Author: Dr. Zar

A Brief History On October 3, 2012, a National Geographic explorer announced the discovery of a new species of dinosaur, one with vampire-like fangs! Digging Deeper For this entry, we hearken back to prehistory. In fact, waaaay back to some 200 to 190 million years ago during the early Jurassic Epoch.  During this time period a creature now known as Pegomastax (“strong jaw”) africanus lived with a parrot-like head and an enlarged canine-esque tooth on its lower jaw.  Although believed to be a plant-eater, it may have used its intimidating looking fangs for self-defense. Paleontologists first collected the creature’s remains…

A Brief History From October 2, 1919 and for some weeks afterwards, First Lady Edith Wilson (October 15, 1872 — December 28, 1961) unofficially ran the U.S. government following her husband’s (then President Woodrow Wilson’s) life-changing stroke. Digging Deeper In the aftermath of America’s participation in what was then the world’s worst war (World War I) and his diplomatic wrangling at the Paris Peace Conference that followed the war’s conclusion in 1919, a worn-out President Wilson returned to America only to experience a series of medical crises.  First, he endured a bout of influenza early in the year.  Second, on…

A Brief History On October 2, 1187, one of history’s most significant sieges ended: The Siege of Jerusalem in which Saladin captured Jerusalem after 88 years of Crusader rule. Digging Deeper Jerusalem must hold some kind of record for the number of times a city has been besieged or at least sought after by so many different people over such a long expanse of history. Long before the Crusades, the originally Hebrew city had been besieged by Egyptians in 925 B.C., Assyrians in 701 B.C., Babylonians in 597 B.C. and again in 587 B.C., Romans in 63 B.C., Herodians in…

A Brief History On October 1, 331 B.C., one of history’s most significant battles occurred: The Battle of Gaugamela in which Alexander the Great dealt a decisive defeat to the then largest empire the world had ever seen (at 3.08 million square miles the Persian Empire even surpassed the Roman Empire’s 2.51 million square miles!).  Yet, modern representations of this key battle that ended the Persian Empire are not entirely accurate… Digging Deeper Also known as the Battle of Arbella, the Battle of Gaugamela was Alexander the Great’s biggest victory.  It is ranked among The Fifteen Decisive Battles of the…

A Brief History On October 1, 1993, twelve-year old Polly Hannah Klaas (January 3, 1981 – October 1, 1993) was murdered under horrifying circumstances erroneously starting the rumor that Nirvana’s “Polly” was inspired by the event. Digging Deeper Californian Richard Allen Davis ranks among the legion of disgusting individuals who walk among us.  In his youth, he reportedly tortured cats and dogs with gasoline and knives.  From the 1970s through 1990s, his arrest record included everything from burglary to murder.  The most infamous of his crimes occurred on the fateful October in 1993. Davis invaded Klaas’s slumber party where a…