The patent office has requested a working model of the warp drive someone tried to patent recently. Amazing. Normally they would just grant the mother then wait for the actual inventor to someday get sued by the con artists. I am amazed at how clearly patent law is being abused currently and how obviously it [...]
February 19th: Today in 1674 the Treaty of Westminster is signed ending the third Anglo-Dutch War. The treaty is mostly remembered for formally allowing New Amsterdam to become New York and New Jersey to become British as well.
This is a pretty cool story about finding ancient ruins from space using the changes in ground color caused by certain types of ruined buildings. In this case they are looking for Maya ruins using the color changes in plants caused by the limestone decay in the ruins. Very interesting stuff.
February 18th: Today in 1877 William Bonney (aka Billy the Kid) and another man murdered two prisoners to kick off the New Mexico Lincoln County War. This was between rich cattle ranchers on one side, and rich store owners on the other so naturally most of the people killed were poor cowboys, as that is [...]
February 17th: Today in 1864 the CSS H.L. Hunley became the first submarine to sink a surface ship in action by attacking the USS Housatonic. The Hunley was sunk as well during the attack giving the sub an unenviable record for crew safety having killed 18 or its own crew members during its sailing life. [...]
In today’s Telegraph there is a story of yet another evil younger sibling. I do admit, being an older sibling to being biased, but this sort of story just goes to prove younger siblings are evil.
February 16th: Today in 1959 Fidel Castro takes the oath of office as the Cuban Premier. He has to be the longest standing dictator out there doesn’t he? He is heading for his diamond jubilee as dictator, that is quite an accomplishment in keeping a county under your thumb. Remember the motto from the early [...]
February 15th: Today in 1798 Roger Griswold walked over to Matthew Lyon and started to beat him with his cane. Lyon reached for the fire tongs and the fight was on. Stemming from a series of insults back and forth the incident suprised few but reduced the house to a “an assembly of Gladiators.” according [...]
February 14th: Today in 1929 Al Capone sent ‘Bugs’ Moran a bloody valentine with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre. According to the only one found alive at the scene, Frank Gusenberg, the event was a cosmic accident, he claimed no one had shot him despite the rather clear bullet wounds that led shortly to his [...]
February 13th: Today in 1692 a group of soldiers acting under orders of the King massacred 38 people and left another 40 women and children to die of exposure after burning their homes in the Glen Coe Massacre. The massacre was an attempt to put down a particularly troublesome clan, the MacDonalds. Their crime was [...]