Suppose fortune fails to smile upon you. Despite your best efforts at gaining wealth, you are bankrupt and have no professional skills to speak of. You could give up and embrace a […]
That Time the United States Had an Emperor
I Gave East Germany An Island, and All I Got Was This Lousy Teddy Bear!
In the coldest days of the Cold War, two countries were special poster children in the category of “Communist Hold-out in the Midst of Western Democracies.” Those countries were Cuba and East […]
Eight Years Trapped at Sea: the Story of the Yellow Fleet
You may have always dreamt of spending extended time sailing on a ship. What would you think about spending eight years on that ship, wondering if you would ever be able to […]
The Many Monarchs of the Disputed Kingdom Where No One Wants to Live
Odds are that you have never heard of the Kingdom of Redonda. Even if you know where it is, it’s unlikely you have a map that is detailed enough to find it. […]
The Kingdom the Mapmakers Forgot
1992 saw the birth of a new nation: the Kingdom of Torgu. If you happened to overlook this momentous occasion, don’t feel bad. The whole reason the new country sprang into existence […]
Short-Lived Sovereignty
Traffic jams were responsible for the shortest-lived bid for national independence. The United States Border Patrol established roadblock inspection points on Highway US 1 at the point of intersection of the two […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 