Viral Marco: Euronerds rule!

More Paris travel tips from Euronerd, Steve Ricks!

History Schmistory: March 22. Hey! This doesn’t work on my Kindle!

1457. The Gutenberg Bible became the 1st printed book.

History Schmistory, March 16: Who’s Yer Daddy, Chris?

Ferdinand Magellan, the "Weekend at Bernies" of Explorers

1521 Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan reaches Philippines. Magellan had survived eighteen months at sea, but he was killed in battle in the Philippines. A local warrior persuaded Magellan to defeat his rival in battle. Most of Magellan’s men considered the battle both pointless and dangerous, so they refused to participate. Magellan was hit with a poison arrow in the battle and died. One of Magellan’s five ships did make it back to Spain, only twelve days less than three years after their journey started. Only one ship and eighteen sailors remained of the 265 men accompanied Magellan.

History Schmistory: Yo Ferdman & Izzy–I’m back!

1493. Christopher Columbus returns to Spain after 1st new world voyage. He brings potatoes, stories of Indians, and “Dancing with the Stars.”

Video Schmistory: January 8.

The week of January 8 in History Schmistory!

The Christmas Elves of Scotland

In Scotland, during Christmas, roving bands of elves are warded off by defensive walls of fire. AWESOME!

Christmas Around the World Full Episode!

Rent the full Christmas episode today.  At $1.99, it’s barely more than a ha’penny!

History Schmistory: August 31. Zeppelin’s Zeppelin

1895: German Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin patents his navigable balloon. He soon explores the heavens in search of the elusive stairway.

By Till Krech from Berlin, Germany (stairway to heaven  Uploaded by perumalism) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

By Till Krech from Berlin, Germany (stairway to heaven Uploaded by perumalism) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

History Schmistory: August 30. “Vhaaaat?”

1940: Nazi Germany re-assigns Romania’s Northern Transylvania territory to Hungary. They hold daytime meetings to avoid Dracula.

By Screenshot from "Internet Archive" of the movie Dracula (1958) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

By Screenshot from “Internet Archive” of the movie Dracula (1958) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

History Schmistory: August 29. Mafia Schmafia!

1991: Libero Grassi was a successful business man, a proud father and a well-loved human being throughout Sicily. When his fancy underwear business became a success, the mafia came calling to extort his profits. Instead of paying them off, he decided to go public with the incident, sending a scathing open letter to the Palermo daily newspaper with the heading, “Dear Extortionist”. He later appeared on national tv to further amplify the issue.

Dear mafia, I challenge you”

Libero was not only standing up to the mafia, but also exposing a dispassionate  government which repeatedly turned a blind eye to fearful communities throughout Sicily. Twenty years ago today, Libero Grassi was gunned down while taking a stroll. He had even turned down police protection, almost as if he was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for the greater good

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