“The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers.” – Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson’s Illiteracy Preference
Does the World Seem Crazy? An Expert Predicted This Would Happen
Have you ever looked around and wondered if insanity is on the rise? Does it seem that the whole world is losing its mind? Are you increasingly convinced that sane people are […]
The First Speeding Ticket Was for Driving 8 mph
On January 28, 1896, Walter Arnold earned the dubious distinction of becoming the first person to receive a speeding ticket while driving an automobile. Arnold, a resident of East Peckham, Kent, in […]
Learn About the Creepy Dolls That Became One of Thomas Edison’s Greatest Failures
Despite being one of the most successful inventors in history, Thomas Edison was certainly no stranger to failure. As detailed in this article, he bungled one opportunity by failing to determine whether […]
Certain Rewards for Contributing to the Well-Being
“No man who continues to add something to the material, intellectual, and moral well-being of the place in which he lives, is left long without proper reward.” — Booker T. Washington
How Thousands of Rubber Bath Toys Helped Unlock the Ocean’s Secrets
The container ship Ever Laurel was en route from Hong Kong to Tacoma, Washington. On January 10, 1992, it was only halfway to its destination when it encountered a violent storm. The […]
The True Story of the Pre-Teen Pirate of the Caribbean
Many young boys dream of the life of a pirate. Whether inspired by Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, James Barrie’s Peter Pan or simply motivated by a life of adventure, countless young […]
Contentment is the Enemy of Success
Novelist and short story writer Louis L’Amour (1908-1988) recognized the connection between success and motivation to pursue it. He said, “Nobody got anywhere in the world by simply being content.”
Meet the Chimp Who Made a Monkey Out of Wall Street
A widely-held common belief tells us that only those with special education, training, and expertise are qualified to give investment advice. The world of Wall Street is far too complex for anyone […]
Made For Another World
British author and theologian C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) had a good explanation for the inability of mankind to find fulfillment. He said, “If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world […]
The Story of Two Trials that Launched a Life of Greatness
George Jacobs was arrested for an unspeakable offense. He was innocent, as he loudly proclaimed to anyone who would listen, but his protests fell on deaf ears. Whatever her reasons, George’s granddaughter […]
The Forgotten Zombie Epidemic of the 20th Century
Have you heard about the strange, horrifying, and unstoppable malady that gripped the planet? Hundreds of thousands lost their lives, and they were the lucky ones. Those who survived remained as hollow […]
Did Cleopatra’s Nose Change History?
Could something as seemingly insignificant as the size of a person’s nose change the course of human events? According to Blaise Pascal, the answer is yes. Pascal (1623-1662) was one of the […]
Drink Pepsi and Win a Jet — Or Maybe Not
In 1995, Pepsi launched the Pepsi Points promotion. The public was encouraged to drink as much Pepsi as possible with the promise of earning points with every purchase. These points could then […]
Some of the Articles We Never Got Around To
“How do you come up with ideas for articles on Commonplace Fun Facts?” Not a week goes by without that question being posed to members of the Commonplace creative team. The tone […]
