Thalidomide caused widespread deformities in babies born throughout Europe (particularly the limbs). The drug, which was prescribed in the 1950s for morning sickness, is thought to have… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 8, 2019 – The Doctor Who Said “No” To Thalidomide”
Category: Fact Du Jour
Fact Du Jour – September 7, 2019 – Tasmania – Former Penal Colony
The Australian state of Tasmania, formerly called Van Diemen’s Land, was the former site of the Port Arthur prison facility, which is an open-air museum today. It… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 7, 2019 – Tasmania – Former Penal Colony”
Fact Du Jour – September 6, 2019 – Shark Scare of 1916
Director Steven Spielberg (and his tube socks) on the set of Jaws. Nearly sixty years before the release of the 1975 movie Jaws, a real-life Jaws story… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 6, 2019 – Shark Scare of 1916”
Fact Du Jour – September 5, 2019 – Baiae – Sunken Playground For Roman Emperors
Baiae, a sunken city located west of Naples, Italy, once served as a playground for the Roman elite, including the brutal, sadistic, controversial young emperor Caligula. Seismic… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 5, 2019 – Baiae – Sunken Playground For Roman Emperors”
Fact Du Jour – September 4, 2019 – U.S. President Whose Second Language Was English
You might already know that Martin Van Buren was the eighth president of the United States and might also know he was one of a few presidents… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 4, 2019 – U.S. President Whose Second Language Was English”
Fact Du Jour – September 3, 2019 – Presidents Who Served in the U.S. Civil War
William McKinley was the last U.S. president to be a veteran of the U.S. Civil War. Other U.S. presidents who were U.S. Civil War veterans were Ulysses… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 3, 2019 – Presidents Who Served in the U.S. Civil War”
Fact Du Jour – September 2, 2019 – Secret Service and the President
Secret Service agents and former president Barack Obama How many U.S. presidents were assassinated before an act of Congress decreed that they would have Secret Service protection?… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 2, 2019 – Secret Service and the President”
Fact Du Jour – September 1, 2019 – Inspiration for Octopus’ Garden
Ringo Starr and Peter Sellers Ringo Starr was inspired to write Octopus’ Garden, the last Beatles song to feature Starr on lead vocals, by taking a boat… Read more “Fact Du Jour – September 1, 2019 – Inspiration for Octopus’ Garden”
Fact Du Jour – August 31, 2019 – First PG-13/NC-17 Films
Red Dawn, 1984, was the first film to receive the PG-13 rating. Henry and June, 1990, was the first film to receive a NC-17 rating. It’s the… Read more “Fact Du Jour – August 31, 2019 – First PG-13/NC-17 Films”
Fact Du Jour – August 30, 2019 – Teddy Roosevelt’s War On Mosquitoes
The building of the Panama Canal was arguably one of the biggest civil engineering projects in the world’s history. The project cost about $400 million and took… Read more “Fact Du Jour – August 30, 2019 – Teddy Roosevelt’s War On Mosquitoes”
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