January 23 (A Triple)

1368 - Emperor Hongwu established the Ming Dynasty in China.

This event ended Mongol rule in China, re-establishing Chinese rule by Chinese. It also set China on a path towards what some historians have called "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history."

1556 - The deadliest earthquake on record killed 830,000 in Shensi, China.

830,000 dead in one earthquake!  That is truly awesome - in a horrible way...How horrible?  It is more deaths than the U.S. lost in WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the various Persian Gulf/Wars on Terror combined.

1922 - The first successful test on a human patient with diabetes occurred when insulin was administered to dangerously ill Leonard Thompson.

Thankfully this happened in the 1920’s instead of today, and an unknown amount of human-beings have been able to live normal and decent lives as a result.

If it happened today, the manufacturer would have to jump though hoops to get it to the patients in need:

1. Pass exceedingly difficult FDA requirements. Including the normal process of testing, lobbying and payoffs.

2. Who knows if patients would even be able to get the new drug, because the cost would be astronomical - covering the cost of discovery, production, liability, testing, profit, and the cost to American taxpayers subsidizing it for the rest of the world.

3. A few patients would surely have negative reactions to the medicine, and the legal battles would cause the drug to be pulled from the market, even though its benefits to millions far outweigh the negative affects to a few.

Sadly, this is the reality of new medications in the U.S...Even more sad, it's not much of a stretch to believe there are many life-saving medications currently sitting on shelves waiting for their chance to help people while bureaucrats decide if they can be put on the market and for manufacturers to decide if it is profitable enough to put on the market.

638 - The first day of the Islamic calendar.

Congratulations.

1516 - Ferdinand II of Aragon died and was succeeded as King of Spain by his grandson Charles V.

The Habsburg lines were united (Holy Roman Empire/Austria and Spain/New World), and the rest of Europe let out a collective moan.

It had been over 700-years since one European ruler held such a vast amount of territory (Charlemagne), and the other powers could not allow this...As a result Charles had very few, if any, years of peace during his reign.

1668 - The Triple Alliance was founded:  Britain, the Netherlands and Sweden.

This was a defensive alliance against France, and was absolutely necessary with the 'Sun King' looking outwards towards new lands to dominate.

1793 - The Second Partition of Poland:  Prussia and Russia divided Lithuania and Poland.

I can’t think of any nation as geographically unlucky as Poland, sandwiched between the Russian and German beasts.

1812 - A 7.8 earthquake struck New Madrid, Missouri.

The New Madrid Fault Line is a monster, and the center of the U.S. is captive to it's reawakening...A reawakening which, if history proves correct, will likely make this 7.8 look small.

1948 - The Soviets refused U.N. entry into North Korea to administer elections.

From the very beginning the U.N. was a corrupt ‘Paper Tiger’ with no teeth...This should have been the day the U.S. withdrew from the Circle-Jerk Group.

1989 - The U.S. Supreme Court invalidated a Richmond, Virginia program requiring 30% of the city’s public works funds be set aside for 'minority-owned' construction firms.

What kind of ‘Reverse Racism' plan was this? I don’t know for certain, but I’d be willing to bet 30% of the city’s construction firms aren't owned by minorities, yet they thought they should get 30% of the contracts?

I’d also be willing to bet this had more to do with lining the pockets of a few minority owned companies (fraud), than to being a civil rights program.

1991 - Iraqi forces in Kuwait deliberately created a huge oil spill in the Persian Gulf.

This was a small act compared to what they later did, but Liberals would still prefer Saddam over President Bush...Even the EnviroNuts who 'supposedly' care about such things as oil spills.

2002 - John Walker Lindh, a U.S.-born Taliban fighter, was returned to the United States to face criminal charges that he conspired to kill fellow Americans.

What kind of message is sent that this POS wasn’t executed as a traitor?

2002 - The U.N. sent famine relief to Zimbabwe.

I’m sure ‘The Beast’ (President Mugabe) made sure all of this 'relief' went to the starving Zimbabwean people...Sure.

June 27

1709 - The Battle of Poltava:  The Great Northern War - Russia v. Sweden.

Modern people have little understanding of how weak Russia was prior to Peter the Great...Nor how powerful Sweden was during this same time.

Russia was a land of semi-barbarians, who were much closer to their Asian neighbors than the Euros...Sweden was one of the great European powers of the age, just behind France, Britain and the Habsburgs.

Poltava didn't end the Great Northern War, but it was the beginning of the end for the Swedes...It was also the beginning of greatness for the Russians - who were lucky to have a genius at the helm in Peter the Great; even if he was brutal.

1776 - Thomas Hickey, one of George Washington's guards, was convicted of plotting to deliver George Washington to the British, becoming the first person to be executed by the U.S. Army:  American Revolutionary War.

I’m sure Hickey thought himself an honorable Brit, but thankfully he didn’t succeed...Obviously, the Brits knew the value of the 'Irreplaceable Man.'

1844 - Mormon leader Joseph Smith, and his brother Hyrum, were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.

This act convinced the Mormons they needed to find a ‘land of their own’...Soon after, they elected another strong leader (Brigham Young), who set them out to find their ‘Zion.’

1929 - German President von Hindenburg refused to pay Germany's war debt for World War I.

The French should have let this go, instead they created the perfect conditions for a strongman to arise in Germany...That strongman - Hitler - took control four years later and was soon knocking on France’s door for a little payback.

