It’s President’s Day, a day to remember the contributions of American presidents of the past…and to also remember the strange circumstances in which a few of them passed away. George Washington (1799) After riding around his estate in cold weather, the first ex-president contracted pneumonia. Eighteenth century doctors did what they could for Washington, which […]
On President’s Day, the focus always seems to center on the major, important, and let’s face it, “best” presidents, such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. But there have been more than 40 other presidents—so here’s a look at some of the more obscure ones. William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison didn’t do much of […]
Undeniable: That Michael Jordan is among the best professional basketball players of all time, if not the best. What’s a bit more debatable: the veracity of these crazy urban legends about His Airness. Did Michael Jordan have food poisoning during “The Flu Game”? Perhaps the greatest game in Jordan’s career, which was already full of […]
Some great reasons to buy, not rent. Victim Eviction Dorothea Thomas of Jacksonville, North Carolina, was attacked in her apartment by an ex-boyfriend. Thomas, a police officer and former Marine, suffered six gunshot wounds but was able to escape by jumping out of a second-story window. When she was released from the hospital a week […]
Hollywood blockbusters costs tens of millions (or more) to produce. Studios can offset that by taking cash from companies who want their product to be featured in the movie. That’s called “product placement” and sometimes it makes the movie stop dead in its tracks. Mac & Me (1988) E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial featured some of the […]
If we were Modern Bride magazine, we’d probably call these “wedding traditions” rather than superstitions. But think about it—most of them were started by people who believed in evil spirits and witches and talismans. Bridal Veil The veil has served a number of purposes throughout history, including: 1) protecting the bride from the “evil eye;” […]
You could go the old flowers-and-candy route, of course…or you could go for a gift as unique as the one who love. You Bug Me, Valentine! Each year, the Bronx Zoo in New York City holds a Valentine’s Day tradition. Anybody with just $10 and a good intention can purchase the “naming rights” to one […]
The key to treating to metabolic disease that affects more than 20 million Americans may lie inside the stomach of the duck-billed platypus. There are already many unique things about the platypus, the furry little creatures native to Australia. For example, it’s semi-aquatic, meaning it spends some of its time on land, and some in […]
Some amazing facts about one of America’s most towering and complex figures, Abraham Lincoln, born on this day in 1809. He Was a Really Good Wrestler Wrestling is an ancient sport, and it’s remained popular throughout the history of Western civilization, including the 1800s…when Lincoln was an outstanding grappler. He reportedly won approximately 300 matches […]
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist, like all the other Grammys, is decided by a vote of music industry professionals. They often have made the wrong choice, in that the winner faded into obscurity while the runners-up have become music superstars. Grammy voters can’t predict the future of course, but if they could have, […]
Here are some critical decisions in history that came back to bite the decision-makers in the butt. Bad Kitty When the Black Plague devastated Europe in the 14th century, many people assumed it was caused by witchcraft. And cats, with their glowing eyes and night-prowling habits, were thought to be tools of witches. Thousands of […]
Whether you actually like the music of the Genesis drummer-turned-soft rock superstar or not, you’ve got to admit: Phil Collins seems pretty inoffensive. That’s why we were a little surprised when we discovered all of these colorful stories about him. He was almost a Romeo… At the height of his musical fame in the ’80s, […]
Root, root, root for the home team—if they stay in town long enough, that is. Kansas City Scouts — 2 years in the NHL In the late ’60s and ’70s, the NHL tripled in size going from six teams in 1967 to 18 by 1974. The last new additions of that expansion period were the Washington […]
In preparation for the inevitable day when robots rise up and take over the world, you may want to familiarize yourself with these recent advancements in robot technology. Clonebots Scientists at Cornell University have built a small robot that can make copies of itself. The robot is made of several 10-centimeter-wide modules, each of which […]
Before home video was cheap and widely available, a book that retold the events of a movie was one of the few ways to experience a favorite film after the projector stopped rolling. The problem with “novelizations” was that the writers hired to churn them out were often given a very early version of the […]
Today’s the birthday of 40th American president and one-time actor Ronald Reagan. While he was usually relegated to “B” movies, Reagan appeared in classics like Knute Rockne: All American. He also starred in a lot of duds—hey, an actor’s gotta eat. Louisa (1950) Reagan plays Hal, a young man who worried and sickened that his […]
The Super Bowl is the most-watched TV event of the year, so the halftime show must be something spectacular that also has wide appeal. In the last decade or so, organizers have had success with getting a major singer or band, and just letting them perform a medley of their songs—the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, […]
Here’s a look at the origins, history, and accuracy rates of Groundhog Day, the most important meteorologically psychic animal-based holiday on the calendar. It’s obviously not the most scientific barometer to predict six weeks of weather patterns based on what a giant rodent does (or at least what a giant rodent does on one morning), […]
