Browsing: Lists

A Brief History On October 8, 1982, actor Fernando Lamas died, probably best remembered for the Billy Crystal impression saying the phrase, “You look marvelous!”  Many other actors and celebrities have been attributed quotations they did not really say, and today we look at a few of those. Digging Deeper PT Barnum, showman and huckster, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” Julius Caesar, Roman dictator, “Et tu, Brute?” Albert Einstein, physicist and genius, “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Greta Garbo, actress, “I vant to be alone…”…

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A Brief History On August 22, 2006, Russian mathematician Grigori Perelman was awarded the Fields Medal for creating the proof of the “Poincaré conjecture,” but then he refused the award, explaining, “I’m not interested in money or fame; I don’t want to be on display like an animal in a zoo.” Digging Deeper Some other people that have refused awards include: Three people have refused their Oscar statuettes, including Dudley Nichols in 1936, George Scott in 1970, and Marlon Brando in 1973. Jean-Paul Sartre turned down the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964, as he previously refused France’s Legion of…

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A Brief History On January 2, 2022, the Omicron variant of the Covid virus was on the rise, but that was minor news compared to the top stories of 2022, some of which include: Digging Deeper Russia invaded Ukraine. Inflation ran rampant and gasoline reached an average of $5 per gallon. Queen Elizabeth II died and Charles III took the throne. The Cleveland Browns dumped Baker Mayfield and signed Deshaun Watson to a record contract. Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion. The ongoing investigations of Donald Trump resulted in his company being found guilty of fraud and his tax…

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A Brief History On October 26, 1943, the aptly named Dornier Do 335 Pfeil, or Arrow, made its first flight.  Sleek and menacing looking, this unique fighter had an engine and propeller on both the front and the back of the fuselage and had the performance to match its appearance. Digging Deeper Today, we offer you a list of candidates for the meanest looking plane of World War II, but feel free to add your own choice. Bell P-39 Airacobra Boeing B-17  Flying Fortress Curtiss P-40 Warhawk Dornier Do 335 Pfeil Junkers Ju-87 Messerschmitt Me-163 Komet Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe…

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A Brief History On July 25, 1909, French pilot Louis Bleriot made the first ever heavier than air powered flight across the English Channel in his Type XI monoplane, beating out several rival aviators that were competing for their place in history and also a nice prize of £1000 offered by The Daily Mail, a British newspaper.  Today we take a look at 10 notable airplane flights that have earned the airplane and its pilot and designer a place in aviation history.  Our list is one of interesting flights, not necessarily the most important or a “first.”  You are always…

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