1950 - President Truman ordered the U.S. Navy and Air Force into the Korean conflict following a call from the United Nations Security Council for member nations to help South Korea repel an invasion from the North.

With this order, Truman committed to involvement in the Korean War, which was the right thing to do for America and the world...Unfortunately, he wasn’t as wise in his handling of the war.

Truman should have treated this as a war, the natural outgrowth of WWII (the Cold War), and destroyed the North Koreans, Chinese and any other third party who chose to enter the fray. Fighting a 'holding war' or a 'police action' was tragic, and a trap we should never have fallen into.

Sadly, we repeated this act of stupidity in Vietnam. And are doing so again at this very time in Afghanistan and 'SyRaq.'

1986 - The World Court ruled the U.S. broke international law by aiding Nicaraguan rebels.

Screw 'The Hague,' and all its Leftist, America haters...If the world wants the U.S. to be its policeman, it better damn well expect it to also be the judge and jury.

2000 - President Robert Mugabe's ruling party was assured a majority in Zimbabwe's new parliament despite historic gains by the opposition.

Congratulations to the people of Zimbabwe! Nothing could be finer for them than another period of rule by 'The Beast'...Not that there was any chance in Hell he was going to relinquish power if he lost the election.

May 30

1814 – The Treaty of Paris (one of many) was signed, ending the war between France and the United Kingdom, Russia, Austria, Sweden and Prussia. It also enforced the abdication of Napoleon I.

This treaty ended the French Revolution and returned the French borders to their 1792 extent.

That said, even though many consider the end of the Revolution to be when Napoleon was crowned Emperor, the reality is Napoleon was a product of the Revolution and his reign should be considered part of it.

Unfortunately, the treaty may have ended the French Revolution, but it didn't end the Napoleonic Wars, because the Euro's didn't have the emperor executed, and another Peace of Paris was required in 1815 after they finally defeated Napoleon at Waterloo...Incredibly, they didn't execute him there either.

1431 - Joan of Arc was burned at the stake by Bishop of Beauvais Pierre Cauchon, after being convicted of high treason against God by an ecclesiastical court.

Nice of the French to hand her over to the English after she saved their ass...The French king was afraid of her 'power,' and figured it'd be easier to do away with Joan.

Oddly enough, this war was one of the few they won against the English/Brits in the next 500+ years...Could it be they've been cursed for betraying 'The Maid?'

1539 - Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto landed on the coast of Florida.

From this discovery came the Spanish claim to North America, which they believed the Treaty of Tordesilla guaranteed them, anyway...Unfortunately for Spain, the Brits, French, and later United States, had no use for Papal or Spanish declarations.

1868 - The first 'Decoration Day' (Memorial Day) observance occurred in Columbus, MS.

A well deserved day, and one we should all take time to embrace...Freedom isn't free!!! It never has been, and never will be.

1913 - The First Balkan War ended with the Treaty of London.

Much of Southeastern Europe won its freedom from the Turks in this war, which presented a challenge to the ever-weakening Austro-Hungarian Empire.

As such, the result of the Balkan War was to create increased tension between the Empire and Russia - semi-protector of the newly independent nations...Which played a huge role in the beginning of WWI a year later.

1922 - The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., was dedicated by Chief Justice William Howard Taft.

This is an incredibly powerful monument, with the great man seated and flanked by the inscriptions of the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address...Above Lincoln's head is the dedication:

IN THIS TEMPLE
AS IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE
FOR WHOM HE SAVED THE UNION
THE MEMORY OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
IS ENSHRINED FOREVER.

1943 - American forces secured the Aleutian island of Attu, Alaska from the Japanese:  WWII.

I'm amazed many Americans don't know the Japanese had a foothold on part of North America during WWII.

Japan held the Aleutians for a very short time, but proved they could get a landing force to the continent, and had they not been discovered could have wreaked havoc with chemical and biological weapons from this range...And they were very close to having such weapons.

1958 - Unidentified soldiers killed in World War II and the Korean conflict were buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

I highly recommend you go to Arlington and take some time to walk its grounds...Beware of the largeness of the grounds, however, because the maps don't do justice to the enormity of it.

And make sure you take the walk to the Iwo Jima Memorial, as well.

1994 - The U.N. Security Council warned North Korea to stop refueling a nuclear reactor and allow U.N. monitors to perform full inspections.

WOW!!! I bet the North Koreans almost pee'd themselves when the Circle Jerk Group made this declaration.

As we know, there are no monitors in North Korea, Bill Clinton gave them the 'nuclear farm' in exchange for peace (ha ha), and the Kims are constantly waiving the middle finger and their new toys at the world.

Obviously, the U.N. warning meant nothing to North Korea...And why should they worry? The U.N. is a paper tiger and the U.S. is terrified of China next door.

1997 - Child molester Jesse K. Timmendequas was convicted in Trenton, New Jersey, of raping and strangling a seven year old neighbor, Megan Kanka, whose 1994 murder inspired 'Megan's Law,' requiring communities to be notified when sex offenders move in. Timmendequas was later sentenced to death.

Megan's Law is a fantastic tool, but a much better method of protecting the public would be to execute all sex offenders.

1. They'd be dead (duh!).

2. This would put fear in the mind of those who might otherwise become predators...And yes, I do believe they can control themselves.

Anyone who argues they can't control themselves, must agree option '1' is the best way, because if they can't be controlled they should be terminated. Unless those who argue against execution don't mind setting these 'uncontrollable freaks' loose on the public, that is.

3. They'd be dead (DUH!!!).