Trivia

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Barack Obama

On November 4, 2008, Barack Obama was elected as America’s first black president and served in that capacity for two terms. Here are five things you probably didn't know about the 44th President of the United States...

Obama Speaks Indonesian Fluently

Obama’s mother met and eventually married a Javanese surveyor named Lolo Soetoro in 1965. Obama accompanied his mother to Jakarta, Indonesia, when he was six years old and lived there for four years. During this time, he learned to speak the language fluently, but he ended up going back to Hawaii for his secondary education, living with his grandparents.

His Secret Service Nickname was Renegade

The Secret Service commonly gives nicknames to presidents, their first ladies and children and called Obama 'Renegade', while his First Lady was called 'Renaissance', Malia was called 'Radiance' and Sasha was called 'Rosebud'. The Kennedys, in their day, were referred to as Lancelot and Lace. Donald Trump is referred to as Mogul, and his wife is called Muse. 

Obama Has Always Been a Fan of Comic Books

Obama is a long-time aficionado of comic books, especially Marvel Comics. He is reportedly fond of Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian especially. When the creators of Marvel Comics found out, they put Obama on The Amazing Spider-Man cover, which sold out in minutes, as well as the other four special editions with Obama on the cover.

He Carries Good Luck Charms

Call it memorabilia or good luck charms, Obama carries several that he has collected over the years. Among the items he has been known to carry are rosary beads presented to him by Pope Francis, a poker chip given to him by a biker and a small statuette of Buddha.

Obama’s First Jobs Were Minimum Wage

Like many other kids and young people around the nation, Obama worked at a number of minimum wage jobs before he started working his way up. His earliest jobs included selling ice cream in Honolulu at a Baskin-Robbins, working during the summer at a deli counter making sandwiches, also in Hawaii, and selling souvenirs at a gift shop. He also worked helping to clear a construction site during one summer in Manhattan while at Columbia University as well as a telemarketer making phone calls to sell subscriptions to the New York Times.

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5 Things You Didn't Know about Monopoly

On November 5, 1935, Parker Brothers began marketing the board game “Monopoly,” and has sold more than 250 million games around the world. Here are five facts you probably didn’t know about this popular board game.

The Original Game Was Invented by a Woman

Lizzie Magie, a game designer, born in 1866, invented the precursor to “Monopoly” and received a patent for it in 1904. Her game included players who moved around the board, paying rent and purchasing properties. In 1933, Charles Darrow made a few changes to the game and ended up selling it in 1935 to Parker Brothers.

Parker Brothers Started Selling the Popular Board Game in 1935

Charles Darrow first sold his game in department stores in Philadelphia, and when he tried to sell it to Parker Brothers, it was initially turned down. After reconsidering, Parker Brothers negotiated with Darrow to place the game on the market. It was produced beginning in 1935, and demand was so great that 35,000 games were produced each week.

Special “Monopoly” Boards Were Sent to POWS During World War II

During World War II, many POWs were being held by the Germans; however, they were allowed to receive care packages that included games. The Allies, posing as fake charities, shipped packages to the POWs, which included items such as metal files, compasses, maps and real money. The files and compasses were disguised as tokens, while the money, in German, Italian and French banknotes, was hidden underneath the “Monopoly” game money.

The Name of the Old Man Was Originally Rich Uncle Pennybags

The character representing Rich Uncle Pennybags originally appeared in a 1940 game called Dig, and he remained unnamed until 1946 when Parker Brothers released a game called Rich Uncle. Supposedly, the character is patterned after mega-banker and all-around rich guy, J.P. Morgan, who helped to finance railroad construction around the nation along with some major corporations that include General Electric.

A Charm Bracelet Inspired the Original Play Tokens

Cracker Jacks may have been partially responsible for the idea for tokens for Monopoly because Darrow’s nieces used the prizes from Cracker Jacks to decorate their charm bracelets. The tokens originally included a top hat, iron, thimble, battleship, cannon and shoe but have changed over the years, depending on popularity.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About "Honest Abe"

On this day in 1860, Abraham Lincoln was elected the 16th president of the United States over a deeply divided Democratic Party, to become the first Republican to win the presidency.  Here are five things you didn't know about "Honest Abe"...

Lincoln Actually Didn't Get a Majority of Votes

Lincoln got the greatest proportion of votes divided among four candidates, but overall, he got only 40 percent of the total tally, meaning 60 percent of voters voted for someone else. Their votes were split between three people (two Democrats and a Constitutional Union candidate; Lincoln was a Republican).

Short but Sweet: The Gettysburg Address Lasted Only Two Minutes

Lincoln's best-known speech, the Gettysburg Address, is a giant in the minds of most of the nation. In truth, though, it lasted only two minutes, didn't even reach 300 words in its written form, and was originally known as, simply, "Remarks." It was meant to be a short address at the opening of a cemetery, but its solemn and no-nonsense manner made it a winner.

Lincoln's Gettysburg Address Was Not the Main Event on the Day He Gave It

As noted, the address was merely part of a ceremony opening a cemetery, and it wasn't even the main attraction. That was a two-hour speech by Edward Everett, which occurred right before Lincoln's speech. But even Everett was stunned by Lincoln's words and wrote to tell him that he (Everett) "... Should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes." Lincoln's response was typically humble, thanking Everett and complimenting him on his speech.

