Early September 2025 News.

  

There is a long history of ice hockey at the Olympic Games. Ice hockey tournaments have been in the Olympic Games since 1920 being 95 years ago. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games program in 1924, in France. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics. Back then, the Olympic Games were for amateur athletes. This changed after the Eastern Bloc nations including the Soviet Union used full time trained athletes being paid to compete in the Olympics.  In 1986, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted to allow professional athletes to compete in the Olympic Games starting in 1988. The National Hockey League (NHL) was initially reluctant to allow its players to compete because the Olympics are held in the middle of the NHL season, and the league would have to halt play if many of its players participated. Eventually, NHL players were admitted starting in 1998. The league skipped 2018 and 2022 editions but then agreed to return for 2026 and beyond. 

From 1924 to 1988, the tournament started with a round-robin series of games and ended with the medal round. Medals were awarded based on points accumulated during that round. In 1992, the playoffs were introduced for the first time since 1920. In 1998, the format of the tournament was adjusted to accommodate the NHL schedule; a preliminary round was played without NHL players or the top six teams—Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States—followed by a final round which included them. The tournament format was changed again in 2006; every team played five preliminary games with the full use of NHL players. The games of the tournament follow the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which differ slightly from the rules used in the NHL. In the men's tournament, Canada was the most successful team of the first three decades, winning six of seven gold medals from 1920 to 1952. Czechoslovakia, Sweden and the United States were also competitive during this period and won multiple medals. Between 1920 and 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also counted as the Ice Hockey World Championship for that year. The Soviet Union first participated in 1956 and overtook Canada as the dominant international team, winning seven of the nine tournaments in which they participated. The United States won gold medals in 1960 and in 1980, which included their "Miracle on Ice" upset of the Soviet Union. Canada went 50 years without a gold medal, before winning one in 2002, and following it with back-to-back wins in 2010 and 2014. Other nations to win gold include Great Britain in 1936, the Unified Team in 1992, Sweden in 1994 and 2006, the Czech Republic in 1998, Russia (as OAR) in 2018 and Finland in 2022. Other medal-winning nations include Switzerland, Germany and Slovakia. 

In July 1992, the IOC voted to approve women's hockey as an Olympic event; it was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. The Nagano Organizing Committee was hesitant to include the event because of the additional costs of staging the tournament, but an agreement was reached that limited the field to six teams, and ensured that no additional facilities would be built. The Canadian teams have dominated the event. The United States won the first tournament in 1998 and in 2018. Canada has won all of the other tournaments (2002–2014, 2022). The first Olympic ice hockey tournament took place at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. The first Winter Olympic Games were held in Chamonix, France.  

Although NHL players were originally planned to participate in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics, the league and the NHL Players' Association announced on December 21, 2021, that they would be pulling out of the tournament, citing the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Finland won their first ever men's ice hockey gold medal after going undefeated and beating the Russian Olympic Committee in the final. Slovakia claimed their first ever bronze medal after defeating Sweden 4–0. For the first time in history, the Czech Republic did not qualify for the quarter-finals and finished in ninth place, their lowest placement in history.

In 2018, the United States' women's ice hockey team defeated Canada for the gold medal in a shootout, winning 3–2. The Americans' winning the gold medal game marks the first time in 20 years that the United States took home a gold medal in women's hockey. They previously won in 1998 in Nagano, Japan, which was also against Canada. Canada's loss effectively ended their winning streak of four consecutive winter games, having won since 2002. The 2022 edition was played with ten teams for the first time. Canada won their fifth gold medal, defeating the United States in the final 3–2. Finland defeated Switzerland 4–0 for the bronze medal. The final standings were a repeat of the 2021 IIHF Women's World Championship

 

