A Brief History By statute enacted on October 31, 1803, President Thomas Jefferson was authorized to take possession of various territories ceded by France to the United States of America in what is known as the Louisiana Purchase.  In the swamps of Louisiana, there roams, in the shallow depths, a modern-day dinosaur: the Louisiana Crocodile. For years, this beast plagued the lands of Louisiana, claiming a few noble Louisianan lives until a group of knights — the Cajuns — became fed up. They called themselves ‘Swamp People’. And with a group of fresh Cajun recruits, the Swamp People armed themselves…

A Brief History On October 28, 1995, the subway system that serves Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, was the scene of a terrible fire that resulted in the deaths of 289 people, making it the worst subway related tragedy in history.  Among the dead were 286 passengers and 3 subway employees, and sadly, 28 of the deceased passengers were children.  Another 270 people were injured, but believe it or not, it could have been worse! Digging Deeper The reason things were not at least marginally worse was the heroism of Chingiz Babayev, an Azerbaijan Army veteran that risked his own…

A Brief History On October 27, 2004, the Boston Red Sox ended a World Series victory drought that went back to 1918, an incredible 86 years between Major League triumphs.  Over those many decades of frustration, rabid Red Sox fans often cited the unfortunate deal that sent Babe Ruth, arguably the greatest baseball player of all time from the Sox to the hated New York Yankees, ushering in a dynasty of Yankee success that has been unparalleled in Major League history. Digging Deeper Babe Ruth, or George Herman Ruth, was a great pitcher for the Red Sox, having won 24…

A Brief History On August 31, 1869, the world’s first recorded road traffic death involving a motor vehicle occurred when Irish scientist Mary Ward fell out of her cousins’ steam car and was run over by it.  Today, motor vehicle accidents are but one way in which automobiles might require repairs.  When it comes to vehicles, repairing them can get expensive. Read here to learn the most expensive car repairs and how much they cost. Digging Deeper Some car repair jobs will cost you next to nothing. For example, if you need to have the windshield wiper blades on your…

A Brief History On October 26, 1977, Ali Maow Maalin, the last natural case of smallpox, developed a rash in Somalia. The World Health Organization and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider this date to be the anniversary of the eradication of smallpox, the most spectacular success of vaccination.  Twenty-three years later, on October 26, 2000, a wave of protests forced Robert Guéï to step down as president after the Ivorian presidential election.  Today, October 26, 2019, Somalia and the Ivory Coast remain two of the many important countries found on the African continent.  The rich history of…