He Got the Name "Honest Abe" as a Retail Clerk

Long before Lincoln got to the White House, he was a store clerk in the town of New Salem. He had a reputation for being so honest and so meticulous that if he made a mistake in giving you change, he'd chase after you to correct the error (given that this was often in the form of him handing over more money, that was likely well-received by townsfolk). The nickname stuck with him throughout his life.

Lincoln Was Supposed to Have a Police Guard on the Night He Was Killed

Look up Lincoln's death, and you'll find information about how he signed the bill to create the Secret Service hours before he was shot, yet the Secret Service at that point was meant to combat counterfeiting. It's true that there was no overall dedicated presidential security detail at the time, though in Lincoln's case, he was given a police detail in 1864 due to frequent threats. Lincoln also had a police guard while he was at the play at Ford's Theatre -- or at least, he was supposed to. A police officer was assigned to him but left his post because he wanted a better view of the play. As you can guess, the officer had a reputation that wasn't very good.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Willie Nelson

On November 9, 1990, Willie Nelson's assets were seized by the IRS when he racked up a huge tax bill. You probably didn’t know the following things about the Red Headed Stranger...

Nelson Recorded an Album to Pay Off His IRS Debt

Nelson lost his house and everything else except for his favorite guitar after owing $32 million in taxes, which currently holds the record for tax debt owed the IRS. Although it was negotiated down, Nelson still had to raise the money to pay that enormous debt. He did it by recording a new album called The “IRS Tapes: Who’ll Buy My Memories,” which his fans could buy by calling 1-800-IRS-TAPE.

His Guitar Is Named Trigger

Nelson’s favorite guitar, Trigger, was named after the palomino horse owned by western television star and singer Roy Rogers. Nelson has played the Martin N-20 guitar for almost half a century. When his assets were being seized, he hid Trigger with family and friends, and sometime later, when his home caught fire, he ran back into the house to save Trigger and another guitar case with two pounds of pot inside.

One of His Albums Stayed on the Charts for Over 10 Years

Nelson’s album “Stardust” stayed on the charts a total of 540 weeks, and he won a Grammy for his singing performance for one of the singles, “Georgia on My Mind.” Columbia Records was hesitant that the album would be popular because it was so different from his earlier “outlaw” songs. Some of the other songs included on the album were “Blue Skies”, “September Song”, “Moonlight in Vermont” and “Someone to Watch Over Me”.

Nelson Helped to Defuse a Parking Garage Gunfight

Unloading stage gear in a parking garage following a Birmingham, Alabama, concert, Nelson and his road crew and band heard the sound of a woman shooting a .357 magnum at a man. People were entering the parking garage because the concert was over and police arrived, their guns drawn. Nelson, dressed in tennis shoes and cutoffs, got off the bus with two Colt .45s in his waistband and cooled everything down, then got busy signing autographs for the people there.

Getting Into a Fight With Nelson Would Be a Mistake

He’s been training for several decades in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, which is a type of martial arts practiced in Korea, and he was awarded a 5th-degree black belt in 2014 at age 81. His interest in martial arts began early when he was writing songs in Nashville. He also holds a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo, so despite his age, he probably isn’t someone to challenge.

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5 Things You Didn't Know about Sesame Street

On this day in 1969, “Sesame Street,” a pioneering TV show that would teach generations of young children the alphabet and how to count, made its debut.   Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about Sesame Street...

No Television Program Has Ever Won More Emmys

All the winners of television Emmys had better move over because Sesame Street has an impressive winning record of 118 Emmys over the years. With about eight million viewers, it has appeared in more than 120 countries. That makes the children’s show the most viewed around the world.

Cookie Monster Had a Previous Job

Cookie Monster did not start his professional life as a star on Sesame Street but was already a seasoned performer. Three years before joining Sesame Street, he appeared in a commercial for General Foods as “The Wheel Stealer.” Later on, he was in a commercial for Munchos potato snacks and was in a training film for IBM that featured a computerized coffee machine, which he promptly ate.

Kermit the Frog Disappeared From the Show for Years

Jim Henson performed the actions and voice for one of the most popular puppets on the show, Kermit the Frog; however, Henson died suddenly in 1990 from toxic shock at age 53. Kermit took a hiatus for about eight years before reappearing on the show in 1998. The role of Kermit was taken over by Steve Whitmire at the request of Henson’s family, and he worked in this capacity until 2017.

Two Different Muppet Songs Made the Billboard Charts

Many parents and most children can sing Ernie’s “Rubber Duckie” by heart, but most don’t know it rose to number 16 on Billboard in 1970. In 1979, Kermit had a hit song with “Rainbow Connection,” although it only made it up to number 25 on Billboard. Jim Henson, the creator of the Muppets, sang both.

Big Bird Is Huge!

Yes, everyone knows that Big Bird is impressively large, but most don’t know exactly how large. He’s a towering 8-feet tall, and the body of the bird is covered with around 6,000 feathers from turkeys, ostriches, hackles and roosters. Caroll Spinney has played Big Bird for 50 years and is retiring at age 84, so someone will have some big bird shoes to fill.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about World War I

At the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ended as an armistice was declared with the secession of hostilities.  Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about “The War to End All Wars.”

The Youngest Soldier to Enlist in the U.S. Army Was Only 12 Years Old

Frank Sauliere from San Jose, California, became the youngest doughboy to serve in World War I when he lied about his age and signed up with the U.S. Army two days after Congress declared war. Sauliere’s parents lied too since Frank was only 12, and they went so far as to petition President Woodrow Wilson to approve his entrance into the military. The boy worked running messages, a dangerous battlefield job, and as an interpreter, and during his 21 months of service, he was wounded two times.

