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

This bill of rights gave some minor rights to the English people, but was primarily a political document acknowledging the succession of William and Mary as King and Queen, and then deciding the line of succession. It also stated the English monarchy could never be placed in the hands of a Roman Catholic.

The most important part of the Bill, however, was a huge one - giving Parliament political supremacy over the monarch.

1773 - The Boston Tea Party: Around 50 American colonists boarded a British ship and dumped 342 chests of tea overboard into Boston harbor to protest tea taxes.

The 'Sons of Liberty,' led by Samuel Adams, dressed as Mohawk Indians, fired one of the first shots of the soon-to-come American Revolution with this act of defiance.

The question I have is:  What happened to the Bostonians? They went from being the original anti-tax, small-government Americans, to becoming the degenerate, pseudo-communist, People’s Republic of Massachusetts...A sad ending for the home of our first Patriots.

1944 - The Battle of the Bulge began: WWII.  German forces broke through the allied lines in the rugged Ardennes region, taking U.S. troops by surprise.

This was the last gasp of Hitler and the German Army in WWII, and it started with a bang...It ended with a whimper, as Patton rolled up the German offensive.

The saddest part of the battle is it slowed the Western Allies down just long enough to allow the Ruskies to take Berlin - Hitler's last abuse of the German people...Maybe they deserved it, however, for putting such a madman in place.

1950 - In the wake of the massive Chinese intervention in the Korean War, President Harry S. Truman declared a state of emergency, proclaiming "Communist imperialism" threatened the world's people. Truman called upon the American people to help construct an "arsenal of freedom."

Truman would have done well to think of this problem from the beginning of the Korean War...If he wanted to stop the spread of Communism he had the ability to do so, instead he took the French way out, refusing to fight an offensive war, and our troops suffered as a result.

Unfortunately, he passed this characteristic on to every succeeding American president.

1969 - The British House of Commons approved the permanent abolition of the death penalty.

How can they be against aborting the lives of hard-core criminals, but for executing innocent unborn children?

1998 - President Clinton ordered a sustained series of missile strikes against Iraq forces in response to Saddam Hussein's continued defiance of U.N. weapons inspectors.

The Democrats loved it when Clinton tossed bombs at Hussein, which had little if any effect...And the Republicans stood by his decision to do so as well.

Amazingly, the Democrats couldn’t stand behind Bush when he decided to do what Clinton didn’t have the stomach for, but had to be done - removing Saddam from the world.

1991 - The U.N. General Assembly rescinded its 1975 resolution equating Zionism with racism by a vote of 111-to-25.

I’d imagine if this vote was retaken today, it would be much closer to the one in 1975 than in 1991.

1997 - A Pentagon-appointed panel concluded the Army, Navy and Air Force should segregate male and female recruits in their earliest phases of basic training.

Women do not belong in the military, and this is just one of the many reasons...That said, if women are going to be in the military they should not be segregated in basic training or anywhere else.

The military is an extremely complex unit which can’t function at its optimum unless it is completely integrated, and there should be no segregation based on sex, race, etc...Every troop (man or woman) must be 100% combat effective and completely integrated into the military system, or they shouldn’t be there.

National Defense should always supersede 'Social Engineering'...Unfortunately, Liberals in this country feel the opposite is true, and most Conservatives are afraid of being called sexists and refuse to take them on.

2006 - Iran's president said his country was ready to transfer nuclear technology to neighboring countries.

Amazingly, too many in the West assume Ahmadinejad was barking at the moon...You'd think the lessons of the 20th century would have wizened them up, but I guess not.

November 29

799 - Charlemagne returned Pope Leo III to Rome.

So, why was he ‘returning?’ The previous Pope’s family tried to disfigure Leo to make him unfit for the papacy, wanting another family member to become Pope - and Leo fled to Charlemagne for help...Papal politics has always been ugly.

As a gift for protecting him, Leo crowned Charlemagne 'Emperor of the Romans' in 800...It wasn't just a gift to the King of the Franks - it was a way for Leo to guarantee his own safety.

