“You can fool some of the people some of the time — and that’s enough to make a decent living.” — W.C. Fields
Human Gullibility — Just Enough to Get By
The Cigarette That Mixed Asbestos With Tobacco for “Health Protection”
There have been some real head-scratching products hoisted upon an unsuspecting public. Many of these have been documented here at Commonplace Fun Facts, such as radioactive toothpaste, the cure-all medicine that caused […]
How a Bad Musical (Plus a Whole Bunch of Really Bad Ideas) Bankrupted the World’s Wealthiest Country
Whenever the elements of government corruption, shady characters, monumental stupidity, mind-numbing monetary mismanagement, and poop all come together, it’s a safe bet that it is a story that will make it into […]
Was the USA Nuclear Launch Code Really ‘00000000’?
In the 1983 movie WarGames, the fictional W.O.P.R. succeeds in hacking NORAD’s launch code, revealed to be “CPE1704TKS.” National security experts at the time reassured the public that the movie was a […]
The Kleptomaniac King Who Walked With Winston’s Watch
Being the king of a nation generally brings enough wealth and power to meet most of a person’s wants and needs. Of course, there is the typical curse of affluence, when the […]
How an Overflowing Toilet Caused a Submarine to Sink
Few things are more distressing than an overflowing toilet. Aside from the utter revulsion at having one’s home invaded by the toilet’s contents and the need to get it cleaned up as […]
Meet the Man Who Sold the Brooklyn Bridge Over 3,000 Times
If a stranger approached you, saying, “Hey, Buddy…. I have a bridge to sell. Are you interested?” Odds are that you would quickly put your hand over your wallet and hurry away. […]
Pigs, Politicians, Elections, and Executions
Author Orson Scott Card summed up the shortsightedness of much of the electorate. He said, “If pigs could vote, the man with the slop bucket would be elected swineherd every time, no […]
Mixing Alcohol, Pilots, and Shotguns… What Could Go Wrong?
Originally posted on Blue Side Up:
Yesterday’s post reminded me that there is no end of stupid. For many reasons. I am one of those who read various NTSB reports: Accident summaries of…
What Could Go Wrong When a Pilot Bets He Can Land While Blindfolded?
There are certain professions where it is acceptable or even commendable for its members to take risks. Rarer are those careers where it is wise to gamble while on the job. When […]
Writers of Law Sentence You to Read Sentences
Lawyers are expected to use long, complicated sentences. Many attorneys pride themselves on their ability to use unnecessarily-complicated words and phrases. Sometimes, however, even those within the profession will cry foul at […]
The Unexplored Capacity for Nonsensical Violence
“The capacity of the human mind for swallowing nonsense and spewing it forth in violent and repressive action has never yet been plumbed.” — Robert A. Heinlein
Doggie Hamlet Brought to You By Your Tax Dollars
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” (“Hamlet”, Act I, Scene 5) When Shakespeare wrote those immortal words, one wonders if even he […]
France Says Sacré Bleu! When it Orders the Wrong Size of Trains
If you accidentally purchase the wrong size of pants, it’s no big deal; as long as you have the receipt, you can exchange them for something that will fit. If only it […]
The Unbelievable Marketing Campaign that Sank a Company
When it comes to brand identification, few companies have been more successful than The Hoover Company and its sales of vacuum cleaners. In the United Kingdom, Hoover so dominated the vacuum cleaner […]
