History

As I explained the other day, a consequence of the dam's destruction might be a nuclear accident. Two posts appeared today, first on Ukrainian Telegram, then on Russian Telegram. The first tells us the explosion likely took the dam to the base. This has implications for the safety of the…

Brilliant Minds, Bizarre Ideas. — There are those whose genius and intellect have changed entire disciplines of study and captivated the world, according to the history of human knowledge. However, a distinctive quality that frequently goes unnoticed exists amid their extraordinary accomplishments and profound insights — their sporadic flirtations with the ludicrous. Reputable people have…

Ötzi, the world’s oldest mummy, is an extraordinary archaeological find that has captivated the imagination of scientists and the public alike. Preserved in the icy embrace of the Ötztal Alps for over 5,300 years, this ancient traveler has become a window into the distant past. Beneath the frozen surface, Ötzi…

The real-life practice that took over 1,000 days to complete — Dressed in ceremonial robes and resting in a meditative pose in the Dainichibou Temple on the foot of Mount Yudono, there is something uncanny about the mummified remains of Shinnyokai-Shonin. Yet Shinnyokai’s remains are not the most remarkable thing about this Buddhist monk who lived over two-hundred years ago. Nor…

A demonstration of the power of words when they are felt as you write them — I’m not generally a consumer of romantic content. My appetite is limited for Nicolas Sparks-Esque, “I want all of you, forever, every day. You and me, every day.” It’s mostly a “me” problem. I grew up in a strict military household, where my relationship with male emotions, expressing them, and…

Paul Erdős’ Study Routine — To talk of Paul Erdős is to tell the tale of an extraordinary mind that roamed free, untethered by conventions. One of the most prolific mathematicians of the 20th century, Erdős lived his life with an unwavering devotion to the pursuit of mathematical truth. …

In 1968, Douglas Engelbart showcased technology and presented a groundbreaking system with the transformative potential to revolutionize our world. — On December 9, 1968, at the Fall Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco, Engelbart showcased the groundbreaking “oN-Line System.” In this 90 min live demonstration he introduced pioneering innovations, such as the introduction of the computer mouse, video conferencing, hypertext and even a collaborative real-time editor.

Stand Your Ground Sounds More Like The "Casual Killing Act" — In 1669, America's first enduring English Colony in America, Virginia, passed the Casual Killing Act meaning that if you happened to kill an enslaved person while correcting them, there would be no penalty. "And if any slave resist his master, or owner, or other person, by his or her order, correcting such slave, and shall happen to be killed in such correction, it shall not be accounted felony; but the master, owner, and every such other person so giving correction, shall be free and acquit of all punishment and accusation for the same, as if such accident had never happened. And also, if any negro, mulatto, or Indian, bond or free, shall at any time, lift his or her hand, in opposition against any Christian, not being negro, mulatto, or Indian, he or she so offending, shall, for every such offence, proved by the oath of the party, receive on his or her bare back, thirty lashes, well laid on; cognizable by a justice of the peace for that county wherein such offence shall be committed." — The Casual Killing Act of 1669

So long as the ‘end’ fits the Kremlin’s narrative, the ‘means’ can always be blamed on someone else — The West’s so-called Russia experts, many recent graduates from Georgetown whose politically-aligned parents got them their positions with the State Department, are scratching each other trying to figure out if Putin would be irrational enough to use nukes in Ukraine. Let me help these kids and the “experts” over at…