Parents generally give a lot of consideration to the names they bestow upon their children. The choice of the right name is important in terms of carrying on family tradition or honoring […]
Perhaps the most important but least-talked-about piece of furniture in your home is the humble toilet. We tend to take it for granted — unless it is unavailable when we need it. […]
In this age of email, mobile telephones equipped with cameras, and high-speed internet, the fax machine seems comically antiquated. A popular meme shows two people on the phone. One of them asks […]
What do you know about the fantastic accomplishments of H.A. Largelamb? Don’t be so quick to say you never heard of him. Although you might not immediately recognize his name, you almost […]
We all have our techniques for dealing with unwanted conversations and unpleasant people. Some may follow Calvin Coolidge’s example of responding with stony silence. Others may benefit from Abraham Lincoln’s practice of […]
As the release date for Bill & Ted Face the Music approaches, the nerdiness level at Commonplace Fun Facts Headquarters is rising exponentially. In anticipation of the sequel that has been almost […]
As events such as the COVID-19 outbreak affecting the ability to travel, many people are grateful for the option of picking up a phone, dialing a number, and being able to speak […]
If you are young enough to have always had access to a cell phone, you’re probably not old enough to remember the battle of telephone service companies. In the days when long-distance […]
A favorite children’s game is to make a telephone out of two tin cans and a piece of string. Hobbyists with more advanced skills can make a functioning telephone with a relatively-simple […]
No one likes getting a busy signal. When you absolutely have to get through to someone, you want them to take your call immediately, and a busy signal just seems to assume […]
February 14, 1876 was a big day for Elisha Gray. That was the day he filed his application for a patent for his revolutionary new invention. His device promised to unite the […]
1877 brought a new President to the White House and a new presidential perk: the Executive Mansion’s first telephone. President Rutherford B. Hayes had the phone installed in the White House telegraph […]
Found on a Telephone in Xining, China This telephone dials directly the telephone exchange. We sever you whole heartedly. Read more fun facts about languages. Read more fun facts about China.
Mark Twain lost more than a half million dollars in his lifetime from the failed inventions in which he invested. The invention that cost Twain the most was one in which he […]
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