Suppose fortune fails to smile upon you. Despite your best efforts at gaining wealth, you are bankrupt and have no professional skills to speak of. You could give up and embrace a […]
That Time the United States Had an Emperor
The Russian Beard Preservation Law, Otherwise Known as the Russkaya Pravda
Facial hair used to be important in Russia. No, you don’t understand. It was REALLY important! We know this because of the Russkaya Pravda (Rus’ Justice or Rus’ Truth), one of the […]
Uncovering The Revolutionary Scandal Of George Washington’s Overdue Books
The words “presidential” and “scandal” unfortunately show up together far too often. It has gotten to the point where it is assumed that every presidential administration will have at least one significant […]
Flush Your Finances Away With the Most Expensive Toilet Paper in the World
Among the many distressing aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic was a terrifying few weeks when civilization faced a global toilet paper shortage. Although not the first such scare, it was, for many, […]
Mayor LaGuardia and Justice for a Stolen Loaf of Bread
The bleak, dreary years of the Great Depression brought an energetic, ambitious, and unconventional mayor to the city of New York. Fiorello H. LaGuardia (1882-1947) swept into office, following successive mayors who […]
Did you know that Amazon isn’t as profitable as what you might think?
As the owner of any business knows, if you want to measure the success of a company, it is more important to look at the net profits, rather than focus on the […]
How Did Scotland’s Imperial Plans Destroy Its Independence?
In 1314, King Robert the Bruce led Scotland to a heroic victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn. The unlikely trouncing of one of the world’s mightiest armies boldly proclaimed […]
Famous Quotes That Most People Get Wrong
Whether you are giving a speech, writing a paper, or making a point on social media, it’s always helpful to have a good quote from a reliable source to emphasize your point. […]
How Did Pepsi End Up With the 6th Largest Navy in the World?
In the never-ending battle for market share, Pepsi has consistently taken second place against its rival, Coca-Cola. Fortunately, the rivalry between the companies has been limited to commerce. Had it broken out […]
The World’s Largest Gold Depository Is Under the Streets of Manhattan
When you think of Fort Knox, you can’t help but think about gold. That’s with good reason. The U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky is the primary location of the United […]
Why is Whale Poop So Stinking Valuable?
What is yellowish-gray, comes after a whale, and is worth more than $1,000 per ounce? No, this isn’t the start of a corny joke; it is a legitimate question. The answer is […]
Meet the Chimp Who Made a Monkey Out of Wall Street
A widely-held common belief tells us that only those with special education, training, and expertise are qualified to give investment advice. The world of Wall Street is far too complex for anyone […]
Shoes, Buildings, Sand, and Cheese — the Outlandish Spending Sprees of Imelda Marcos
Imelda Marcos (born 1929) was the First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. She made a name for herself as one of the biggest spendthrifts of all time, taking the […]
That Time a Drunk Trader Played Havoc With the Oil Futures Market
It was 7:45 a.m. on June 30, 2009. Stephen Perkins had a hangover. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep. Actually, he wished desperately that he was sleeping — […]
The World’s Luckiest Man Died, Was Revived, and Won the Lottery — Twice
A story about the world’s luckiest man doesn’t seem like it would start with a fatal heart attack. For Bill Morgan, that’s exactly what started an extraordinary streak of good fortune.
Commonplace Fun Facts 