When Apollo 13 astronaut Jim Lovell said the famous line, “Houston, we have a problem,” the words triggered alarm throughout NASA and around the world. If Apollo 13 had been manned by […]
When the French Have a Problem, it’s REALLY a Problem
Think Napoleon was Short? Think Again
Whenever the name Napoleon Bonaparte is mentioned, it inevitably brings up images of a short man, laboring under the psychological burden of his diminished physical stature. There’s only one problem with this […]
Which Nation Has the Most Time Zones? The Answer May Surprise You!
Do you think you know which nation has the most time zones? Think again, because the answer may surprise you.
Ben Franklin Needed a Sarcasm Sign
Benjamin Franklin is credited with some of the greatest ideas of all time. Not only was he the inventor of bifocal glasses, the Franklin stove, and lightning rod, but as one of […]
Something Old and Something Neuf
The oldest bridge in Paris, France is Pont Neuf. The name means “New Bridge.”
1890: Not a Good Year to Be Born in France
Half of all male babies born in France in 1890 were killed or maimed during World War I. source
Some Light Reading
The world record for the longest novel ever published goes to A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust. It was published in 13 volumes beginning in 1912. With an estimated […]
I’ll Take My Winnings By Check, Mate
The longest tournament chess game, in terms of moves, ever to be played was Ivan Nikolic vs. Goran Arsovic in Belgrade, Serbia in 1989 The game lasted for 269 moves and took […]
Next Time, Please Show Your Work
Pierre de Fermat (1605-1665) wrote in the margin of a book, “I have discovered a truly remarkable proof of this theorem which this margin is too small to contain.” He then died. It […]
How Do You Say ‘Sarcasm’ in French?
A French lady to an American who was trying to converse in French: “How wise of you not to attempt the French accent!” source
Which is More Formidable?
The Duke of Windsor’s visits with French troops in the early days of World War II were helpful in boosting morale, but his flaccid grasp of the French language sometimes resulted in […]
To Critique or Not to Critique?
Voltaire wrote of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, “It is a vulgar and barbarous drama, which would not be tolerated by the vilest populace of France, or Italy…. One would imagine this piece to be […]
Funny… I Don’t Remember Being Absentminded
Jean de La Fontaine was a 17th century French author who wrote simple animal stories that contained elements of satire and social criticism. He was famous for his absentmindedness. He once called […]
Long Live the …. Whoops… Too Late
King Louis XIX succeeded to the throne of France upon the abdication of his father, Charles X. Twenty minutes later he abdicated in favor of Henry V.
Man who Sold the Eiffel Tower
Victor Lustig was one of the most successful con men of all time. His first con was to show people a device that could print $100 bills. The only problem, he […]
