No one would associate General Douglas MacArthur with cowardice. One of the few men to rise to the rank of 5-star general, MacArthur was known for bravery, daring, and determination in the […]
The Adversary Who Made MacArthur Vomit
The White House Speechwriter Who Refused to be Fired
To be fair, Peter had a demanding boss. Few people were harder to please than President Lyndon B. Johnson. The temperamental president was quick to find fault with anyone at any time. […]
The Competitive Brother and the Housemate
Art came from a competitive family. The firstborn of seven brothers, he bore everyone’s expectations to excel in life, but he was going to have to work at it if he was […]
The Supreme Court Justice Who Almost Single-Handedly Decided a Presidential Election
If you want to become President of the United States, you have to campaign for it. You have to be popular. You have to earn votes. Lots of them. Seriously…. You need […]
The Simple Reason LBJ Was Not Well Liked
Few political figures are more divisive than President Lyndon B. Johnson. In the eyes of some, he was a great champion of civil rights, an advocate for the poor, and a liberal […]
The President Who Was Impeached For Talking Too Much
Presidents give speeches. We take that for granted. Suggesting that a President should refrain from public speaking is about as inconceivable as imagining that a President would choose to live in a […]
Was The Location of This School The Most Important Decision of the 20th Century?
The decision before the board of trustees was important, and each of its members knew it. They understood that their vote would affect the future of the institution. Did any of them […]
Why the Only Triple-Landlocked State Has Its Own Navy
If you are the boss, be careful who you leave in charge when you leave town. You might come home to find some big changes have taken place in your absence. That’s […]
The Dangers of Celebrities Ignoring Their Fans
One of the problems with being a celebrity is having to deal with all the people who want to talk to you. Something as ordinary as dining out with a friend becomes […]
Taft’s Advice on How to Write
“Don’t write so that you can be understood, write so that you can’t be misunderstood.” — William Howard Taft
Jefferson’s Views on How Laws Should Be Written
“Laws are made for men of ordinary understanding and should, therefore, be construed by the ordinary rules of common sense. Their meaning is not to be sought for in metaphysical subtleties which […]
From Pop Songs to the White House — Fun With Mathematical Constants
In the world of science and mathematics, there are certain numbers, functions, and equations of such importance that they have earned distinctive titles. “Avagadro’s Number,” “Planck Constant,” “Pi,” and “Faraday Constant” are […]
Lincoln and the Disputed Legal Bill
During his legal career, Abraham Lincoln represented clients from diverse backgrounds. The wealthiest and most powerful of them was unquestionably the Illinois Central Railroad. Lincoln was sent to the White House in […]
The Tree That Almost Caused a Second Korean War
Nations have fought wars over seemingly insignificant objects. There was the bloody war about a bucket, the revolution that began with a dispute about an unpaid wig, and the big kerfuffle over […]
When FDR Couldn’t Make Sense of His Tax Return
If you have ever wanted to pull your hair out in frustration over the complexity of trying to figure out your income taxes, you are not alone.
Commonplace Fun Facts 