Most of us were taught in history class that Commander Robert Peary was the first to reach the North Pole in 1909. But in fact, another American, Dr. Frederick Cook, claimed to have reached the pole an entire year earlier. Ever heard of Cook? Probably not.
Category Archives: Scandals & Revolutions
Crimea in the Crosshairs for Centuries
This is not the first time Crimea has a been in the cross-hairs of conflicts. Why is tiny Crimea yet again a global hotspot? Three words – location, location, location.
6 Theories on the Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allen Poe was the Stephen King of his day. A master poet and author of mystery and the macabre. To this day, his name alone evokes a chill down ones spine.
The Bloody 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan
After over 100 years of British East India Company rule and another 90 years of British imperial rule, India had finally achieved its independence. What should have been a moment of joyful triumph turned into a year of unthinkable bloodshed. Indian freedom from Britain and the Partition took place on August 15, 1947. The partitionContinue reading “The Bloody 1947 Partition of India and Pakistan”
Simon Bolivar, Hero & ‘Libertador’ of South America
Simon Bolivar is the most famous political and military hero in Latin American history. He led revolutions against the Spanish Empire in no less than 6 South American countries. His short life and personal story is without doubt the stuff of legend. Yet today, outside of Latin America, where he’s still revered as El Libertador,Continue reading “Simon Bolivar, Hero & ‘Libertador’ of South America”
Podcast: The Mysterious Madame Blavatsky, Psychic or Charlatan?
Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (or HPB to her followers) was a controversial 19th century medium, psychic, author and co-founder of the Theosophical Society. She claimed to be in contact with the ‘The Masters’, astral beings of great psychic powers who bestowed upon her the ancient secret science of Theosophy. The society grew from a modest start in 1875 to become aContinue reading “Podcast: The Mysterious Madame Blavatsky, Psychic or Charlatan?”
The Stalin Great Purge and the Brutal Gulags
fter the death of Bolshevik leader Vladimir Lenin, the infamous Josef Stalin came to power in the Soviet Union. In the late 1930s, Stalin began a ruthless campaign known as The Great Purge, referred to by Soviets as the Great Terror.
Galileo Faced Science Deniers in the Catholic Church
In 1633, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei was ordered by the Pope in Rome to stand trial before the Italian Inquisition.
The Wounded Knee Massacre ended the US Indian Wars
For decades, the Lakota Sioux watched helplessly as their way of life on the American plains faded away. They’d witnessed a generation of broken treaties by the U.S. government. They’d watched as the white man came come like a flood from the East. First they came after their land, then buffalo, then gold in theContinue reading “The Wounded Knee Massacre ended the US Indian Wars”
A Diver’s Defection, Summer Love and the Montreal Olympics
[Prefer an Audio Podcast? CLICK HERE] In July 1976, at the Montreal Summer Olympics, 17 year old Russian diver Sergei Nemtsanov makes the gut wrenching decision to defect to Canada from Communist Soviet Union. He had won numerous Soviet diving competitions and was brought to Montreal with medal expectations. He finished only 9th in theContinue reading “A Diver’s Defection, Summer Love and the Montreal Olympics”