If you want to become President of the United States, you have to campaign for it. You have to be popular. You have to earn votes. Lots of them. Seriously…. You need […]
Who could have anticipated the dire consequences of the pharmacist’s experiments? It started so innocently. Hippolyte Mège-Mouriès was participating in a challenge that was sanctioned by none other than Emperor Napoleon III. […]
In the interest of full disclosure, the Commonplace Fun Facts editorial staff admits that we have a profound love of the state of Colorado. Its rich natural beauty and cultural heritage make […]
A hotly-contested election. Polling data says the outcome is too close to predict. As the polls close, one of the candidates seems to have won. Shortly thereafter, votes are “discovered” for the […]
Presidential trivia aficionados are quick to identify the president who was in office the least amount of time (William Henry Harrison) and the one who served the longest (Franklin D. Roosevelt). There […]
The first Monday of October is the traditional beginning of the U.S. Supreme Court’s term. In honor of the occasion and with all due respect to the nine justices who are about […]
Getting up and taking a walk is one of the best ways to improve your health. It burns calories, sharpens the mind, and strengthens bones. When walking, it is generally a good […]
Some people seem destined for greatness on the basis of their names, alone. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, for example, may have achieved success as secretary of the interior and associate justice of […]
In her four years as First Lady of the United States, Barbara Bush had plenty of opportunities to contemplate the White House and its priceless artifacts. While some might gravitate toward the […]
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers!” (Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2). When William Shakespeare wrote those infamous words about lawyers in 1591, he parodied the […]
The Presidential election was an absolute mess. After a long, nasty, contentious campaign, the voting was over, but the outcome was far from clear. Both sides claimed victory. The Democrats pointed to […]
As noted in this article, there is no requirement that a person has prior judicial experience to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court (or any real requirements, for that matter). While there […]
With the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg creating a vacancy in the United States Supreme Court, membership of the high court is down to eight. Much attention is focused on who […]
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841-1935) is one of the most-widely quotes Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States. His concise and pithy judicial opinions reflect his sharp and creative […]
William McBoyle stole an airplane, and it was perfectly legal. Just to be clear, he actually took possession of someone else’s aircraft without their permission and never gave it back. Even so, […]
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