A Brief History On March 28, 1930, the Turkish cities of Constantinople and Angora changed their names to Istanbul and Ankara. You may remember Constantinople as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (as well as the Latin Empire and Byzantine Empire), but if you are not familiar with Angora/Ankara you are hereby informed that this city is the capital of Turkey. Many cities, countries, and even regions have undergone name changes throughout history for many different reasons. Here are some of the most significant. Digging Deeper 10. Peking to Beijing (1958). The…
Author: Major Dan
Major Dan
Major Daniel Zar is a retired veteran of the United States Marine Corps. He served during the Cold War and has traveled to many countries around the world. Prior to his military service, he graduated from Cleveland State University, having majored in sociology. Following his military service, he worked as a police officer eventually earning the rank of captain prior to his retirement.
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A Brief History On March 28, 1978, the US Supreme Court rendered a decision that many would think defied reason! Digging Deeper An Indiana mom went before a local court to request the judge issue an order that her teenage daughter be sterilized! The mom claimed her daughter was “somewhat retarded” (a description the daughter would later be justified in using about the judge!) and was hanging around with older boys, and the mom was thus in fear that her daughter would get pregnant. Without any representation or advocate for the daughter, without any evidence that the girl was retarded or…
A Brief History On March 27, 1975, work began on the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. More than just an 800 mile 48 inch diameter pipe, the vast system includes 11 pumping stations and hundreds of miles of smaller pipes that feed the big pipe. The US has undertaken many great construction projects, and here we list 10 of them. Digging Deeper 10. Trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Overcoming objections by environmentalists and working in the frozen north presented quite a task. Cracked fact: Native Americans had mined crude oil from peat soaked in oil for hundreds of years on Alaska’s…
A Brief History On March 27, 1915, the woman history has come to know as Typhoid Mary was placed into involuntary quarantine for the rest of her life! It seems long before the “corona virus” pandemic of 2020, humans have been dealing with rampant diseases, plagues, epidemics and pandemics throughout history. One of the most notorious cases concerned a deadly disease, Typhoid Fever, and a woman known as “Typhoid Mary.” Digging Deeper Mary Mallon was born in Ireland and moved to the US at age 15. She moved from job to job, mostly working as a cook and everywhere she…
A Brief History On March 26, 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate awaited transport for their souls to a waiting UFO with $5.75 in each person’s pants pocket to pay for tolls! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Marshall Applewhite and Bonnie Nettles heading up a religious cult founded by Applewhite after a “near death” experience in the 1970’s when he had a heart attack. Claiming to be descended directly from Jesus Christ, Applewhite also claimed that he and his nurse, Bonnie Nettles, were spoken of in the Book of Revelation part of the Bible that mentions “The Two.”…