A Brief History On October 10, 1967, the Outer Space Treaty, formally known as the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Use of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies (we will stick to the short version!) went into effect. Digging Deeper The treaty had been signed on January 27, 1967,  by the United States, the Soviet Union, and the United Kingdom, while in the years since over 100 other countries have subsequently signed. The basic idea of the treaty is to declare outer space, the Moon and other celestial bodies (planets,…

A Brief History On March 5, 1953, Joseph Stalin, one of modern history’s most evil world leaders, died.  His relationships with his children were downright disturbing at times.  Indeed, this family is proof that certain people should not reproduce for the safety and betterment of mankind.   At least we can be glad that some of history’s other idiots did not.  Here 10 people who either never reproduced or should not have are listed. (Note: We do not advocate eugenics!) Digging Deeper 10. Joseph Stalin. Stalin, the Soviet dictator who had the longest reign of any Soviet leader,  was a brutal…

A Brief History On October 9, 1966, the war torn nation of South Viet Nam was the scene of not one, but two notable massacres you may never have heard of.  While much scorn has been heaped on alleged massacres and atrocities by Americans, by the forces of South Viet Nam, by the Viet Cong, and by the North Vietnamese Army, these massacres were committed by another entity entirely. Digging Deeper On this fateful day, the Republic of Korea (ROK) forces (aka South Korean) allied with the US and South Viet Nam perpetrated massacres at separate locations, Binh Tai and…

A Brief History “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is a short story of speculative fiction by American author Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859), contained in his collection of essays and short stories entitled The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent (1819-1820).  Although written while Irving was living in Birmingham, England, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is among the earliest examples of American fiction with enduring popularity, especially during the Halloween season.  To that end, the short story is an excellent example of the creation of American culture in the early 19th century! Digging Deeper: “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow”…

A Brief History On October 8, 2013, a 66-year-old Denver, Colorado man and his 35-year-old female partner were accused of felonious child abuse in a sickening case of neglect and mistreatment.  The four boys, ages two to six, were malnourished, did not speak or have any sort of education and were kept in filthy conditions, with cat feces and urine throughout the insect-infested house.  Only able to communicate through grunts to the horrified child authorities, the filthy children could not even describe their mistreatment.  Unfortunately, police have to confront terrible crimes like this on a regular basis, a depressing and…