Just when we thought we had run out of utterly bizarre things to report about North Korea, something else presents itself. The nation may be financially bankrupt, but as far as entertainment […]
Haircuts in North Korea Are a Big, Fat, Hairy Deal
How to Steal an Airplane Without Breaking the Law
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, […]
The Postmaster General is the Second-Highest Paid Person in U.S. Government
If the importance of a position is measured by the paycheck, it makes sense that the President of the United States draws the biggest salary of federal government officials. Using salary as […]
Berlin’s Modern Airport That Has Never Seen an Airplane
Airports are for airplanes. Airports are for aviation passengers. Airports are complex logistical partnerships of commerce, transportation, and technology that pump life into the economy. With its reputation for top-notch efficiency, Germany […]
The Time Politicians Messed With Time to Prevent Anyone Messing With Time
There have been situations where politicians have thought themselves capable of legislating against nature itself, such as the time Indiana considered changing the value of pi, or the Norwegian town where it […]
The Indiana Pi Bill and the Attempt to Redefine Mathematics Through Legislative Fiat
Do you remember when you first learned of the concept of π? Have mathematics always been at least a little bit difficult for you? Haven’t you wished you could just pass a […]
Chairman Mao’s Disastrous War Against Sparrows
Mao Zedong (1893-1976) disliked pests. Rats, bed bugs, and flies (not to mention as many as 30 million people who got in his way) were, at various times, the focus of Chairman […]
The Thatcher Warning for Moderates
While many decry partisan politics and point to moderates as the ideal political philosophy, Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013) thought otherwise. The former prime minister of the United Kingdom was famously known as “The […]
Urian: the Greyhound Responsible for the English Reformation
History books tell us that England embraced the Protestant Reformation because its king wanted a divorce. What the books frequently fail to point out is that a dog — more precisely, a […]
Fun Facts About the First Ladies — Part 1
One of the most powerful positions in the world is unelected, unpaid, and technically has no official authority. The wife of the President of the United States — the first lady — […]
Quirks and Madness at the IRS
As previously noted here, the IRS has a contingency plan for collecting taxes in the event of the end of the world as we know it. Curiously, this is not the strangest […]
What’s the Difference Between Great Britain and the United Kingdom?
Have you ever wondered how you are supposed to refer to that nation that is home to Queen Elizabeth II? Are you supposed to call it England? Great Britain? The United Kingdom? […]
How the BBC Show “Today” Ensures There Will Be a Tomorrow
If you are a fan of the BBC, the thought of your favorite program going off the air might seem like a sign of the end of the world. If that favorite […]
Tax Strategies for the Apocalypse
By some miracle, you have survived the disaster that has ushered in the apocalypse. Perhaps it was a nuclear war, asteroid strike, pandemic, or even zombies. Scarcely a month has gone by, […]
The Day Sark Was Invaded by One Man
The island of Sark has many admirable features. It is beautiful, idyllic, and has some of the lowest-priced rental property in the world. Located between Guernsey and Jersey in the Channel Islands, […]