Spanish Flu Caused Many of the Deaths During World War I

The flu may have originated in China but spread like wildfire through trenches along Europe’s Western Front and U.S. military camps. It was reported that between September and November 1918, between 20 and 40 percent of those in the U.S. Navy and Army were sickened by the Spanish flu. Reports indicate that more than 27,000 American soldiers died from the flu as well as a minimum of 14,000 German soldiers.

Blacks and Native Americans Served During World War I

There were about 13,000 Native Americans and more than 350,000 African Americans who served during World War I. This was despite the fact that Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924. Blacks served in segregated divisions, and only 11 percent saw actual combat. Some, however, fought alongside French troops, and 171 were given the French Legion of Honor for their heroic service.

Germany Tried to Bribe Mexico Into Joining Them

A message from Arthur Zimmerman, the foreign secretary for the German government, was sent to Mexico that suggested a German/Mexican alliance, and that information was published in American newspapers across the country. If Mexico had agreed to ally with Germany, the country promised to give back to Mexico the states of New Mexico, Texas and Arizona, which it had lost when the United States annexed these areas in 1845. Outrage by the American public swung opinion toward entering the war, which caused President Wilson and Congress to enter the conflict a short time later.

A Homing Pigeon Saved 194 Men’s Lives

Over 200,000 homing pigeons were used during the war to deliver messages for the U.S. military, and Cher Ami (Dear Friend) was one of the birds trained to do just that. At the Battle of Argonne, France, American soldiers, stranded behind enemy lines without any ammunition or supplies, sent Cher Ami and two other pigeons out with a message detailing their location and asking that the shelling by Allied forces be stopped because about 300 of them had been killed by friendly fire. Two of the pigeons were killed, but Cher Ami, despite losing a leg, an eye and being shot in the chest, delivered her message after flying 25 miles. She is credited with saving almost two hundred men.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Ellis Island

On November 12, 1954, Ellis Island, the first stop for immigrants coming into the United States, closed after 60 years. Take a look at the following things you probably didn’t know about the point of entry for new immigrants over the course of six decades...

New Immigrants Entered the Country First at Manhattan

While the Statue of Liberty was an immigrant’s first view of New York and Ellis Island was the point of entry, the water was shallow and large ships couldn’t dock there. Instead, they debarked in Manhattan where first-class and second-class passengers went through a brief inspection and were allowed in the country. Steerage passengers were another story because they were placed on ferries and taken to Ellis Island for a more intensive processing.

Ellis Island Used to be Privately Owned

A merchant in New York, Samuel John Ellis, owned the island and attempted to sell it but couldn’t. When Ellis died in 1785, there were problems with his will, and the family got into a fight over who had ownership. Beginning shortly before Ellis’ death, he had leased it to the city of New York, and the city ended up purchasing the island in 1808 for the sum of $10,000.

An Early Name for it Was Gibbet Island

For a while in the early 1800s, this small piece of land was known as Gibbet Island and was used to execute criminals, pirates and sailors who had committed mutiny. Pirates who were executed were left hanging from a noose from the gibbet as a warning to others that they could meet a similar fate. The last pirate was hung there in 1839, after which the tiny island served as a munitions depot for the Navy before it was turned into a station for newly arrived immigrants.

Three Unaccompanied Children Were the First to Go Through Ellis Island

On New Year’s Day in 1892, the first three immigrants arrived to be processed at Ellis Island, and they happened to be unaccompanied minors from County Cork, Ireland. Disembarking from the steamship Nevada, along with 124 other passengers, teenager Annie Moore, along with her brothers, aged 11 and 7, were the first to use the new services at the island. Arriving to reunite with their family that was already in New York, a Catholic chaplain and official from the Treasury Department met them, and Annie was given a gold piece worth $10 to commemorate the occasion.

Ellis Island Is Mostly Man-Made

Originally, Ellis Island only covered 3.3 acres, which obviously wasn’t large enough for the task of welcoming the 20 million immigrants who arrived over the years. It was expanded by using ship ballast from boats in the harbor and landfill from the construction of the subway tunnels in New York until the island had grown to more than 27 acres. The immigration station was built on Ellis Island in 1890.

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this was very interesting I learned a few things

dgrimm60

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5 Things You Didn't Know about the Vietnam Memorial

On November 13, 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated following a march to its site by thousands of veterans of the conflict.  Here are 5 things you probably didn't know about the Vietnam  You may not know the following about the Vietnam Veterans Memorial...

The Placement of Names on the Wall Carries Special Significance

Two walls compose the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and each measures 200-feet-long and contains the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and even a few women. The names begin and end at the center, forming a circle, which represents the war’s completion. Names are placed in a chronological order by the date of the soldier’s sacrifice.

No Government Funds Were Used to Build the Wall

No government funds were used to construct the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the money raised for it was entirely through the private sector. The idea of wounded vet, Jan C. Scruggs, it was supported by the U.S. Congress, who passed legislation to reserve the three acres on the National Mall to construct this monument to the soldiers who served in Vietnam. By 1971, about 275,000 American citizens, long with foundations, corporations, labor unions, civic organizations and veterans groups had donated $8.4 million toward the project.

