The Day a Cheese Cannonball Was Fired in War (Yes, Really)
Yes, a cheese cannonball was really fired in war. Discover this bizarre moment and other strange facts from the devastating Paraguayan War.
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The Simple Reason LBJ Was Not Well Liked
Read more: The Simple Reason LBJ Was Not Well LikedFew 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 icon. To others, he was the embodiment of big government, political excess, and utterly coarse manners.
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Andrew Johnson: The President Who Was Impeached For Talking Too Much
Read more: Andrew Johnson: The President Who Was Impeached For Talking Too MuchYou probably know Andrew Johnson was the first president to be impeached, but did you know that one of the reasons was that he talked too much?
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When Yes or No Aren’t Enough
Read more: When Yes or No Aren’t EnoughThe legendary showman Florenz Ziegfeld was well known for his constant and frantic use of the telephone and telegram. He would often send his performers telegrams after watching their work from the back of the theater, offering criticisms or suggestions.
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Groucho Marx and the Cover of Time
Read more: Groucho Marx and the Cover of TimeWhen Groucho Marx’s face appeared on the front cover of the December 31, 1951, issue of Time magazine, he sat down and composed the following letter to the magazine’s publisher.
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The Princeton Decision That Sent Woodrow Wilson Into Politics—and Possibly Changed the 20th Century
Read more: The Princeton Decision That Sent Woodrow Wilson Into Politics—and Possibly Changed the 20th CenturyMost of the time, decisions made by university trustees do not change world history. They determine where to put a building, what to name a lecture hall, or whether the cafeteria should experiment with something ambitious like edible food. But in 1910, the trustees of Princeton University made a decision about where to build a…
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A Flea and a Fly In a Flue
Read more: A Flea and a Fly In a FlueIt’s a beautiful day, and the Commonplace Fun Facts writing staff has been promised a brief furlough from the dungeon once today’s article is complete. With that motivation, we present a limerick that has no special significance, other than the fact that we like it.
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The Great Navy of Nebraska: Why The Only Triple-Landlocked State Has a Navy
Read more: The Great Navy of Nebraska: Why The Only Triple-Landlocked State Has a NavyNebraska is the only triple-landlocked state in America—so why does it have a navy? Discover the quirky story of the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska and its surprising admirals.
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The Dangers of Celebrities Ignoring Their Fans
Read more: The Dangers of Celebrities Ignoring Their FansOne 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 a challenge when adoring fans keep interrupting the meal for a chance to speak to a famous person.
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Taft’s Advice on How to Write
Read more: 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
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Jefferson’s Views on How Laws Should Be Written
Read more: 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 may make anything mean everything or nothing at pleasure.” — Thomas Jefferson
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The Draconian Lawgiver Who Was Killed By His Popularity
Read more: The Draconian Lawgiver Who Was Killed By His PopularityDraco, a 7th-century BC Athenian legislator, is known for establishing written laws that improved legal clarity despite their harshness, leading to the term “draconian.” Ironically popular, he was suffocated by gifts from admirers, demonstrating the paradox of his legacy as both a feared lawmaker and a beloved figure in Athenian society.
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This School’s Most Famous Student Never Existed
Read more: This School’s Most Famous Student Never ExistedGeorgia Institute of Technology is a research university based in Atlanta, Georgia. Since its establishment in 1885, Georgia Tech has awarded degrees to tens of thousands of students. None of them have come close to surpassing the fame and accomplishments of 1930 graduate George P. Burdell. Although nearly a century has passed since Burdell’s enrollment,…
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The Failed Soviet Plan to Build a Flying Tank
Read more: The Failed Soviet Plan to Build a Flying TankImagine that you are a soldier in World War II. In the heat of battle, your attention is focused on the advancing enemy. With no sounds to suggest any hostile aircraft are in the vicinity, you have no reason to glance upward. Then, to your utter astonishment, the impossible takes place before your eyes. A…
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From Pop Songs to the White House — Fun With Mathematical Constants
Read more: From Pop Songs to the White House — Fun With Mathematical ConstantsIn 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 just a few examples. Then we have some that are not as widely known, but they are just plain fun.
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Overheard at the Convention of Cool-Talking Chemists
Read more: Overheard at the Convention of Cool-Talking ChemistsWhat can we say? Even cool-talking chemists learn to just say no to any offer of sodium hypobromite.
