You’ve probably heard the saying “the Greeks had a word for it” (sometimes given as “the Greeks have a word for it”). But you may not be aware of how…
Year: 2014
Is Nathan Hale’s legendary line “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country” a true quote, a misquote or pure fiction?
On September 22, 1776, during the Revolutionary War, a former school teacher named Nathan Hale was hanged by the British for being a rebel spy. According to legend, Hale uttered…
The ironic dual anniversary of “subliminal advertising” and the Bushism “subliminable”…
On September 12, 1957, market researcher James Vicary held a press conference that made a new term famous. Vicary claimed to have developed “hidden” ads that could be used in…
On this date in 1813, Oliver Hazard Perry launched two immortal naval quotations…
On September 10, 1813, American ships under the command of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry engaged a British naval squadron on Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Perry’s flagship was…
“The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost” become official
The fracturing of the Christian religion into various churches and doctrines with different beliefs started in the early centuries of Christianity. One source of division was a debate between Christians…
“I’ll die young, but it’s like kissing God.”
On August 3, 1966, the brilliant, boundary-stretching and, unfortunately, drug-addicted American comedian Lenny Bruce was found dead in the bathroom of his home in Hollywood, California. A syringe and other…
“Paris is worth a mass.” (“Paris vaut une messe.”)
From 1562 to 1598, a series of bloody wars was waged in France between Catholics and Protestant Huguenots, collectively called “The French Wars of Religion.” This particular series of European…
“I didn’t fire him because he was a dumb son of a bitch, although he was…”
Two famous quotes by President Harry S. Truman are linked to the date April 11. The first is something Truman said about a historic announcement he made on April 11,…
“Each man kills the thing he loves.” (Sometimes with a straight razor.)
On February 13, 1898, the first edition of Oscar Wilde’s now famous poem “The Ballad of Reading Gaol” was published in London by publisher Leonard Smithers. Those initial copies of…
Looking back at some famous quotes generated by the “Lewinsky Scandal”
In addition to generating a lot of political fireworks, the “Lewinsky Scandal” involving President Bill Clinton and 22-year-old White House intern Monica Lewinsky generated several famous quotations. On January 26,…