The Design Was Chosen Anonymously

A competition nationwide was held to determine the design for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The proposal that won among the more than 1,400 designs entered was by Maya Ying Lin, an architecture student at Yale University. The design was chosen by a group of eight designers and artists and judged anonymously.

The Statue of the "Three Servicemen" Was Unveiled in 1984

On Veterans Day, 1984, a statue made by Frederick Hart to honor Vietnam vets who served in the war and returned was unveiled. The figures are those of an African American, a Hispanic and a Caucasian, who were those that composed the largest part of the combat forces during the war.

The Memorial to Women was Dedicated in 1993

Veterans Day, 1993, was when the memorial statue dedicated to women who served during the Vietnam War was unveiled. The project had been initiated by Diane Carlson Evans, who was an Army nurse during the war and who wanted to honor the almost 11,000 women who were volunteers. The statue was made by Glenna Goodacre. It depicts woman at their duties and the emotions on their faces while at their important work of caring for America’s wounded soldiers.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About Moby Dick

On November 14, 1851, Herman Melville published the whaling adventure Moby Dick.  While the book is considered a classic now, it wasn't always so well-received.  Here are five things you didn't know about Moby Dick....

Be Careful Which Edition You Purchase

When the book was first released, British editors decided to chop up the story, removing several parts and passages, including an epilogue. This was problematic, to begin with, but what made it worse was that the British edition was released shortly before the U.S. edition. It was not a great start in life for the story. Several editions of the chopped-up British version were printed, which added to the confusion. If you buy the book or check out a version from the library, make sure it has the epilogue and is the unabridged version.

The Concept of Moby Dick Was Far From Far-Fetched

Man going after giant whale seems like a legend now, but in the 1800s, when ships were the main form of inter-continental travel and whaling was common, an attack by a huge whale was not out of the ordinary. Certainly, some were very big, and Moby Dick itself is based on Mocha Dick, a giant sperm whale known to attack ships that were even a bit aggressive. But whale attacks weren't a rare thing, so the premise of the book wasn't fantastic at all.

One of the Book's Characters Has Three Modern Namesakes

The first mate on the ship in the story is named Starbuck, and both the coffee chain and the Battlestar Galactica character were named after him. However, that's kind of where the similarity ends, at least for the human namesakes. In the story, Starbuck was a common-sense employee who wanted to get back to his family. In the Galactica series, Starbuck was first a womanizer and adventurer, and second (in the more recent version) a soldier who later became a mystical figure. As for the coffee chain, one founder wanted to name it after Pequod, the ship in the book, but another founder did not like the idea of "Pee-quod" coffee. Instead, he went with the common-sense option of naming the chain after the common-sense first mate.

Melville Was a Whaler Himself

Talk about "write what you know." Melville himself had worked on a whaling ship and thus knew exactly how whales behaved, especially when under attack. He understood the dynamics necessary for the ship's crew to function on a long journey. However, he did do additional research, drawing details from books on whaling and Arctic environments.

The Published Story Was Heavily Revised at the Last Minute

British editing aside, Melville did his own revisions on the story at the last minute after meeting the author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Originally the book was to be an adventure story. However, after meeting Hawthorne and being influenced heavily by him—Hawthorne and Melville became great friends—Melville revamped the story entirely to focus more on the human cost in the tale.

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PHKRAUSE

that was interesting about the coffee company name and  both character's names

dgrimm60

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5 Things You Didn't Know about the Sound of Music

On November 16, 1959, "The Sound of Music" opened on Broadway, starring Mary Martin and Theodore Bikel. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the musical based on the von Trapp family’s life...

The Popular Song “Edelweiss” Was Written at the Last Minute

The last song written by Oscar Hammerstein was “Edelweiss," and he wrote it just before the Boston tryout for this new musical. The reason he wrote it was because he thought Theodore Bikel was a talented folk musician and was being underused in the musical. Bikel, that same year, joined with George Wein, Oscar Brand and Pete Seeger to found the Newport Folk Festival.

Critics in New York Hated It

The musical opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Broadway, and New York critics hated it, thinking it was too saccharine. However, ticket sales made in advance were already up to $2 million, and the public had a different opinion, which ended up making “The Sound of Music” one of the most popular musicals in American history.

Mary Martin Missed Only One Show

During her two years appearing in the Broadway show as Maria, Mary Martin, the mother of actor Larry Hagman, only missed one show. She wasn’t considered for the movie role—that role went to Julie Andrews. At the time, Martin was 47, which was too old to play a postulant nun on the big screen.

Mary Martin’s Tony for “The Sound of Music” Sold for Thousands of Dollars

Martin died in 1990, and the Tony for “The Sound of Music” was inherited by her actor son, Larry Hagman. Upon Hagman’s death, the Tony ended up on the auction block in Boston. It was the third of three Tonys that Martin won during her career; it brought $43,750 at the auction held in 2015.

The Real Von Trapp Family Moved to America

The real von Trapps traveled to America for a concert that was scheduled, and as luck would have it, left Germany just one day before the border was closed by Hitler. Since they could not, and probably did not want to, return to Germany, the family ended up settling in Stowe, Vermont, where they established the Trapp Family Lodge. The Austrian-styled resort still operates and has expanded over the years.

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PHKRAUSE

I  learned  some things===thank you for posting

dgrimm60

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9 hours ago, dgrimm60 said:

PHKRAUSE

I  learned  some things===thank you for posting

dgrimm60

I did too!! I never knew that Larry Hagman was her son!!

