John Heidegger rose to fame in Switzerland and later in England as a promoter of masquerade balls. It should be no surprise that Heidegger was drawn to a profession that depended on […]
The Ugliest Man Ever
The Little Man from Nuremberg
Matthew Buchinger (1674-1740) was known as “The Little Man of Nuremberg.” Buchinger was born without hands, legs, or thighs and was less than 29 inches tall.
Even His Grandmother Wanted Him Dead
Roman Emperor Elagabalus (ca 203 – 222; reigned 218-222) became emperor at the age of fourteen. During the four years of his reign, he chalked up quite a list of accomplishments, […]
If The Vows Required Staying Married Until the Cake Was Eaten, It Would Be ‘Til Death Do Us Part
The world’s largest wedding cake ever displayed was baked by Mohegan Sun Hotel and Casino’s chef Lynn Mansel and a team of 57 chefs and “pastry artisans” at a New England showcase […]
Isn’t This How Terminator Started?
On January 25, 1979, Robert Williams became the first person to be killed by a robot. He was struck in the head and killed by the arm of a 1-ton production-line robot […]
Adding New Meaning to “Having the Runs”
In honor of World Toilet Day (November 19, for those of you who havent yet sent out your annual World Toilet Day greeting cards), take note that the world record for running […]
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 […]
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.
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 