The legless legend from World War II
January 17, 2019
Facts
Douglas Bader, RAF pilot and incorrigible escape artist, literally had his leg handed to him by the German army in WWII. Bad Show Dangling from his damaged plane …
Mad Olympic Marathon included strychnine performance enhancers and runners in street clothes and berets
January 16, 2019
Facts
If there ever was an athletic event that should be a movie, it’s the 1904 Olympic Marathon. The “performance enhancing” rat poison and brandy! The runner who stopped for …
The Great Whiskey Fire of Dublin
January 15, 2019
Facts
In the Great Whiskey Fire of 1875, a crazy cocktail of fire, whiskey and malt liquor flowed down Dublin’s Ardee-street, Chamber-street, Cork-street, and Mill-street. Contemporary illustrations showing the whiskey …
Iceland has 13 troll brothers of Christmas, called the Yule Lads
December 13, 2018
Facts
The 13 mischievous troll brothers of Christmas, called the Yule Lads, have thrilled and terrified Icelandic children for hundreds of years. Parents used to torment children with such disturbing …
The Barbie doll started out as a high-class German Escort called Lilli
Bild-ing the Lilli
December 5, 2018
Facts
Barbie’s first career was as a “golddigger, exhibitionist, and floozy” cartoon in the Hamburg tabloid, Bild-Zeitung. While she might have spent most of her time flinging herself at “balding, jowly …
A catalogue of weird stuff we’ve sent to space
December 5, 2018
Facts
If there’s something weird in space, does anyone know? Paul Quast has published the first space catalogue of every message and artifact humans have beamed up. It’s hard to …
Spanish Dumb and Dumber sell fake Goya painting for fake money
November 28, 2018
Facts
Two bothers, the “Dumb and Dumber” of Spain, tried to sell a fake Goya to a Sheikh, only to be paid in fake money. Back in 2002, they’d been …
Trial by ordeal? I’ll take Trial by Cake, please
November 27, 2018
Facts
Definitely my favorite Medieval trial by ordeal, the Trial by Cake involved swallowing a dry lump of consecrated bread, or “corsned,” without choking, turning pale or shaking. If he …
The Man who became a Modern Mummy
November 23, 2018
Facts
In 1994, a Maryland man became a modern mummy using ancient Egyptian techniques. National Geographic dubbed him “Mr. Mummy” . Ronald Wade, director of the state anatomy board, called …
Mrs. Doubtstien – the Jewish actor that fooled the Nazis
November 22, 2018
Facts
Barred from working in Nazi Germany as a Jewish actor, Leon Reuss (born Leon Reiss) tricked the Nazis into celebrating him as an Aryan idol. Reuss retreated to a …
Man sued Satan for depriving him of his civil rights
Hell to pay
November 15, 2018
Facts
A prisoner filed a lawsuit against Satan and his staff in United States District Court. It was dismissed on procedural grounds. Gerald Mayo, a 22 year old inmate at Western Penitentiary in Pittsburgh, filed a claim before the United States …
Outlaw Big Nose George Parrott became a pair of shoes after his death
November 8, 2018
Facts
Big Nose George Parrott was an 1880s Wild West outlaw who grew up to become a pair of shoes. As for his nasal nickname, well, one legend goes: “The …