A Brief History On March 27, 1998, the FDA approved Viagra, a medication to treat erectile dysfunction. Along with a host of possible negative side effects, Viagra is now often used recreationally to enhance sexual performance by men and women, by athletes who believe the drug enhances athletic performance, and by illegal drug dealers that adulterate other drugs with Viagra. Digging Deeper Endorsement ads by former Senator and Republican Presidential nominee Bob Dole and soccer legend Pele helped launch the product, and today counterfeit Viagra is readily available, although often with dangerous ingredients such as rat poison! Some other controversial…
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A Brief History On March 22, 2024, the Princess of Wales, Catherine Middleton Windsor, the wife of the future King of the UK, William, Prince of Wales, announced that she is being treated for an unspecified cancer discovered during her recent abdominal surgery. Digging Deeper Princess Kate, as she is usually known as, is a beautiful and popular addition to the Royal Family and has borne Prince William a pair of sons and a daughter. The future Queen of the UK, Kate has campaigned for mental health awareness and has earned the respect of her country and the world. We…
A Brief History On March 25, 1996, the European Union banned the import of beef and beef byproducts from Britain due to an outbreak of Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as “Mad Cow Disease.” Digging Deeper Incurable and always fatal, Mad Cow Disease in humans is called Variant Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, caused by a “misfolded” protein called a prion that attacks the brain. Most victims die in 13 months after suffering psychiatric and psychomotor problems and pain. Incubation of the disease may take 20 years or more! Another horrible brain rotting disease is caused by Brain Eating Amoebas, which infects people…
A Brief History On March 22, 1995, Russian cosmonaut Valeri Polyakov made it back to Earth after spending a record 437 days and 18 hours in space. A physician, Polyakov had previously spent 241 days in space on another space flight in 1988. Digging Deeper These two space flights were the only ones Polyakov made in his career. After medical and psychological tests, Polyakov was found to have undergone mood swings, but otherwise remained healthy after his experiences. He lived to the age of 80, dying in 2022. The current record for total time spent in space by anyone is…
A Brief History On March 20, 2023, whether we celebrated it or not, the Vernal Equinox marked the end of Winter and the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. Of course, in the Southern Hemisphere on that day was the passing of Summer into Autumn, making it the Autumnal Equinox for those folks down under. Digging Deeper So, what exactly is the Vernal Equinox? It is the astronomical event when, at 5.24 pm EDT, the Sun is shining directly down on the Equator. When the Sun shines directly on the Equator again, September 22, 2024, it will be the…