Shaka Zulu was one of the most prominent leaders of African history. He lived from ca. 1787 to September 24, 1828. He was born in Mthonjaneni, KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. The son of the Zulu King Senzangakhona kaJama, he was spurned as an illegitimate son. Shaka spent part of his childhood in his mother's settlements, where he was initiated into an ibutho lempi (fighting unit/regiment), serving as a warrior under Inkosi Dingiswayo. Shaka Zulu helped to improve the military forces of his people. He want alliances with his neighbors counter the Ndwandwe raids from the north. The initial Zulu maneuvers were primarily defensive, as King Shaka preferred to apply pressure diplomatically, with an occasional strategic assassination. His reforms of local society built on existing structures. Although he preferred social and propagandistic political methods, he also engaged in several battles. King Shaka's reign coincided with the start of the Mfecane/Difaqane ("upheaval" or "crushing"), a period of devastating warfare and chaos in southern Africa between 1815 and 1840 that depopulated the region. His role in the Mfecane/Difaqane is controversial. Back then, his brother ruled the Zulu Kindgom. This kingdom relied on  pastoral livestock, sorghum, and milk. When Shaka reached a suitable age, he and his mother were sent to the Mthethwa clan, the most powerful regional tribe. There, he matured, and served as a warrior under Jobe, and then for Dingiswayo, a respected warrior and chief of the clan. When Inkosi Dingiswayo discovered Shaka was royalty, he put him in charge of a regiment, helping to develop Shaka's military tactics and strategy. Shaka Zulu was controversial. He murdered Zwide's mother, Ntombazi,a sangoma, after Zwide murered Diniswayo. I don't agree with killing someone's mother. Shaka Zulu fought hard in battles. Shaka continued his pursuit of Zwide. It was not until around 1825 that the two military leaders met in the vicinity of Pongola, near the present-day border of Mpumalanga, a province of South Africa. Shaka was victorious in battle, although his forces sustained heavy casualties, including his military commander, Mgobhozi Ovela Entabeni.  he moved southwards across the Thukela River, establishing his capital, Bulawayo, in Qwabe territory. He never returned to the traditional Zulu heartland. In Qwabe, Shaka may have intervened in an existing succession dispute to help his own choice, Nqetho, into power. 

Shaka Zulu was famous for his use of the short stabbing spear. Later, there is the Zulu vs. Ndwandwe war. Shaka Zulu taught the Zulus to conquer tribes and controled them. The Zulu Empire grown with Shaka Zulu as its leaders from 1816 to 1828. 

 He supplemented this with a mixture of diplomacy and patronage, incorporating friendly chieftains, including Zihlandlo of the Mkhize, Jobe of the Sithole, and Mathubane of the Thuli. These people were never defeated in battle by the Zulus; they did not have to be. Shaka won them over with subtler tactics, such as patronage and reward. As for the ruling of Qwabe, they began re-inventing their genealogies to give the impression that Qwabe and Zulu were closely related (i.e. as Nguni) in the past. In this way, a greater sense of cohesion was created, though it never became complete, as subsequent civil wars attest.

Shaka granted permission to Europeans to enter Zulu territory on rare occasions. In the mid-1820s, Henry Francis Fynn provided medical treatment to the king after an assassination attempt by a rival tribe member hidden in a crowd. To show his gratitude, Shaka permitted European settlers to enter and operate in the Zulu kingdom. Shaka observed several demonstrations of European technology and knowledge, but he held that the Zulu way was superior to that of the foreigners. 

Dingane and Mhlangana, Shaka's half-brothers, appeared to have made at least two attempts to assassinate Shaka before they succeeded, with support from the Mpondo elements and some disaffected iziYendane people. Shaka had made enough enemies among his own people to hasten his demise. It came relatively quickly after the death of his mother, Nandi, in October 1827 and the devastation caused by Shaka's subsequent erratic behavior. According to Donald Morris, Shaka ordered that no crops should be planted during the following year of mourning, no milk (the basis of the Zulu diet at the time) was to be used, and any woman who became pregnant was to be killed along with her husband. At least 7,000 people who were deemed to be insufficiently grief-stricken were executed, although the killing was not restricted to humans; cows were slaughtered so that their calves would know what losing a mother felt like.

