Browsing: Lists

A Brief History On August 7, 1909, Alice Huyler Ramsey and 3 other women completed a 59-day road trip from New York to San Francisco, the first women to drive across the continent in a car.  Other women have also been famous or notorious for what they did in or on cars; some may have already been famous and others achieved fame because of their association with a car.  Here we list 10 such women.  (Dishonorable Mention to Britney Spears for not knowing how to get in or out of a car and to Lindsay Lohan for not knowing how to drive.)…

A Brief History On August 6, 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim across the English Channel.  An American with German parents, Ederle had already won a Gold Medal and 2 Bronze Medals in the 1924 Olympics when she dared the cold, rough waters of the Channel.  Many women over the years have become famous while wearing swimsuits, whether in movies, posters or in competitive swimming.  Here we list 10 of the most famous women in bathing gear.   Digging Deeper 10.  Gertrude Ederle. Already a famous swimmer when she swam the 20+ miles across the English Channel, Ederle’s time of…

A Brief History On August 5, 1861, the Federal Government of the United States instituted its first income tax to help pay for the Civil War.  With a tax rate of only 3% on all income over $800, it may seem like a bargain today, but at the time it was about as popular as emptying the chamber pot.  Governments have a way of irritating their people with unpopular laws, and here we list 10 such legislative actions.  Some have been rescinded, while others just will not go away.   Digging Deeper 10. Income Tax. Everyone seems to have their own…

A Brief History On August 4, 1693, the monk Dom Peringnon is traditionally believed to have invented Champagne.  This belief is not the case, but many people still believe he did, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary.  Many historical “facts” believed by the general public are simply not accurate.  On July 23 and July 24, 2014, we listed 10 such errors.  Here we list 10 more common misunderstandings.   Digging Deeper 10. General Short and Admiral Kimmel were scapegoats. The Pearl Harbor debacle was blamed on the Army and Navy commanders of the U.S. forces in Hawaii, although many people…

A Brief History On August 3, 1921, the Commissioner of Baseball, Judge Kennesaw Mountain Landis, reaffirmed the ban from baseball of the 8 players involved in the “Black Sox” scandal, even though they had just been acquitted in criminal court.  Accused of throwing the 1919 World Series, the group included the immortal Shoeless Joe Jackson, one of the game’s most popular players.  The world of sports has since been beset by scandals over the years.  Here we list 10 of the most famous and most interesting cases.  Which cases would you include in this list?  Do we need a sequel? (Hint:…