History Schmistory, March 18: Start Your Engines!
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
1858. Rudolf Diesel, German engineer and Diesel motor inventor, is born. He wears cool clothes, but, turns down a part in “Fast and Furious.”
History Schmistory: St. Patrick’s Day
Monday, March 17, 2025
St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD.
History Schmistory, March 16: Who’s Yer Daddy, Chris?
Sunday, March 16, 2025
Ferdinand Magellan, the "Weekend at Bernies" of Explorers
History Schmistory: Yo Ferdman & Izzy–I’m back!
Saturday, March 15, 2025
1493. Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after 1st new world voyage. He brings potatoes, stories of Indians, and “Dancing with the Stars.”
GO THERE! Travel Tips from the Experts!
Friday, March 7, 2025
Hey, if it happens in New York, baby, you know its good. Here are the top travel tips from The New York Times Travel Show!
History Schmistory: February 23. The world looks mighty good to me.
Sunday, February 23, 2025
1896: The Tootsie Roll is invented, and gives rise to an unusual morphological phenomenon…
History Schmistory: February 21. “The new phone book’s here, the new phone book’s here!”
Friday, February 21, 2025
1878: The first telephone book is issued in New Haven, Connecticut. It was basically one cardboard page with a list of 50 businesses that could afford to have telephones. There was no number system yet, as every connection could be made by one operator at a switchboard. Over the next hundred years the phonebook took a giant step, partly by becoming just that; a giant step, perfect for reaching the cookie jar and other such unobtainables. Today it appears the phone book is doomed of extinction. Should we do away with phone books altogether? Who knows, maybe in another hundred years, they might be the only thing left to keep us warm. Let’s hope not.
-In the meantime here’s some other cool stuff you can do with them…
GO THERE! …or wait until it’s finished.
Thursday, February 20, 2025
The Sanctuary of Truth is a temple in Pattaya, Thailand, visualized by Thai businessman Lek Viriyaphant in 1981. The sanctuary is an all-wood building filled with Visionary art carvings based on traditional Buddhist and Hindu motifs. A team of 250 carvers contribute to the project, which is technically not scheduled to be completed until 2025. But at this point we think it’s awesome enough to check out as is.
History Schmistory: February 20. Hofer heaven’s sake!
Thursday, February 20, 2025
1810: Andreas Hofer, a humble Tirolean innkeeper turned patriot, who became the leader of a rebellion against Napoleon’s forces, is executed by firing squad under Napoleon’s order to “give him a fair trial, then shoot him.” Hofer refused a blindfold, passing money to the corporal with orders to “shoot straight”. In his final letter Hofer proclaimed; “Goodbye disappearing world! Dying is so easy that my eyes have no tears.” Today he is regarded as a national hero in Tirol and much of Austria and Germany. Even has a four star hotel named after him. As a former innkeeper, he probably would appreciate that.
