Browsing: March 1

A Brief History On March 1, 1961, a new pet project of newly sworn in President John F. Kennedy was created, the Peace Corps, a volunteer organization for the betterment of humankind run by the United States Government, just one of many agencies, departments and programs that would come to existence during this author’s lifetime.  Sure, Franklin Roosevelt invented all sorts of government agencies and programs during the Great Depression, but the Presidents and Congresses that have come since have not exactly been slackers when it comes to expanding our government.  Many of these agencies and programs seem so ingrained…

A Brief History On March 1, 2014, a mass stabbing occurred at Kunming, Yunnan, China in the railway station, a bloody affair that left 35 people dead and another 143 wounded.  The perpetrators were a group of 8 Xinjiang separatists, according to analysis of evidence including an East Turkestan flag found at the scene and Uyghur Muslims were involved. Digging Deeper The group of 6 men and 2 women were linked by the Chinese authorities to the separatist movement of Xinjiang, an autonomous region of China in the far Northwest portion of the country largely peopled by ethnic Turkic people…

A Brief History On March 1, 1790, the first census in the history of the United States was authorized, with some interesting results. Article One of the US Constitution mandates that a census be taken every 10 years, an important task since allocation of representatives to Congress and allocation of funds and other things are based where the population is currently living. The most recent census was compiled in 2010 and presents an interesting comparison to the 1790 results. Digging Deeper The census has taken on a certain amount of resistance from conspiracy theorists, including the move of the Census…

A Brief History On March 1, 1953, Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin suffered an alleged stroke that led to his death on March 5, 1953 at the age of 74.  Although the official reason the brutal dictator died was a common medical malady, high blood pressure leading to a cerebral hemorrhage complicated by a stomach hemorrhage as well, speculation that he may have been murdered persists to this day.  (You may note that there are various spellings of Stalin’s name, the one we have used is the Anglicized version.) Digging Deeper Born Ioseb Jughashvilli in Gori, Georgia of the Russian Empire…

A Brief History Earlier today, you read about “Old Bacon Face” being acquitted.  Well, here are the top 10 famous acquittals! Digging Deeper 10. John Hinckley (1981) The man who attempted an assassination of President Reagan was Obsessed with actress Jodie Foster.  Hinckley tried to kill the president in order to get her attention.  Although found not guilty by reason of insanity, he will probably be in psychiatric custody for life.  This case spurred debate over the insanity defense. 9. Lorena Bobbit (1993) This woman cut her husband’s penis off, and then fled with the severed member, later throwing it…