Happy Independence Day,  Canada! On this date in 1867, Canada gained its independence.  I wish my Canadian friends well and a very happy holiday! For more info: http://www.canadahistory.com/sections/eras/confederation/july1-1867.htm

Today’s feature might help you win a million dollars some day.   On this date in 1921, President Harding appointed former President Taft to the office of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.   He was approved the same day, and became the only person to serve as president and chief justice.   I had no idea this had happened. For more info: […]

It was on this date in 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed and technically brought an end to WWI.   This war began on the same date five years earlier.   Unfortunately,  this treaty did not bring about the true rest it promised.  As history shows, political unrest in Germany following this auspicious document enactment led to the rise of […]

On this date in 1898, after being gone for over three years,  Nova Scotia native Joseph Slocum returned from a solo circumnavigation of the globe.  This was the first time anyone had accomplished such a feat. His return was almost unnoticed due to the Spanish-American War.   When he wrote his book the following year,  people took notice.   In his later […]

I will never forget this story as long as I live,  and if you have ever read it,  you will probably concur.  On this date in 1948, Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery was published in the New Yorker.   Although it is now hailed as one of the most famous short stories in the U. S.   Initially, the reaction to the story […]

It was on this date in 1975, that Mozambique gained its independence from Portugal. It took a war against Portugal for this to happen,  and even after the war,  Mozambique was not truly free.  Democracy was not an option.  A Marxist state was established. For more info : http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mozambican_War_of_Independence#Political_instability_and_ceasefire_.281974.E2.80.9375.29 http://www.war-memorial.net/Mozambique-War-of-Independence-3.155

It was on this date in 2012, that Lonesome George died.   Who was he?   I didn’t know either.   He was supposedly the last of the Pinta giant tortoises,  but they may have found others in recent times.   He had refused to mate in spite of valiant attempts. For more info: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinta_Island_tortoise http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lonesome_George https://m.facebook.com/permalink.php?id=486071030371&story_fbid=197705220356751

I am grateful to feature something nice.  On this date in 1683, William Penn made a great treaty with the Native Americans at Shackamaxon.  On that date, Penn said the folowing: “We meet on the broad pathway of good faith and good-will; no advantage shall be taken on either side, but all shall be openness and love. We are the […]

I have never heard of today’s feature, and it really is quite a tale. On this date in 1783, the poisonous gas cloud from a volcano in Iceland that had erupted earlier in the month (Laki) arrived in  Le Havre, France.  The summer was the hottest on record, and this sulfur dioxide cloud left plenty of suffering and death in […]

My mom remembers this, but I don’t.  On this date in 2009, Greenland made the move to self-rule.  Denmark had been in charge, but this process had begun back in 1979.  While Denmark still has some say and investment in the country, but that will continue to decrease in the future. For more info: http://denmark.usembassy.gov/gl/about.html http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenland http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8111292.stm