That said, please don't mistake this as anything close to the Roman Empire...If anything, it was a path towards the Holy Roman Empire.

If you don't understand the differences you must come back to this blog more often.

1782 - Britain signed an agreement recognizing U.S. independence:  American Revolutionary War.

As if they had any choice.

1803 - Spain ceded her claims on the Louisiana Territory to France.

This sounds magnanimous enough, but in reality Napoleon controlled Spain and took the territory...It didn’t take him long to realize the territory was impossible to hold which led the Emperor to sell it to the U.S. - not as a gift to the U.S., but for the money and as a thorn in the side of the Brits.

1812 - The last elements of Napoleon Bonaparte's Grand Armee retreated across the Beresina River in Russia.

What a mess. One of history’s greatest fighting forces was all but annihilated by the Russian Winter...Napoleon regrouped to fight another day, but was never able to compensate for the loss of this fighting force.

1947 - The U.N. General Assembly passed Resolution 181, granting the Jewish people a homeland in ‘Palestine.’

This makes for nice mythology doesn’t it? The reality is the Jews fought for every inch of Israel, and will have to fight to hold it for all of time - if they choose to keep it, that is...The U.N. gave them nothing, and surely hasn’t helped them defend it.

1949 – The Nationalist regime of China left for Formosa.

Those who don’t know: Formosa = Taiwan...Which is why the Chinese lay claim to it, and will eventually have it. It’s amazing they don’t already.

1989 - The Czechs ended the Communist Party's 40-year monopoly on power. The revolution in Czechoslovakia was called the 'Velvet Revolution' because it occurred with little violence.

This was the beginning of the end for the various Communist nations in Eastern Europe, and the reason for the lack of ‘violence’ is because of the will and determination of Ronald Reagan...Along with the decay of the Soviet Union.

Reagan's policies put the Soviets in a position where they were unable to force themselves on their neighbors, because they could barely hold on at home.

1991 - The chairman of the Soviet Union's State Bank said his institution halted all payments to the national government because it had run out of money.

They bled the population economically (physically, mentally, and emotionally as well) and there was nothing left to take...The same will eventually happen in the non-communist countries which do the same to their people - including the U.S.

1996 - A U.N. court sentenced Bosnian Serb army soldier Drazen Erdemovic to ten years in prison for his role in the massacre of 1,200 Muslims; the first international war crimes sentence since World War II.

Not that they were good guys, but one has to wonder: Why the Serbs?

The U.N. allowed such mass murderers as Stalin, Mao, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Ho Chi Mihn, Yasser Arafat, Papa and Baby Doc, Saddam Hussein (till G.W), etc, etc., to go without being tried for ‘war crimes’ or ‘crimes against humanity’...So why the Serbs??

2005 - The Vatican published its long-awaited document on gays in the clergy, saying men with "deep-seated" homosexual tendencies should not be ordained but those with a "transitory problem" could be if they had overcome them for three years.

This is how the Church got in trouble with gays banging little boys in the first place: by allowing them in the seminary schools and not throwing them out when they were discovered...Which is why the Catholic Church deserves most of the disdain they have received on the matter of molestation. They have allowed it to happen by allowing gay priests to stay in their posts.

November 28

749 - Abu Abbas was declared Caliph, the first Abbasid caliph. His dynasty ruled the Muslim world until 1258.

The Abbasid's were an incredibly powerful force, and did much to spread Islam...Also, it isn’t even debatable that the Muslims of this time were hundreds of years ahead of their European counterparts in the advancement of their civilization.

As a result, it didn't take long for them to conquer much of what had previously been considered parts of the Western/Christian world - an area currently known as the Middle East.

1340 - The Battle of Salado: The last Moorish invasion of Spain was driven back.

The Muslims may have discontinued invading Spain, but they continued to rule parts of it for another 150-years.

1775 - The Second Continental Congress formally established the American Navy:  American Revolutionary War.

Forget the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, British and every other great navy in the history of the world. There has never been a more awesome naval force than that of the United States...At this time, however, it was a rag-tag group of daring seamen.