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Watergate_2

On November 17, 1973, Richard Nixon insisted that he was not a crook in front of a group of newspaper editors in a statement given at Walt Disney World. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the scandal that rocked America and brought down a president....

Adhesive Tape Found on a Door Led to the Discovery of the Burglary

A night watchman at Watergate, Frank Willis, discovered a piece of tape holding the latch open in the parking garage and removed it, and later he discovered that the tape had been replaced. Willis called the police, who came in plain clothes and in an unmarked car to investigate. Inside the headquarters of the Democratic National Committee, they discovered five men who had ransacked the office and were in possession of devices such as locksmith tools, rolls of film, bugging devices and large amounts of cash.

Most of the Burglars Were Former Government Employees

James McCord was a former employee of the FBI and CIA, as well as the coordinator of security for the RNC and member of the committee to re-elect President Nixon, while Frank Sturgis and Eugenio Martinez also had connections with the CIA. Bernard Barker was a former CIA employee as well as E. Howard Hunt, Jr., who had worked as a consultant to the White House. G. Gordon Liddy had worked for the FBI and at the White House and Treasury Department as well as the committee to re-elect Nixon.

A Tape Recording That Was Missing 18.5 Minutes Helped Lead to Nixon’s Downfall

President Nixon had been recording all the conversations that were held in the Oval Office, and the recording device came on automatically whenever anyone started speaking. When the special prosecutor with the Watergate burglary investigation requested specific tapes, including one where Nixon was talking with H.R. Haldeman, his chief of staff, shortly after the burglary, the present refused to turn them over. The tapes were finally released; however, the conversation between the president and Haldeman had been erased.

The House Judiciary Committee Approved Three Separate Articles of Impeachment

A bipartisan vote of 27-11 approved the first impeachment article, which was a charge of obstruction of justice. The second article approved by the committee was by a bipartisan vote of 28-10, and the charge was conducting illegal surveillance and using agencies of the federal government against another political group. The third, which passed with a vote of 21 to 17, charged that Nixon had refused to cooperate with the investigative committee with regard to congressional subpoenas.

The Resignation of Richard Nixon

Nixon resigned from the office of the presidency on August 9, 1974, after televising the news nationwide the night before and as a way to avoid the initiation of impeachment proceedings. He and his family left for San Clemente, California, in a helicopter from the lawn of the White House. Gerald Ford, the former Minority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, was sworn in as president a few minutes later in the White House’s East Room.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Mickey Mouse

On November 18, 1928, the first successful sound-synchronized animated cartoon, Walt Disney's "Steamboat Willie" starring Mickey Mouse, premiered in New York. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Minnie’s famous cartoon husband...

Mickey Started as a Rabbit, Not a Mouse

Walt Disney, along with Ub Iwerks, were the creators of Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, who looked suspiciously like the later Mickey Mouse, only with long ears. The film distributor, Universal Studios, wanted to cut Disney’s salary, hired away his employees and held the rights to Oswald. Disney and Iwerks went out on their own and came up with Mickey Mouse, who was called Mortimer at first, until Disney’s wife suggested the name Mickey.

It Was a Long Time Before Mickey Spoke

In 1929, Mickey Mouse finally had a voice after eight films, and it delighted cartoon fans when he spoke in “The Karnival Kid.” In previous films, Mr. Mouse made noises such as laughing and squealing but didn’t say any actual words. In the 1929 cartoon, his first words were “hot dog,” which he accompanied by dancing, and those two words became a catchphrase for the mouse’s character.

“Steamboat Willie” Wasn’t the First Cartoon that Starred Mickey Mouse

While “Steamboat Willie” was the first popular cartoon starring Mickey Mouse, it wasn’t the first. Wanting to emulate “Lucky Lindy,” in the earlier cartoon called “Plane Crazy,” Mickey builds several airplanes before getting one of them to fly. No distributor was interested in marketing the earlier cartoon, but interestingly enough, Minnie Mouse appears in this first cartoon along with Mickey.

Ib Iworks Drew the Animation for Plane Crazy by Himself

Ubbe Eert "Ub" Iwerks, an old friend of Disney and fellow animator, drew all the frames for “Plane Crazy,” which was an enormous task in the days before computer-driven animation. To complete the task, he made around 700 drawings each day on transparent paper. Some of the drawings he made in the day, while he worked on others in Disney’s garage after hours.

Mickey Took a 30-Year Vacation

The last cartoon Mickey Mouse appeared in before he disappeared was in 1953 and called “The Simple Things.” Because of the opening of Disneyland, feature films such as Bambi, a nationwide Mickey Mouse comic strip and popularity of “The Mickey Mouse Club,” the Mickey Mouse cartoons were no longer produced. He was reintroduced to the public in 1983 in a Christmas special called “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Gettysburg Address

On November 19, 1863, Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address where he stated that all men are created equal. Here are 5 things you didn't know about one of the most important speeches ever made in America...

Lincoln Wasn’t the Main Speaker

Edward Everett, a famous orator and Secretary of State under Millard Fillmore, was the keynote speaker at the dedication ceremony for the Gettysburg National Cemetery. While Fillmore's speech went on for two hours and he talked about history and the Union’s heroics at Gettysburg, President Lincoln's speech was short. Afterward, Everett wrote a letter to Lincoln saying that he had said in several minutes what took Everett several hours.