He was assassinated by his half-brothers, King Dingane and Prince Mhlangana and Mbopha kaSithayi. Dingane assumed power and embarked on an extensive purge of pro-Shaka elements and chieftains, over the course of several years, in order to secure his position. The initial problem Dingane faced was maintaining the loyalty of the Zulu fighting regiments. He set up his main residence at Mgungundlovu and established his authority over the Zulu kingdom. Dingane ruled for some twelve years, during which time he fought, disastrously, against the Voortrekkers, and against another half-brother, Mpande, who, with Boer and British support, took over the Zulu leadership in 1840, ruling for some 30 years. Shaka Zulu's remains complex. He helped to unite tribes into making a powerful Zulu nation with the ikwa or short stabbing spear and buffalo horns to create revolutionary warfare tactics in South Africa. Shaka Zulu was a controversial person whose imperfections have no justification, but he remains an important historic figure of African history. Later, there were rival clans battling in South African and the Ango-Zulu war that ended the Zulu Kingdom by the late 1800s. Decades ago, a movie about his life was created, being called Shaka Zulu from 1986. The movie lasted for over 9 hours. It was South African based and was directed by William C. Faure and written by Joshua Sinclair for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), based on his 1985 novel of the same name. Margaret Singana sang the soundtrack of the film.  

 

Country music always had diverse genres and hybrid musical movements. There is alternative country music that deals with Americana, countrypunk, cowpunk, gothic country, and roots rock. One of the most famous country genres is outlaw country. This was created by a few artists back in the 1970s and early 1980s being part of the outlaw movement. This movement wanted creative freedom outside of the Nashville establishment. It spread into being supported by people like Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson, David Allan Coe, Jerry Jeff Walker, and other human beings. he music has its roots in earlier subgenres like Western, honky tonk, rockabilly, and progressive country, and is characterized by a blend of rock and folk rhythms, country instrumentation, and introspective lyrics. We know that Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers merged country music with pop sounds in many of their songs like 9 to 5 and Islands in the Stream. There is the Country rap music that has been popular since the late 1990s. There has been early influences of this style of music from songs like Jimmy Dean's Big Bad John in 1961 and Uneasy Rider in 1975 by Charlie Daniels. Black artists' works that may have been influential in the genre's development include Jamaican ska artist Prince Buster's "Texas Hold-Up" (1964), "Lil Ole Country Boy" (1970) by Parliament, and "Black Grass" (1972) by Bad Bascomb. Music journalist Chuck Eddy traces the genre's roots back to Woody Guthrie. Other early examples of country rap are Sir Mix-a-Lot's "Square Dance Rap" (1985). Kid Rock, Bubba, and other people used country and rap styles. The trend continued in 2005 when country music stars Big and Rich introduced Cowboy Troy and his album Loco Motive. Troy has said he uses "country instrumentation" that includes a banjo, fiddle, and acoustic guitar blended with "shredding rock guitar riffs and a rap delivery." The Mo Thugs Family single "Ghetto Cowboy" (1998) is noted for featuring a harmonica. Rolling Stone said of "Cruise (Remix)" (2012) by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly. 

 

Icons will always be remembered eternally. Wilma Rudolph was an icon of not only track and field. She was an icon of civil rights and human rights in general. She overcame a strong illness to be one of the greatest athletes of all time. When we think about the 20th century, there was much bad events from wars to genocide. Yet, it is important recognize the positive news of the 20th century too. WIlma Rudolph lived in the 20th century from the early parts of it to the end of the century filled with light and an inspiration to educate people on the truth. When she was on the track and field locations, she wanted to win. At a young age, she won mnay gold medals and was blessed to compete in two Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia in 1956 and in Rome, Italy in 1960. She was steadfast to witness freedom, and she helped to inspire her community in Tennessee to end Jim Crow apartheid. Jim Crow apartheid is evil, because it restricts human rights, it causes disaprities based upon color, and it is against the Golden Rule to treat your neighbor as you would like to be treated among other reasons. United States Postal stamps, documentaries, films, books, magazines, and other items celebrate her achievements. Having great achievements is excellent. Also, one lesson in life is to do good in an unsung fashion (not because you have to do it, but you do it because it's the right thing to do without seeking fame or fanfare). That is why the story of Sister Wilma Rudolph is important to see the best in ourselves, so we can be inspired to bless others. 

