Commonplace Fun Facts

Colorblindness: What It Is, What It Isn’t, and Why Your Charts Are the Problem

Explore colorblindness: what it is, common myths, causes, everyday challenges, and surprising advantages in this humorous, informative guide.

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April 4, 2026April 4, 2026

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Imagine the Long-Distance Charges!

In 1995 a $5,000 Italian casket equipped with call-for-help ability and survival kit went on sale. This casket is equipped with a beeper which will sound an emergency signal in the event of a premature burial. The coffins are also fitted with a two-way microphone/speaker to enable communication between the occupant and someone outside, and…
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General Richard Ewell: The Bird Man of the Confederacy

Learn about Confederate General Richard Ewell and his strange delusion that he was a bird.
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A Handy Last Request

Convicted murderer James W. Rodgers was put in front of a firing squad in Utah in 1960. When asked if he had a last request, he replied, “Bring me a bullet-proof vest.”
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One Sentence: Does That Mean Long or Short?

Dancing Lessons for the Advanced in Age (Czech: Taneční hodiny pro starší a pokročilé) is a 1964 novel by the Czechoslovak writer Bohumil Hrabal. It tells the story of a man who recounts various events from his past, and in particular his love life. The novel consists of one long sentence covering 96 pages. See…
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Long Live the …. Whoops… Too Late

King Louis XIX succeeded to the throne of France upon the abdication of his father, Charles X. Twenty minutes later he abdicated in favor of Henry V.
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Long Live the King!

Sobhuza II, King of Swaziland from December 10, 1899 to August 21, 1982, holds the record for the longest reign of any monarch in history, with 82 years, 254 days on the throne.
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Churchill on Silent Courage

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” — Winston Churchill. Read more great quotations. Read these fun facts about government.
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Government’s Scary Reassurance

“The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.” — Ronald Reagan
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He Won in a Dead Heat

Jockey Frank Hayes won a horse race at Belmont Park in New York in 1923. What is remarkable is that he was dead at the time. He suffered a heart attack mid-race, but his body stayed in the saddle past the finish line.
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No Copyright Claimed to This Word

The word uncopyrightable is the longest English word in normal use that contains no letter more than once. Read more fun facts about the English language. See more ridiculously long words.
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The Top-Selling Book By the Top-Selling Author Of All Time

There are more than 168,000 Bibles either sold or given away per day in the United States according to the Gideons, Wycliffe International and the International Bible Societies. Historically it has been said that the Bible is the most sold book of all time. It is regularly on various best seller lists. The Bible has…
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A Good Location for the Next Yodeling Competition

Hamilton Mausoleum in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland holds the record for the longest echo of any man-made structure in the world. It takes 15 seconds for the sound of a slammed door to dissipate. Read about more world records. Read more fun facts about Scotland.
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Kurt Godel: The Mathematician Who Died From Being a Picky Eater

The Austrian/American logician and mathematician Kurt Gödel died on January 14, 1978, from being a picky eater.
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Going Out With a Granted Wish

The American revolutionary James Otis Jr. hoped his death would come by a bolt of lightning and often told his friends and relatives about it. His sister reported him telling her, “My dear sister, I hope, when God Almighty in His righteous providence shall take me out of time into eternity that it will be…
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Any In-Flight Movies Available?

The shortest scheduled flight in the world is from Westray to Papa Westray in the Orkney Islands of Scotland. The distance is one and one-half miles, and the flight lasts 74 seconds. Read more fun facts about aviation. Read more fun facts about Scotland.
Read more: Any In-Flight Movies Available?