Lincoln Did Not Write His Speech on the Back of an Envelope

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address was only 270 words long, but it was a myth that he wrote it on an envelope while on the train traveling to Gettysburg from Washington, D.C. Lincoln put a lot of thought into his short speech and started writing it the night before his trip to Gettysburg. It was completed after he arrived in Pennsylvania.

The Phrase “Of the People, by the People and for the People” Was Not Original

Lincoln has been credited with first saying the above phrase, but it came into being much earlier. In 1384, John Wycliffe, the philosopher and theologian, used it in an introduction to the Bible, which he had translated into English. Theodore Parker, an abolitionist preacher, also used the term in an 1850s sermon book, a copy of which Lincoln had in his possession during the early part of the Civil War.

Only One Photo Exists of Lincoln at Gettysburg

The one existing photo of Lincoln that was taken at Gettysburg shows only his head among the crowd. Since he spoke so briefly, it is speculated that photographers did not have enough time to set up equipment and take photos while he was on the stage addressing the audience. This photo was taken by David Bachrach, age 18, who was the uncle of Gertrude Stein, the novelist, playwright and poet.

Only Five Copies of the Gettysburg Address Exist

Following the Gettysburg address, some newspapers reported the speech, but it is doubtful that the words were an exact copy of what Lincoln said. Lincoln wrote it out afterward and gave copies to his two secretaries, John Nicolay and John Hay. All of the five existing copies vary slightly, and two do not contain the words “under God.”

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PHKRAUSE

the last part about the 5 copies  I did not  know

dgrimm60

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5 Things You Didn't Know about the Nuremberg Trials

On November 20, 1945, 24 Nazi leaders went on trial before an international war crimes tribunal in Nuremberg, Germany, following World War II. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the Nuremberg trials...

It Was a Trial Unlike Any Other

While earlier war crimes had been prosecuted, the Nuremberg trials set a precedent for holding a trial internationally for war criminals. Instead of one judge and jury, the United States, Great Britain, France and the Soviet Union each supplied a judge and alternate, while Lord Justice Geoffrey Lawrence of Great Britain presided. This set a precedent for the later prosecution of war crimes by the Japanese in World War II.

It Was the First Time Simultaneous Translation Was Used

Since a mix of English, German, Russian and French were used by both judges and lawyers, IBM developed a system of instant translation to make the process easier. It was combined with a light system at the microphones that turned red when the speaker needed to stop or repeat a statement and yellow when the speaker needed to slow down their speech so the translators could keep up.

Three Defendants Were Acquitted

Out of the 22 Nazis tried for war crimes during the Nuremberg trials, three were acquitted of the charges. Twelve others were sentenced to die by hanging. The remaining were sentenced to prison for terms of ten years up to a life sentence, including Rudolf Hess, a former deputy under Hitler.

Hermann Goering Killed Himself the Night Before His Execution

Hermann Goering, commander of the Luftwaffe and founder of the German Gestapo, killed himself in his cell on October 15, 1946, hours before he was scheduled for execution. He was wearing silk pajamas when he ingested potassium cyanide from a glass capsule that he had sneaked into the prison. Goering left a note for his wife that said he thought being hanged was undignified, and he preferred killing himself instead.

A Number of the Executions Were Botched

Following the suicide of Goering, Allies handcuffed the remaining men to guards and had the last rites administered. They were hanged on October 16, 1946, from a scaffold in the prison’s gymnasium. It took almost two hours to execute the ten men, and because the trap doors were too small and the ropes were short, they died slowly of strangulation.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About Rocky

On this day in 1976, Rocky, starring Sylvester Stallone as the underdog prizefighter Rocky Balboa, debuted in New York City.  The movie was a huge box-office hit and made Stallone one of the biggest stars in Hollywood.  Here are five things you probably didn't know about Rocky...

Studios Originally Wanted Someone Else to Play Rocky

When United Artists offered to buy Stallone's script they were not interested in him playing the lead, preferring to cast an established star like Ryan O'Neal, Robert Redford, James Caan or Burt Reynolds. Stallone insisted that he wouldn't sell the script unless he played the title role.  Studios didn't like the idea of funding a movie with this relatively minor (at that point) actor in the lead, but Stallone worked to reduce the movie's budget so much that eventually, he was able to snag the lead role despite what the studios wanted.

Stallone Got SAG Scale Pay for His Work

Part of the reduction in budget came from Stallone accepting scale as his pay—the minimum set by the Screen Actors Guild. This was not a surprising move; while Stallone had been trying to get more roles and trying to get his break, until Rocky's success, he hadn't been very, well, successful. Studios were more willing to take a chance when less money was at stake.

The Boxer From Philadelphia Was Greatly Admired by the One and Only Charlie Chaplin

The character of Rocky had a surprising fan: Charlie Chaplin. Stallone has gone on record as noting that Chaplin wrote to him and remarked what a fan he was of Stallone's movie, claiming that Rocky reminded him of one of his own characters (most likely the underdog Tramp character from so many of Chaplin's movies). Rocky managed to gain several high-profile fans, including Elvis and Frank Capra.

The Finished Film Was Nothing Like the Original Script

It's not unusual for movie scripts to change drastically from first to final draft. Earlier drafts of the script had Mickey as an angry racist and Rocky throwing the final fight because he no longer wanted to be part of the professional boxing world.  Susan Sarandon auditioned for the role of Adrian but was considered too pretty. Cher was also considered for the role.  The first draft was completed in a little over three days, so changes and revisions were to be expected.

