You probably haven’t heard about the Ciurea rail disaster before, not only because it occurred more than 100 years ago (January 13, 1917) but also because of its location and the tight censorship of the Romanian and Russian authorities.
This is the story of the Ciurea rail disaster, which involved a very overloaded troop train that ran out of control, leading to a fire that killed many of its victims, was by far one of the worst, if not the worst, railroad accident ever to occur anywhere in Europe.
The final death toll possibly exceeded 1,000 although wartime secrecy, plus the remoteness of the area in which the accident occurred, meant that no precise figure has yet to be determined.
Author: Scott Slaughter
The Crédit Mobilier Scandal
Financial scandals aren't just a recent thing in Washington, D.C. This book is about the Crédit Mobilier scandal that rocked the Congress and the railroad world in the 1860s and 1870s.
The Crédit Mobilier scandal began from one simple reality in the 1860s: it wasn't the investors who wanted a transcontinental railroad built as much as it was the U.S. government.
Risk is something investors usually want to avoid but because a transcontinental railroad built across the country had never been done before, the project also carried an enormous amount of risk.
Therefore, when Congress chartered the two companies -- the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific -- that would build the transcontinental railroad toward each other, it had to make the deal as attractive as possible.
The result was the creation of the Crédit Mobilier and the resulting stock payoffs, investments and hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to the legislators.
Author: Scott Slaughter
Aviation Articles And Books
Red Battle Flyer
(Der rote Kampfflieger)
The Red Battle Flyer was written by famous German fighter pilot Manfred von Richthofen, who is considered the top scoring ace of World War I, being officially credited with 80 air combat victories. (von Richthofen is better known today as "The Red Baron.")
The Red Battle Flyer details some of Richthofen's experiences during World War I. Because he finished the book in 1917 while World War I was still raging, it was subjected to war-time censorship. Richthofen was killed in action in 1918.
Author: Captain Manfred Freiherr von Richthofen
Foreward/Introduction: Scott Slaughter
The War In The Air
The War in the Air: And Particularly How Mr. Bert Smallways Fared While It Lasted is a military science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells in 1907. (Wells also wrote The War Of The Worlds.) Bert Smallways is the hero and main character.
The War in the Air is (as are many of Wells' books) notable for its prophetic ideas, images, and concepts, including the use of aircraft in warfare, as well as conceptualizing and anticipating events related to World War I.
Author: H. G. Wells
Foreward/Introduction: Scott Slaughter
Military Aviation Glossary
The aviation world is full of acronyms, techie words, jargons and more but perhaps no more so than in the world of military aviation.
This PDF guide will help explain many of these terms, including Bat turn, Go Juice, Golden rivet, Heater, My fun meter is pegged, Punch out, and many more.
Author: Scott Slaughter
US Navy Ships Named Enterprise
For almost 250 years, American sailors and officers have sailed the proverbial Seven Seas during times of both peace and war on ships that proudly carried the name Enterprise.
U.S. Navy Ships Named Enterprise is about these great ships but also includes background information on the ninth ship to be named Enterprise, which will be the USS Enterprise (CVN-80) that is expected to be commissioned in 2025 and will carry the great naval tradition into the 22nd century.
Author: Scott Slaughter
OTHER Articles And Books
Easter Calendar
Why does the date for Easter change every year? This article explains why Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. (Hint: It's Sunday, April 9, in 2023!)
Author: Scott Slaughter
Memorial Day
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to our country. This article talks about its history and why we should remember its significance.
Author: Scott Slaughter
Drink Names You Should Probably Whisper
Have you ever wondered how or why some drinks have such “entertaining” names you almost need to whisper them to the bar staff? This PDF has some of the reasons.
Drink Names You Should Probably Whisper includes recipes for Bald Pussy, Bend Over Shirley, Screaming Orgasm, and at least 18 more recipes. Drink Names You Should Probably Whisper also includes the information on how many of these drinks received their rathr interesting names!
Author: Scott Slaughter
Party Like A Pirate
A
lthough you might think pirates plundered ships only for gold, jewels, coins, and similar valuables, another favorite prize was alcohol. Pirates enjoyed their drinking whether they bought their liquor in port, plundered it off another ship or distilled it themselves. They drank while eating, sailing and before, during and after fighting. Liquor became so important for crew morale that it had the ability, whether it was plentiful or depleted, to prevent or cause a mutiny.
Party Like A Pirate includes several drink recipes for the "pirate spirit" in you including Admiralty Cocktail, American Grog, Blackbeard, Glögg, Maiden’s Blush, Man Overboard, Pirate’s Tea, The Pirate’s Kiss, Pissing Parrot and Sex with the Captain 74
I’m not certain that pirates enjoyed all these drinks but it would be fun to pretend to be a pirate so we can enjoy the drinks RESPONSIBLY.