President Ronald Reagan shared Queen Elizabeth II's love of horses. During a state visit to the United Kingdom, the President accepted the Queen's invitation to go horseback riding together. As the two leaders rode along, the Queen's horse suddenly began expelling gas loudly, in sync with each step. The Queen was mortified and said, "Oh, I am... Continue Reading →
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 that someone else is more important than you are. If only you had a way to reach through the phone and grab that... Continue Reading →
Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) knew the value of a faithful friend. Maybe that's why he acquired a yellow mixed-breed dog in 1855 when he lived in Springfield, Illinois. The future President named the dog Fido, and they quickly became inseparable. Their connection would unite them in life -- and in death. Fido accompanied Lincoln everywhere in... Continue Reading →
Grave robbery was not something that just showed up in Frankenstein stories. In the last half of the 19th century, human corpses were in high demand by medical schools, and the body snatching market grew in response. No one's remains were considered off limits. Extraordinary measures had to be taken to protect the body of... Continue Reading →
He may have been the most powerful man in the world, but John F. Kennedy learned that there are some things even the President of the United States can't do. He commanded a military of nearly 3 million people who would follow his orders without question, but there was one person to whom he needed to... Continue Reading →
John Hinckley, Jr. will be forever remembered as the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, DC for treatment for narcissistic and schizotypal personality disorder and major depressive disorder. In an ironic bit... Continue Reading →
Hollywood has immortalized the image of the fate of the world resting on a shiny red button on the desk of the President of the United States. With a single press of that button, life as we know it would come to a brutal, inglorious end. It makes for good fiction, but that just isn't... Continue Reading →
If you are looking for a poster child for "overachiever" you might consider Dwight D. Eisenhower. This Kansas farm boy rose from modest beginnings to become one of only five Americans to achieve the five-star rank of General of the Army and the only one of those to become President of the United States. (see note... Continue Reading →
As President Harry Truman's daughter, Margaret, played the piano one day, she was startled as one leg of the piano suddenly dropped through the floor of the White House residential level. Engineers were called in to see what was going on, and the report was nothing short of alarming. The 150-year-old mansion was in desperate... Continue Reading →
President Calvin Coolidge was forced to move out of the White House in 1927 for six months so extensive remodeling and repairs could take place. In the course of the repairs, the architect showed the president the extreme damage that had occurred to the rafters when the White House was burned by British troops during... Continue Reading →
On March 31, 1981 Secret Service Agent Jerry Parr helped change the course of history as he acted to save President Ronald Reagan from an assassination attempt. In doing so, he proved himself equal to the motto of the Secret Service: "Worthy of Trust and Confidence." That moment of heroism was the most dramatic moment... Continue Reading →
Senator Robert Dole, upon seeing a picture of former presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and Richard Nixon lined up at an official event, pointed them out and identified them, in turn, as "See no Evil. Hear no Evil. And Evil." source
The world watched the peaceful transfer of power on January 20, 1961, as the oldest President to that point, Dwight D. Eisenhower, handed the reins of power to the youngest elected President, John F. Kennedy. As the two men stood side-by-side on the inaugural platform, listening as Cardinal Richard Cushing prayed the invocation, they noticed... Continue Reading →
Theodore Roosevelt was a man's man -- the very image of individualism, strength, and courage. It is hard to imagine anyone making fun of the man who would become the 26th President of the United States. There was a period of time, however, when Roosevelt less resembled the Rough Rider of legend and looked a... Continue Reading →
On February 7, 2017, Vice President Mike Pence became the first Vice President to cast the tie-breaking vote in the US Senate for the confirmation of a cabinet member. Under the terms of the Constitution, the Vice President presides over the Senate, but does not have a vote except for the purpose of breaking a... Continue Reading →
