The Great Fire of London (1666): Strange Facts Behind the Famous Disaster
The Great Fire of London wasn’t just a disaster—it was full of odd decisions and strange moments. Here are the quirkiest facts from 1666.
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The Wedding Ring That Was Lost — And Found — in Outer Space
Read more: The Wedding Ring That Was Lost — And Found — in Outer SpaceMany human-made objects have been placed in space, including this comprehensive list of items that remain on the moon. None of these items retain quite the drama or personal impact as the wedding ring that was lost — and found — in the vacuum of space.
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The True Story of Chicken-Powered Nuclear Landmines
Read more: The True Story of Chicken-Powered Nuclear LandminesThe Cold War prompted extraordinary technological advancements, including the peculiar chicken-powered nuclear landmine. Designed to deter a Soviet invasion in 1950s Germany, it posed logistical challenges. To maintain warmth, chickens were placed inside the bomb, but their short lifespan and potential fallout led to the project’s abandonment after producing two prototypes in 1958.
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The Geographic Knowledge of Britney Spears
Read more: The Geographic Knowledge of Britney SpearsAn earlier Commonplace post noted that the music of Britney Spears is one of the most effective deterrents to Somali pirates. Lest that be construed as some kind of derogatory judgment on the entertainer, we want to take this opportunity to give her equal time to show that she is more than an entertainer —…
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The Banker’s Warning Against Passing Fads
Read more: The Banker’s Warning Against Passing FadsHorace Rackham needed a loan, but the banker wasn’t convinced. The year was 1903, and even though Rackham was a successful attorney with a keen mind, the bank president wondered what Rackham could possibly be thinking.
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Jefferson’s Purpose of Government
Read more: Jefferson’s Purpose of Government“The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.” — Thomas Jefferson Read more fun facts about Thomas Jefferson. Read more fun facts about government.
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Nutmeg: the Deadly Drug Hidden in Your Spice Cabinet
Read more: Nutmeg: the Deadly Drug Hidden in Your Spice CabinetIt just wouldn’t be Christmas without nutmeg. The tasty spice found in virtually every kitchen adds just the right zing to pumpkin pie, eggnog, mulled cider, wassail, and countless other holiday dishes. Unbeknownst to most, it is also a powerful hallucinogenic drug and powerful toxin.
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Be Sure to Plan for These January “Holidays”
Read more: Be Sure to Plan for These January “Holidays”After the festivities and food of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, all within five weeks, January can be a time of letdown for holiday enthusiasts. For those who think the rest of January is bereft of opportunities to celebrate, consider these holidays which may or may not have made it onto your calendar. Since…
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Tolkien’s Advice on Minding Your Own Business
Read more: Tolkien’s Advice on Minding Your Own Business“Don’t go getting mixed up in the business of your betters, or you’ll land in trouble too big for you.” — J.R.R. Tolkien Read more great quotations. Read more fun facts about authors.
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The First North American Bible Was in a Language No Longer Used
Read more: The First North American Bible Was in a Language No Longer UsedThe Bible has been translated into over 3,000 languages (including Klingon, as is detailed in this post). The first Bible printed in North America was in one of those 3,000 languages — and it is a language that is no longer in use.
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The Most Fraudulent Election in History
Read more: The Most Fraudulent Election in HistoryThe 1927 presidential election in Liberia saw incumbent Charles D.B. King declared the winner with 234,000 votes, despite only 15,000 registered voters. This led to him earning a Guinness World Record for the most fraudulent election. King resigned three years later due to a slavery scandal uncovered by the League of Nations.
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Learn About the Start of the Christmas Card Tradition
Read more: Learn About the Start of the Christmas Card TraditionWhat do you do when you want to send holiday greetings to your friends, but you have too many acquaintances to permit a personal touch? Why not start a holiday tradition, instead? That’s what happened 176 years ago with the creation of the Christmas card.
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What To Do When a Restaurant that is Always Open Closes for Christmas?
Read more: What To Do When a Restaurant that is Always Open Closes for Christmas?The Denny’s restaurant chain is famous for always being open. Established in 1953, the franchise now includes 1,700 locations in 15 countries. Since 1956, the restaurant is known for being open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Few could have imagined the trouble that would cause on a Christmas 32 years later.
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Why ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ Is Dubbed the Worst Christmas Song but Still Earns Millions Each Year
Read more: Why ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ Is Dubbed the Worst Christmas Song but Still Earns Millions Each YearDiscover why Paul McCartney’s ‘Wonderful Christmastime’ is often called the worst Christmas song ever but continues to rake in $400,000 yearly. Learn the surprising facts behind this holiday hit.
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The Prime Minister Who Stayed in Bed Half the Year
Read more: The Prime Minister Who Stayed in Bed Half the YearLord Frederick North (1732-1792) was Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1770 to 1782. He was described as an otherwise unremarkable man whose sole quirk was that he would go to bed on October 9 and not get up again until March 22. As Prime Minister during most of the American Revolution, he conducted all…
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A Buttload is an Actual Unit of MeasurementFebruary 5, 2020
