One of the favorite sons of the state of Kansas is former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. He is admired for his service to the country and for his brilliant sense of humor. […]
Doling Out the Difference Between Dole and Nixon
Lincoln Gets Burned By Red-Hot Stove Story
No one appreciated a funny story better than Abraham Lincoln. Whenever he heard something that made him chuckle, he filed the story away in his memory to use again when the opportunity […]
How Big of a Telescope is Needed to See Any Interest?
A popular television program of the early days of television was This is Show Business. It ran from 1949 to 1954 and gave aspiring entertainers the opportunity to get advice from a […]
Think Twice Before Putting Your Ear to the Ground
“I see that a speaker… said that this was a time when leaders should keep their ears to the ground. All I can say is that the British nation will find it […]
Parenting and the Presidency: the Limits of Power
When President Theodore Roosevelt was confronted with complaints about the behavior of his 19-year-old daughter, Alice, he responded, “I can do one of two things. I can be President of the United […]
Andy Rooney on the Usefulness of Computers
Andy Rooney (1919-2011) had a career as a writer for over 60 years, but he insisted upon using a manual typewriter, even into the 21st century. In explaining his reticence in switching […]
John Adams Equates Uselessness and Congress
John Adams (1735-1826) was notoriously thin-skinned and rarely responded to criticism or ridicule with anything approaching a light-hearted spirit. When he found his role as Vice President did not earn him the […]
Showing Respect With a Kiss and a Ring of Truth
Don Rickles owed his career to the fact that he was discovered by the legendary singer Frank Sinatra. This fact did not exempt Sinatra from being on the receiving end of the […]
The Wit and Wisdom of Fred Allen
Fred Allen (1894-1956) was one of the most brilliant comedians of all time. The fact that he is not better known today is one of the great travesties of the ages. After […]
Mo Udall’s Political Wit
Morris “Mo” Udall (June 15, 1922 – December 12, 1998) served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1961 to 1991. He sought the Democratic nomination for President in 1976. Although he […]
Reagan’s Distinction Between Government and Drunken Sailors
Ronald Reagan was an outspoken critic of excessive taxation. He once summed up his concern about the practice by saying, “The difference in spending habits between government and a drunken sailor is, […]
Melting and Circulating the Saints
One of the challenges faced by Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) during his tenure as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland was a severe shortage of silver. Without the precious metal, the nation […]
The Wit and Wisdom of Erma Bombeck
Erma Bombeck (February 21, 1927 – April 22, 1996) started writing weekly newspaper columns in 1964 for $3 apiece. By the 1980s, she was one of the most popular columnists in the […]
Reagan On Irresponsible Government
President Ronald Reagan spent his entire political life warning against the dangers of ever-growing federal government. He once summed up his philosophy about government, saying, “Government is like a baby. An alimentary […]
Justice Scalia’s Judgment on How to Have a Successful Marriage
US Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia (1936-2016), was married for 56 years at the time of his death. He and his wife had nine children and 33 grandchildren. When asked what was […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 