1941 - The aircraft carrier USS Enterprise departed from Pearl Harbor to deliver F4F Wildcat fighters to Wake Island:  WWII.

We’ll get to this on Dec. 7, but it’s hard to believe this was the result of Fate.

1943 – The Tehran Conference: President Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Joseph Stalin met in Tehran:  WWII.

This was the first time the three leaders met together, and did much to convince Stalin the Western Allies were going to invade the Continent...Before this time, and probably after, Stalin was very concerned Churchill and FDR were going to allow the USSR to fight the Germans more or less on their own.

It was also during this meeting that Stalin first committed to sending Soviet troops to the Japanese Theatre after Germany was defeated, which was completely unnecessary in 1945, but in 1943 no one knew for sure...Unfortunately this decision cost the Allies in the form of Communist entrenchment in China and Korea.

1958 - The U.S. reported the first full-range firing of an ICBM.

This was nice, but our Soviet friends beat us to the punch...We didn’t know it at the time, but it was a 50/50 chance Soviet ICBM’s would have blown up in their silo's before liftoff.

Either way the ‘supposed’ Missile Gap was being closed.

1986 - The United States violated the unratified SALT II nuclear arms treaty when another Air Force B-52 bomber capable of carrying atomic-tipped cruise missiles became operational.

Thank you Ronald Reagan...And since the treaty wasn't ratified it wasn't 'violated.'

The B-52 added to our ability to defend our nation, and it added to our ability to mentally and economically destroy the USSR...Not surprisingly, the Democrats voted against it and our European allies bitched about it.

1990 - Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister of Britain.

American’s, and the whole free world, owe many thanks to the Iron Lady...She was a staunch ally of President Reagan’s, and as important as anyone in America’s success in the Cold War.

1994 - Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was murdered in a Wisconsin prison by a fellow inmate.

I hope someone sent 'Shanks' a care-package for the good deed of killing this piece of shit.

The death of a psychopath is always good news in Peroville...The only thing I'm disappointed about is it wasn’t caught on tape and shown on PayPerView.

November 25

2348 B.C. - Biblical scholars have long asserted this to be the day of the Great Deluge, or Flood.

I can’t say if it happened or not, but if it did it’s definitely the greatest event of the day...I'm sure many don't believe in the Bible (Old and/or New Testaments), and laugh off this event as a fable.

I'm not going to lie, I find much of both books to be pretty fantastical.

That said, the ancient Sumerians were around a long time before the Old Testament was produced, and made note of a 'Great Flood,' which has been backed up by many archaeological findings...Oh by the way, Sumerian Civilization was well established by 2348 B.C.

The Sumerian flood is noted in the 'Epic of Gilgamesh,' one of the the oldest books in the history of man...I recommend you read it.

1783 - More than 6,000 British troops evacuated New York City after signing the peace treaty ending the American Revolutionary War.

The last of the Redcoats left the U.S...They returned in 1812 and were tossed out again in 1814.

A different kind of 'Red' entered the U.S. in the 1900's - without the coats...And they haven't left since.

1867 - Alfred Nobel invented dynamite.

It's hard to believe the guy who invented dynamite has a ‘peace prize’ named after him...You have to know his story to understand why: Alfred Nobel.

1922 - Archaeologist Howard Carter entered King Tut's tomb.

Tut was a king of little historical significance, but this was a magnificent find...Try to imagine what we would have found in the tombs of the great pharaohs before they were looted, because Tut was an insignificant king at best.

1936 - The Anti-Comintern Pact was signed: An agreement between Japan and Germany to collaborate in opposition to the spread of Communism.

This was a good excuse to squeeze the Soviets...Japan was terribly afraid of the Ruskies, and more than happy to have an ally against the USSR’s west. As for Hitler, he signed pacts with anyone who wanted to do so, but had no intention of keeping them.

Unfortunately for the German Madman, this was an alliance which brought the U.S. into the war against him...A reality which led to the end of both the Japanese and Nazi empires.