By the 1960s, Texas changed. The Civil Rights Movement has grown in society. On Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, at 12:30 pm Central Standard Time (18:30 UTC), President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The Texas Governor, John B. Connally, was also shot but survived. The episode caused a national outrage focused on right wing elements in Dallas that had long been hostile to Kennedy. However, Oswald was a pro Castro Marxist revolutionary and had no discernable connection to any right-wing organizations. In fact, no organizations related to low level groups were implicated in the assassination. Many people believe that Oswald acted alone, and others believe that President John F. Kennedy was killed by a conspiracy. This debate continues to this day. In the aftermath, many in media and on the political left attempted to call the city and its citizens with accusations that "Dallas is a deceased city" or "Dallas is a city of hate " Nevertheless, for a half-century and more the people of Dallas still struggle with being branded as having some responsibility. The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, located where the assassin is believed to have fired the shots, has become a historic tourist site. During World War II the main universities like University of Texas and Texas A&M University gained a new national role. The wartime financing of university research, curricular change, campus trainee programs, and postwar veteran enrollments changed the tenor and allowed Texas schools to gain national stature.

From 1950 through the 1960s, Texas modernized and dramatically expanded its system of higher education. Under the leadership of Governor Connally, the state produced a long-range plan for higher education, a more rational distribution of resources, and a central state apparatus that managed state institutions with greater efficiency. Because of these changes, Texas universities received federal funds for research and development during the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson administrations. 

 

The 2025 New York City Mayoral election is one of the most important elections in the history of New York City. This race is complex and represents what the future holds for politics in general for many reasons. One reason is that this election is existing during the time of the most extreme administration in decades which is the Trump administration's 2nd term. We have the paradox of crime decreasing and economic uncertainly because of an increase of inflation and the price of goods and services being a reality in part by Trump supporting excessive tariffs (which is basically a regressive tax on American citizens). This election is about who is the best candidate to maintain and strengthen our democracy in the midst of the President's attacks on democracy. The four mayor New York City mayoral candidates are Zohran Mandani of the Democratic Party (who is a democratic socialist), Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Silwa (who I heard of years ago from the Geraldo talk show), and the current Mayor Eric Adams (who has been compromised on many issues). Some of the most important issues in New York City deals with the housing crisis, education, democracy, health care, immigration, civil rights, other economic issues, and other political issues. It has been a race where Mamdani defeated Cuomo in the Democratic primary, and Mamdani maintains a lead for the general election time period. Many New Yorkers are struggling to pay for housing and rent, and New York City has the highest level of homelessness since the Great Depression. The problem is that members of both Republicans and Democrats in New York City have been bipartisan in cutting funding for housing and other social programs that grows economic inequality. Much of the establishment has preferred Andrew Cuomo, and Mamdani is supported by many people like Bernie Sanders. Both Mamdani and Cuomo are right on many issues, but each of them have controversies in completely different ways. Cuomo has the sexual harassment scandal (and Andrew Cuomo is wrong to joining a legal team to defend the evil far right Netanyahu against the ICC accusing Netanyahu of war crimes against Gaza), and Mamdani has the globalize the intifada scandal, the census scandal, etc. Another problem is that the Trump administration wants to cut federal funding for housing via cutting Section 8 vouchers by 50 percent and creating draconian time limits on recipients. This is cruelty. Immigrants are being false blamed for the housing crisis, and homeless people are being swept by masked federal agents. The NYCHA or New York Housing Authority is struggling aid families who need assistance via underfunding and decaying infrastructure. Mayor Adams has seen an increase of rent in the past few years. There are thousands of empty apartments. The super rich want the status quo, and $3,000 a month in NYC for a 2-bedroom apartment is unsustainable and unfair. Regardless of who wins the NYC mayoral election, that person is obligated to enact solutions to help the people of New York City. 

By Timothy