Politicians mocked John Adams, nicknaming him “His Rotundity” after he had suggested that the president should be titled like royalty, suggesting titles such as, “His Majesty the President” and “His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of the Rights of the Same”.
In 2014 the beard of the Golden Mask…
In 2014 the beard of the Golden Mask of Tutankhamun fell off as it was cleaned by Museum employees, trying to cover up their mistake they tried to glue it back on with quick-dry plastic glue, leaving it off-center. This was later noticed and the employees got charged with “reckless destruction”.
The Antikythera Mechanism is the world…
The Antikythera Mechanism is the world’s first (analog) computer, calculating the positions of stars and planets accurate to 1 degree in 500 years, and was made 1500 years before Keppler was even born.
More than 100 years ago, a French sports…
More than 100 years ago, a French sports journalist suggested the idea of organizing a 6-day cycling race to the editor of a local newspaper to boost sales – because he couldn’t think of any other idea. That race was called Tour de France – it’s now the most prestigious bicycle race in the world.
Longplayer, a one thousand…
Longplayer, a one thousand year long musical composition, is been playing since 31st of December 1999 and will continue till 2999.
Standard QWERTY keyboards are used in China…
Standard QWERTY keyboards are used in China. Chinese users are familiar with the sounds that Latin letters make, and they type in the way their characters sound when spoken out loud. Software then translates the sound they typed into a Chinese character.
BBC delayed the release…
BBC delayed the release of David Bowie’s song Space Oddity due to the Moon Landing.
Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866)…
Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866), daughter of a Russian Army Officer, disguised herself as a man, serving in a Cavalry Regiment during the Napoleonic Wars. She was the first recorded Female Officer in the Russian army, and was awarded the Cross of St George for bravery under fire.
Australia once had a floating hotel…
Australia once had a floating hotel that now lies decrepit and forgotten, in North Korea.
Chinese outsourcing
A Chinese businessman recently hired a hitman to take out a competitor for $282,800. That hitman hired another hitman (offering $141,000). That man hired another hitman, who hired another hitman, who hired another hitman. The fifth hitman simply asked the man to fake his death.