On February 15, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was in Miami, Florida. Having just won the presidential election three months earlier, he was still 17 days away from being inaugurated as the 32nd […]
How a Wobbly Chair Saved FDR’s Life
The Case That Kept Finding Presidents
Of the thousands of cases appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, only a few are accepted by the Court each year. Of those, most fade into obscurity and are interesting only to […]
Perhaps She Should Consider Taking the Train Next Time
At what point does a person stop being considered lucky and is instead considered bad luck for others? Consider the case of Violet Constance Jessop, whose primary claim to fame was her […]
The Awkward Tale of the Countries with Identical Flags
What can be more awkward than two ladies showing up at a social event, wearing identical outfits? How about two countries showing up for the Olympics, waving identical flags? That’s what happened […]
The Man Who Survived Two Atomic Bombs
Tsutomu Yamaguchi could tell you stories about being in the wrong place at the wrong time. He was working for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and on August 6, 1945 his work took him […]
The 20-Year Flight of the Killer Bullet
EDITOR’S NOTE — January 19, 2021: We knew when we published this piece on January 26, 2016, that the story was so fanciful that its veracity might be dubious. We were, however, […]
How “Herbie Goes Bananas” Led to a Radioactive Disaster
Herbie Goes Bananas, the 1980 film about a Volkswagen Beetle that is seemingly alive, is widely regarded as the worst of the Herbie movies. Some might even call it a disaster. Few […]
Once Is an Accident. Twice is a Coincidence. Three Times is a Habit
Robert Todd Lincoln (1843-1926), the eldest child of President Abraham Lincoln, was a witness to the murders of three presidents.
Titanic Coincidence?
At first glance, Futility by Morgan Robertson seems weak on imagination. Robertson’s novel features a ship, the Titan, described as “the largest craft afloat and the greatest of the works of men.” […]
Creepy Predictions from the Master of Creepiness
Edgar Allan Poe’s only novel, The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket, was published in 1838. He claimed the story to be based on true events. As it turned out, he […]
History Tries to Tip the Scales
Robert Todd Lincoln, son of President Abraham Lincoln, was once saved from possible serious injury or death by Edwin Booth, famous actor, and brother of John Wilkes Booth, the assassin of his […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 