The Film Won 3 Academy Awards

The movie was shot over 28 days with a largely unknown cast – which, at the time, included Sylvester. The film, made on a budget of just over $1 million, was a sleeper hit; it earned $225 million in global box office receipts, becoming the highest-grossing film of 1976, and went on to win three Oscars.  These included best picture, best director (John G Avildsen) and best film editing. In total it received 20 nominations over nine categories – with Sylvester nominated both for his acting and his screenplay.

ps:I for one can not imagine anyone else than Stallone in the part of Rocky!!

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5 Things You Didn't Know about Lee Harvey Oswald

On November 24, 1963, Jack Ruby killed Lee Harvey Oswald as President Kennedy’s assassin was in the process of being transported to a more secure facility. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about Lee Harvey Oswald and his murderer, nightclub owner Jack Ruby...

It Was Speculated That Ruby Was Working for Organized Crime

Although Ruby said he killed Harvey Lee Oswald because he was distraught over the president’s death and didn’t want Kennedy’s wife to go through the discomfort of a trial, it has been speculated that organized crime had a part in the assassination. The chief counsel at the House Select Committee on Assassinations, G. Robert Blakey, stated that Ruby had tried to get to Oswald at least three times within the 48-hour period before he managed to kill the president’s assassin. Although Ruby was known to have friends in organized crime, it was never proven that he was part of a conspiracy to kill Oswald.

Oswald Had Connections With the Soviets

While involvement from the Soviets and Cubans was ruled out by the Warren Commission in the Kennedy assassination, declassified documents show that Oswald did meet with a Soviet Agent. Oswald went to Mexico to the Soviet embassy and Cuban embassy about two months prior to the assassination, and it may have linked to a request he had made about their help with some type of passport or visa issue. However, J. Edgar Hoover, head of the FBI, said that a letter written by Oswald to Valery Kostikov, the KGB’s assassination officer might have “muddied the waters,” a statement that wasn’t clarified any further.

The Shooting of Oswald Was Seen Nationwide

Ruby went to town and stopped to send a money order to an employee and then walked the one half-block to the Dallas police headquarters. Going down to the basement as Oswald was being escorted toward an armored car, Ruby stepped up to him and fired one round from a .38 revolver, fatally wounding Oswald. The shooting of Oswald was seen nationwide by television viewers, and Oswald died shortly afterward at Parkland Memorial Hospital, which was the same place where doctors had tried to save the life of President Kennedy.

Ruby Was Sentenced to Death in Slaying of Lee Harvey Oswald

Ruby was tried and convicted on March 14, 1964, of the murder of Oswald and sentenced to the electric chair. This was the first verdict in a courtroom that was televised. The sentence was reversed on appeal in 1966. However, Ruby died at a Dallas hospital of lung cancer while awaiting retrial in January 1967.

The Conspiracy Theories Are Still Discussed

In 1964, the Warren Commision determined that Oswald and Ruby were not parts of a bigger conspiracy either domestically or internationally to kill the president. However, conspiracy theories about both men continued for years, and another investigation was held by the House Select Committee on Assassinations. In 1978, the committee concluded that the president’s death was probably part of a conspiracy, which may have involved organized crime and multiple shooters.

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5 Things You Didn't Know About The Iran-Contra Affair

On November 25, 1986, the Iran-Contra affair erupted as President Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted to Nicaraguan rebels. Here are 5 things you probably didn’t know about the Iran-Contra scandal...

Arms Were Sold to Iran to Fund the Nicaraguan Contras

The Iran-Contra Affair was a secret U.S. arms deal that traded missiles and other arms to free some Americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms deal to support the Contras in Nicaragua. The controversial dealmaking—and the ensuing political scandal—threatened to bring down the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

A Staff Member in the National Security Council Played a Big Part in the Scandal

It was then that Lieutenant Colonel Oliver North, of the National Security Council, came forward to acknowledge that he had diverted the missing funds to the Contras in Nicaragua, who used them to acquire weapons.  North said he had done so with the full knowledge of National Security Advisor Admiral John Poindexter. He assumed Reagan was also aware of his efforts.

Iran Contra Was Exposed When the Sandinistas Shot Down a Plane

The Sandinistas were a left-wing organization that was trying to remove Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza, while the United States was supporting the Contras, a group of right-wing guerilla fighters. During a shipment of arms, which were thrown out of a plane flying overhead, one of the planes was shot down by a young Sandinista. Three people died in the crash, but Eugene Hasenfus, who had flown missions for the CIA, was captured, and that led to the disclosure that the arms deliveries were organized by the CIA.

The Iran-Contra Scandal Tarnished Reagan's Credibility

Lebanese newspaper Al-Shiraa first reported the arms deal between the United States and Iran in 1986, well into Reagan’s second term.  By that time, 1,500 American missiles had been sold to Iran, for $30 million. Three of the seven hostages in Lebanon were also released, although the Iran-backed terrorist group there later took three more Americans hostage. Reagan initially denied that he had negotiated with Iran or the terrorists, only to retract the statement a week later. Meanwhile, Attorney General Edwin Meese launched an investigation into the weapons deal, and found that some $18 million of the $30 million Iran had paid for the weapons was unaccounted for.

