When you hear about a product being recalled by the manufacturer, it typically is a device with a defective part, a toy that is a choking hazard, or food that has become […]
The Cookbook That Was Recalled Because of an Explosive Recipe
Abraham Lincoln: Mystery Writer
Abraham Lincoln attempted many things in his life. He was a railsplitter, boatman, store clerk, soldier, surveyor, postmaster, lawyer, legislator, and President. Along the way, he tried his hand as an inventor, […]
When Brains Count For Government
“Here the people rule, and their will is the supreme law. It is sometimes sneeringly said by those who do not like free government, that here we count heads. True, heads are […]
Why Does the U.S. Have a Secret Strategic Chicken Stockpile?
Hey, you. Yeah… We’re talking to you. Come here for a minute. Lean in. Listen carefully. Can you keep a secret? So can we. That’s why we have never disclosed any information […]
How the Baby Ruth Candy Bar Influenced the Bombing of Hiroshima
This morning’s headlines are filled with reports of war, pandemic, political turmoil, and — perhaps most distressingly — further chronicles in the lives of a couple of people named Harry and Meghan. […]
When Mark Twain Needed the First Lady to Reassure His Wife
Mark Twain has a well-deserved reputation for not being intimidated by those in high authority. His self-assurance and disregard for the opinion of others allowed him to rub elbows with the most […]
How Mark Twain Lobbied a Little Girl on Behalf of an Ambassador
Mark Twain proclaimed himself to be politically neutral. Using the terminology of the day, he was a “Mugwump.” This allowed him a convenient excuse when people asked him to use his celebrity […]
Interesting, Curious, and Freaky Facts about the Mighty Hoover Dam
When it comes to dams, there are plenty to consider. There is China’s Three Gorges Dam that is so big that it slows the earth’s rotation. There is another Chinese dam whose […]
FDR’s Fishing Trip and Near Exposure of His Bare Buns
Franklin D. Roosevelt went to great lengths to hide the fact that he had been paralyzed by polio. Disguising his disability became even more complicated after his election to the presidency. Everywhere […]
The Hymn Writer and the President
Frances and Stephen were unlikely friends. For one thing, she was seventeen years his senior. Beyond the obvious difference in their ages, the two could not have been more different.
The White House Crisis that Left the President and First Lady Black and Blue
“Come up here right away!” The White House staff is accustomed to responding immediately to any request from the First Lady. This command caused more than the usual flurry of activity, however. […]
Lincoln: Decide to Be Happy
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
How a 20th-Century Doctor Treated Patients By Sticking an Ice Pick Into Their Brains Through Their Eyes
“It isn’t brain surgery.” We use the phrase to describe simple tasks that anyone should be able to do. The unstated assumption behind this is that brain surgery is far from simple […]
What Could Go Wrong With Putting Wings on a Ford Pinto?
As much as we enjoy the comforts provided by the 21st century, our biggest disappointment is the lack of flying cars. Every traffic jam brings daydreams of being able to push the […]
An Argument Over an Unpaid Wig Triggered the American Revolution
The greatest historical events can be triggered by the smallest of incidents. This is especially true of warfare. There is the bloody war that was fought over a bucket. Another war was […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 