Browsing: Politics

A Brief History On March 23, 1983, President Ronald Reagan proposed the development and deployment of what he called The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI), which would become known as “Star Wars” and would cost around one trillion dollars!  Unfortunately, the commendable idea of making the US invulnerable to attack by Soviet ballistic missiles had 2 major problems, besides the economy ruining cost.  The first problem was that if it could work, the so called Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) theory that kept either side from nuking the other because such an exchange would result in everybody gets blasted, a no-win scenario…

A Brief History In another article, we featured an interesting fact of Adolf Hitler (Adolf Hitler only became a naturalized German citizen on February 25, 1932.)  Here we list 10 more little-known facts about one of history’s most evil men! Digging Deeper 10. Hitler was a vegetarian and frequently had gas!  Irritable bowel syndrome, syphilis and heart problems may also have ailed him. 9. Hitler had been a corporal during World War I, was decorated for bravery and wounded by poison gas.  (No connection to the above!) 8. Hitler’s father was illegitimate, originally given the last name of Schicklgruber and later changing it to Hitler (or Hiedler,…

A Brief history On January 30, 1661, Oliver Cromwell, former Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, was removed from his grave and “executed” 2 years after his death! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Cromwell the ultimate winner of the English Civil War, having deposed the monarchy and becoming the de facto ruler of Britain. After leading the anti-royalist forces known as the Roundheads against the forces of King Charles I, known as the Cavaliers, Cromwell was among those who decided Charles I should be executed after his defeat. Charles I was executed in 1649. Cromwell was a…

A Brief History On January 25, 1971, Idi Amin, or more formally Idi Amin Dada Oumee,  one of the arguably most bizarre dictators in world history, ousted Milton Obote and seized power in Uganda, starting a reign of terror. Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find the African country of Uganda, a former British colony, and Amin a former soldier in the British Colonial Army. Continuing his military career as a general in the Ugandan Army after Ugandan independence in 1962, Amin first took over as commander of the Army and then as ruler of Uganda in the 1971 coup that…

A Brief History On January 24, 41 A.D., the Roman emperor known as Caligula was assassinated by his own Praetorian Guard! Digging Deeper Digging deeper, we find Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (his actual name) usually referred to as Caligula or “little boot,” a nickname. By any name, Caligula is remembered as perhaps the worst of the worst of the Roman emperors, and his excesses are legendary!  Although some of these excesses are probably exaggerations made by his enemies and detractors, the idea that his most loyal body guards would kill him should serve as a clue!  (Imagine how bad…