North Received a Suspended Sentence

Oliver North resigned from his position in 1986 and was convicted of three out of 12 charges connected with the Iran-Contra affair. He received a jail sentence of three years, which was suspended, given community service and fined $150,000. A Federal judge overturned the convictions in 1990, and all the charges were dropped in 1991. Eventually, 11 individuals in the Reagan administration were convicted in the scandal.

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About King Tut

On November 26, 1922, archaeologists, led by Howard Carter, entered the tomb of King Tutankhamun, which was full of treasures and artifacts from 3,300 years ago. Here are 5 things you didn’t know about King Tutankhamun, the son of Pharaoh Amenhotep IV.

King Tut Was Only Pharaoh for About 10 Years

King Tutankhamun was referred to as the boy king because he became Pharaoh at about nine years of age and died around ten years later. He was married to his half-sister, Ankhesenamun, which was a common practice among Egyptian royals. Although they had two children together, neither child lived, and they were both interred in the same tomb with their father.

The Tomb Was Supposed to Be Cursed

After opening the tomb, George Herbert, AKA Lord Carnarvon, who helped supply the funds to conduct the search for ancient tombs in Egypt, died after he was bitten by a mosquito on the cheek. The idea of the curse was amplified later by author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle of Sherlock Holmes fame, but then again, Doyle also thought fairies existed. Howard Carter, who opened and explored the tomb, lived for about 16 years without any ill effects, so the curse was probably nothing more than a fanciful idea.

Burial Sites Commonly Carried Curses

Howard Carter was apparently the man who started the idea of the curse while at the excavation site, and it was done to scare away any potential looters. However, Carter wasn’t the first man to come up with the idea because legends of curses had been used as far back as 1616 when William Shakespeare used a curse, “Blessed be the man that spares these stones, and cursed be he that moves my bones" as his epitaph.

Tutankhamun Was Buried in The World’s Most Expensive Coffin

Two of Tutankhamun’s three coffins were made of wood, covered with gold sheet. But, to Howard Carter’s great surprise, the innermost coffin was made from thick sheets of beaten gold. This coffin measures 1.88m in length, and weighs 110.4kg. If it were to be scrapped today it would be worth approximately $1.7 million.  But as Tutankhamun’s final resting place it is, of course, priceless.

King Tut’s Death Was Probably Accidental

For years, it was speculated that King Tut’s death at age 19 came courtesy of a blow to the head, inflicted, perhaps, by a murderous rival. More recently, however, experts have determined that the damage to his mummy’s skull occurred after death, either during the embalming process or at the hands of Carter’s crew. So how did the boy king die? In 2005 a study revealed that he broke his leg and developed an infection in the wound shortly before death. According to one theory, the pharaoh sustained the injury by falling from his chariot during a hunt. Meanwhile, DNA testing in 2010 suggested that Tutankhamen had malaria. Alternate theories about King Tut’s demise still abound, however, including the hypothesis that he succumbed to the lethal bite of an enraged hippopotamus.

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PHKRAUSE

I did not know about WILLIAM SHAKESPEAR  and his epitaph about curses

dgrimm60

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5 Things You Probably Didn't Know about Jimi Hendrix_2

On November 27, 1942, Jimi Hendrix was born and grew up to be one of the most highly rated guitarists in the world. Here are five things you probably didn’t know about this rock legend...

Hendrix Couldn’t Read Music But Played Guitar From an Early Age

n his early years, Hendrix played a broom as a pretend guitar after sweeping the floor in his house. His father gave him a ukulele with one string as a child, and when Hendrix was 16, he gave him a right-handed Supro Ozark electric guitar. The problem was that Hendrix was left-handed, so he played it upside down, at least when his father wasn’t around, which not only set him apart from other musicians but helped him create his own original style.

He Served in the Esteemed 101st Airborne

Hendrix enlisted in 1961 into the Army, and the 101st Airborne was his assigned unit in Fort Campbell, Kentucky, which he served in for about one year. He trained as a paratrooper but injured his ankle in a jump. He was honorably discharged from the Army.

He Formed Jimmy James and the Blue Flames in 1966

Although the band was only in existence for about three months, Hendrix, who was then going by the name Jimmy James, performed in this group with Randy Wolfe, known as Randy California, who had played with the band, Spirit. The bass player was another Randy from Texas, and Danny Palmer was the drummer. They played at Cafe Wha? six days a week and reportedly split $60 a night among the four band members.

Hendrix was 1969’s Performer of the Year

Despite going up against great musicians such as the Rolling Stones and The Beatles, Hendrix was named by Rolling Stone magazine as Performer of the Year for 1969, with three LPs soaring high in the charts in 1968. These were "Are You Experienced?," which was released in 1967, "Axis: Bold as Love" in early 1968 and the two-album "Electric Ladyland," which was released in autumn 1968. "Are You Experienced?" had been previously turned down by Decca Records, but it was on the Billboard charts for 33 weeks, so execs at Decca probably regretted that decision.

Jimi Hendrix Was the Final Act at the Monterey Pop Festival

The June 1967 festival was held at the Monterey County Fairgrounds and was scheduled to last for three days with musical performances by musicians such as Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, the Who and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Hendrix was the closing act, and the last song he played was “Wild Thing.” Toward the end of the song, he doused his guitar in lighter fluid, set it on fire, smashed it to pieces and then tossed those pieces into the audience.