TodayzHistory

 The United States emerged as a superpower as the world wars drew to a close.  On cue, as the universe tried to strike a balance, Russia (then called the USSR or Soviet Union), emerged as our superpower nemesis, the Joker to our Batman.  The histories of both countries are inundated with modest beginnings, great achievements and terrible tragedies, but the history of Russia is much more secretive and eccentric.  Even among the many fantastic stories that strained credibility, the events surrounding Czar Nicholas II and Rasputin stand out.       The origins of the country we know as Russia can be traced back to 862 AD (according to History.com), and the first czar (or tzar, or csar, or tsar) is listed as Ivan IV, or Ivan the Terrible in 1547.  The title of czar, like kaiser, originates from Caesar, and the history of Russia is a long tale of authoritarian rule.  But, it’s also a history of terrible winters, vodka, and secre...

        I’m sure every small town has some claim to fame, especially in the form of graduates who have moved on to greatness.  My hometown of Uxbridge (the Spartans) has its own examples of alumni who have distinguished themselves from the pack, some to incredible levels. Brian Skerry (UHS Class of 1979) is considered by many to be the best underwater photographer in the world and works for National Geographic. Jeannine Oppewall (Whitinsville Christian Class of 1961) has been nominated for four Oscars for best Art Direction/Set Direction for movies like L.A. Confidential.  Tim Fortugno (UHS Class of 1980) pitched in the major leagues for years. Diane Becker (UHS Class of 1987) was nominated for an Emmy this year as a producer of the HBO documentary, Tina .  Greatness usually brings a large amount of attention, but if you were to poll every resident of Uxbridge, I’m not sure how many would be aware of any of these people, never mind all o...

       Technology is the angel and devil sitting on our shoulders 24/7.  It is the driver of amazing change and catastrophic outcomes.  We are both more protected and less protected because of it, and we have yet to figure out how to regulate it.  It also knows no age limits, as I have witnessed babies and senior citizens in use of it.  But, one thing is for certain. The youth of the present are growing up under a technological microscope that anyone over the age of thirty can not relate to.      I literally read George Orwell’s 1984 in 1984 when I was a high school sophomore. I was in a fiction class taught by the late, great Barbara Gordon Wise.  Despite Dr. Wise’s best efforts, I was a barely better-than-average student, and often read for the gist of the story, not the specifics that make the story special. But, I did remember Big Brother, and still think about it to this day. It felt so absurd forty years ago, an...

                                       History has a sense of humor, and often uses irony to show it.  There is probably an endless amount of examples to be fished out of the ocean of human existence, so it would seem odd that we would be surprised when irony occurs in our lives, but some examples stick out more than others, and since the presidency of the United States has been such an important part of American and global history, this is as good a place to start as any.  A failed redcoat who defeats the British and becomes an American demigod, a man of immense reason and rationality leading us through a schizophrenic war, a weak asthmatic who becomes a force of nature, and a man handicapped in his prime leading us through two of the most intense periods of American history.       George Washington was not destined for greatness, but he ...

       The Bill of Rights, a highly necessary addition to the US Constitution, has been a game changer to our society and the world in general.  These ten amendments addressed practically every grievance that former British subjects had with previous monarchies, absolute or limited.  They cover many issues, from free speech to fair trials to states’ rights.   But, they have also helped throw a spotlight on some of the most controversial, divisive issues that humans have ever had to deal with.  This type of transparency is both edifying and horrifying, because you can’t fix what you don’t acknowledge (like the pandemic belly that I have carefully cultivated for the last year).  The Eighth Amendment is one of those spotlights, and that transparency has led to changes in our society, for better or worse.        The Eighth Amendment is the shortest of all the Bill of Rights, and reads “Excessive bail s...

     “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  This famous proverb from the legendary philosopher Lao Tzu has survived and gained strength since the sixth century B.C.  It can be applied to massive undertakings, such as President John F. Kennedy's promise that we would walk on the moon (a promise he would not live to see), or, very literally, to any particular person on earth who decides to get married, have a child, start a new business, or fight an addiction.       What these words of wisdom do not include is a guarantee of reaching that thousand mile destination.  They also neglect to include the days, months, or years of thinking, fearing, and preparing that it takes to get to that single step, knowing the outcome is far from certain.  History does not tend to document and report the failures, unless they are significant.  The bigger the dream, the better chance of catastrophic failure, and ...