In her book Little Town on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls Wilder records her mother giving some words of advice: “If Wisdom’s ways you wisely seek, five things observe with care. To whom […]
If Wisdom’s Ways You Wisely Seek…
January 13 is International Skeptics Day — Yeah, We Weren’t Convinced, Either
Are you one of those people who have to be convinced to believe? Do you take everything with a grain of salt? Do you scoff at anything that is repeated simply because […]
Elvis, Marx, and Others Direct Traffic in Germany
Traffic lights are one of the last places you would expect to find artistic expression. The stick figure of a walking man and an upheld hand tell pedestrians all they need to […]
Did an Indian King Use Rolls Royces to Collect Garbage?
Have you heard about the fabulously wealthy Indian ruler who was snubbed at a Rolls Royce showroom? When the salesman did not recognize the distinguished visitor and dismissed him as someone who […]
The Hopeless Tale of Lazy and Unruly Students
Harry and Francis were not cut out to be scholars. It’s not that they were stupid — far from it. They simply were not the type of students who fit within the […]
The First Email Was a Typo and Took an Hour to Send
Have you ever waited impatiently for an important email, wishing your internet connection wasn’t so slow? When that email arrived, did it generate more questions than answers? If that has been your […]
Does the Way Music is Tuned Explain Why the World is a Mess?
Welcome, Dear Reader. How are you doing? Are you having a good day? Did you have a nice time during the holidays? Gee, that’s wonderful. You obviously did not spend those hours […]
Writing By the Seat of Your Pants
“The art of writing is the art of applying the seat of the pants to the seat of the chair.” — Mary Heaton Vorse
Is There a Plan for Alien Encounters?
As readers of Commonplace Fun Facts know, the U.S. military has drawn up plans for war with the United Kingdom, invading Canada, and surviving the Zombie Apocalypse. There are even plans for […]
How Arthur’s Secret Obsession Changed the World
If it was little known and uncommon, there was a good chance that Arthur would be drawn to it. His curious mind naturally gravitated toward things that polite society shunned. It was […]
Why Do Movies Insist that Similarities to Real People Are Purely Coincidental?
Guardians of the Galaxy is a 2014 movie by Marvel Studios. It features some entertaining-but-implausible characters. An anthropomorphic raccoon, sentient tree-like creature, and green-skinned alien woman travel throughout the galaxy, alternately fleeing […]
Some of the Best Things that Didn’t Get Said
One of the most effective ways to illustrate a point is to use a profound quote from a great historical figure. While there is no shortage of such gems, there are a […]
France’s Brief Experiment With Decimal Time
Much to our dismay, we came across the information for this article a few days too late to wish you a Happy Manure Day. Not to despair — December 28 will roll […]
Scottish New Year Puts First Foot Forward with Quaaltagh
“Quaaltagh” sounds like a word from the Klingon language. It’s origin is much closer to home, however.
It is Never a Happy New Year for Danish Dishes
Happy New Year! This is a day filled with optimism and expectation about the future. Unless you are in Denmark and happen to be a plate. If that is the case, this […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 