In the movie Patton, we see General George S. Patton visiting a battlefield from the Third Punic War. He describes the battle that was fought there 2,000 years earlier and proclaims, “I […]
Peace Treaties More than 2,000 Years in the Making
What Was the Original Purpose of a Strip Search?
In compiling your list of the things you’d like to do over the holidays, it’s highly unlikely participating in a strip search is anywhere close to the top of the list. If […]
Addressing the Ancient Problem of Lawyers Talking Too Long
At the time of this writing, much of the attention of U.S. legal scholars is directed at the televised trial of Kyle Rittenhouse. This article does not address the merits of either […]
How JFK Found Happiness in the Presidency
On October 31, 1963, John F. Kennedy held one of his final press conferences. A reporter reminded him that she had once before asked him toward the beginning of his presidency whether […]
Meet Archytas, the Father of Robotics
Archytas (428 BC–347 BC) was a mathematician and scientist of Ancient Greece. He was a member of the Pythagoreans. (Click here to learn how Pythagoras was killed by his phobia of beans.) […]
The Tragic Tale of Pythagoras and the Deadly Beans
Pythagoras (c. 570 – c. 495 B.C.) is most-commonly remembered for the geometric formula that bears his name. What is less-well remembered about him is the way beans contributed to his untimely […]
Meet Diogenes: the Man Plato Described as “Socrates Gone Mad”
Diogenes (c. 412 BC – 323 BC) was a Greek philosopher and one of the founders of Cynic philosophy. He urged his followers to live as simply as possible. He may also […]
This Word for a Tasty Dish is a Real Mouthful
Aristophanes (427 BC – 386 BC) was groundbreaking with his plays. His skills as a satirist and as a keen observer of everyday life led him to give us one of the […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 