On May 30, 1878, a startling telegram arrived at Pinkerton’s National Detective Agency. The message began with these words: “The body of … my father, was stolen from his grave at North […]
As we have noted elsewhere, Millard Fillmore has somehow failed to achieve a revered place in history, despite having served as the thirteenth President of the United States. The thing for which […]
When they found Michael Godwin, he was already dead. He was also on the toilet. We mention the location of his demise because it is relevant to this story, not because we […]
The word “draconian” is used to describe laws or methods considered particularly harsh and unforgiving. It is not the way any politician would seek to be described — particularly if seeking the […]
We all know someone who just can’t leave things alone. No matter how little the slight and regardless of how much time has passed, they have an irresistible compulsion to have the […]
Except for the person who has never spoken, everyone will utter his or her last words. Those words may be an expression of surprise, such as Julius Caesar’s famous, “Et tu, Brute?” […]
Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield, Illinois is not your typical graveyard. It receives visitors from all parts of the world who come to pay their respects at the final resting place of […]
The Oxford English Dictionary defines “poison” as “a substance that is capable of causing the illness or death of a living organism when introduced or absorbed.” At first glance, that seems to […]
If you had to list the deadliest military conflicts in human history, which would take the #1 spot? The easy answer is World War II. With some estimates placing the death toll […]
No writer is more celebrated than William Shakespeare. His plays and poems transformed literature, culture, and even the English language itself. Such a man should leave this life by writing his own […]
Although we spend, on average, one-third of our lives sleeping, the scientific study of the activity is relatively new. Officially known as somnology, the study of sleep began in earnest in 1936 […]
Anyone who has ever watched a movie that features a mummy knows that running away from the mummy is what people invariably do. That’s how it is in science fiction, anyway. It […]
An article from The Hob-bee Hive from 2010 lists ten clever uses for Pringles cans. Among the suggestions are using them to store yarn, turning them into coin banks, making them into […]
The young girl’s body was dragged out of the Seine River. Police investigators found no signs of trauma or a struggle. The utter absence of bruises and cuts led them to the […]
Funerals can be awkward events for most people. Those who show up to provide emotional support to the grieving family frequently find themselves at a loss for words. Repeated expressions of, “I’m […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 