1941 - A "war warning" was sent to commanders in the Pacific: Admiral Harold R. Stark, U.S. chief of naval operations, told Admiral Husband E. Kimmel, Commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor, that both President Roosevelt and Secretary of State Cordell Hull thought a Japanese surprise attack was a distinct possibility.

"We are likely to be attacked next Monday, for the Japs are notorious for attacking without warning. We must all prepare for trouble, possibly soon" - FDR

Sure FDR didn’t know they were coming. He didn't quite guess December 7, but he was within a few days...The Brits warned him, and this message to his commanders is awfully fishy.

That said, if this is what it took to get the U.S. in the war it was worth it...The Germans and Japanese may have eventually been defeated, but the war ended within four years of the U.S.'s entry.  Had the war gone on longer the damage to civilization may have been so great, eventually defeating the Axis may not have mattered much.

1990 - Poland held its first popular presidential election, resulting in a plurality of votes for Solidarity founder Lech Walesa, who won a runoff the next month.

The Polish people have been spurned by history from the time they built their first nation, being sandwiched between the German and Russian beasts.

Here’s hoping the Polish partitions and pogroms are a thing of the past...If they play their cards right (being a front line American ally) they will do much to ensure their protection against their neighbors to the east and west.

That's assuming the U.S. is as good an ally as the Poles are...Which is no promise - especially if we keep putting people like Obama in office.

2002 - Citing "the dangers of a new era," President George W. Bush signed into law The Homeland Security Act, creating a Cabinet-level Department of Homeland Security; a move which set in motion the largest reorganization of the federal government in more than half a century.

Was it hastily put together? Probably. Was it overdue and necessary? Absolutely.

The U.S. sat back and relaxed after the Soviets fell, and then Clinton destroyed our military and intelligence collecting agencies...Our new enemies may be different, but they are numerous, determined, and very likely more dangerous than the Soviets.

The Department of Homeland Security is a necessity, and will serve us well in the future.

November 15

1777 - The Continental Congress approved the Articles of Confederation, a precursor to the Constitution of the United States:  American Revolutionary War.

I hope you know the Constitution wasn't the first form of government in the United States. If you've been following along, you should know this...But I know the 'unknowledge' taught in public school is difficult to break through.

I recommend you read about the Articles of Confederation...It was a system destined to failure, but guided the young nation through it's first years of independence.

1533 - Spaniards entered the Inca holy city of Cuzco

Atahualpa disregarded the 'First Rule of Invasions' by letting the Spanish live a day past the beaches...Then he multiplied the mistake by inviting them into his realm.

The cost of these mistakes proved tragic to the chief, and the Incas in general...Such is history.

1864 - Union General William Tecumseh Sherman began his 'March from Atlanta to the Sea':  U.S. Civil War.

Sherman wasn't a butcher, but he did burn much of Atlanta to the ground...Which you might think of as barbaric.

But, it was men like Grant, Sherman and Lincoln who understood the only way to end the brutality of the Civil War was to force the South to submit...This is the case in every war!!! Which is why fighting politically correct wars is a recipe for disaster.

1939 - The Social Security Administration approved the first unemployment check.

What's the best way to keep people from working? Give them benefits for not working...What's the best way to stagnate a nation's economy? Increase unemployment.

I'm no rocket-scientist, but it only takes a little calculus to put the two ideas together to notice unemployment benefits keep people from working, which hurts the economy.

I'm sure this wasn't FDR's goal, but I do wonder about the goals of those who insist on perpetuating this failed system.

1996 - Former State Department official Alger Hiss, who fell from grace in a communist spy scandal, died.

GOOD!! He should have been executed in the 1940's-50's - a penalty all traitorous scumbags should receive.

There's no way he should been allowed to lived to see his 92nd birthday.

1999 - The Clinton administration claimed victory in a seven-year struggle to persuade Congress to pay nearly $1 billion in back dues to the United Nations.

Check out Clinton claiming 'victory' for giving away the American taxpayer's hard earned money to the U.N...Makes me sick.

We owe the U.N. nothing!! If anything, continuing to prop up this rogue group does nothing but put the U.S. at risk.