US President Nixon believed that France, Italy and Latin America are too immature for democracy and should instead be ruled by authoritarian regimes.
politics
In 1911, a House Member introduced….
In 1911, a House Member introduced a resolution to abolish the Senate because it “has become an obstructive and useless body, a menace to the liberties of the people, and an obstacle to social growth;” His proposal died silently in committee.
The Danish protest pig is a rare breed of pigs…
The Danish protest pig is a rare breed of pigs originating in Denmark. In the 19th century, Prussians prohibited the use of the Danish flag so the farmers started to create a new breed that resembles their flag. The red-white pigs quickly became a symbol of Danish cultural independence.
Reagan and Gorbachev agreed to fight aliens…
Reagan and Gorbachev agreed to fight aliens together. Reagan was also a Sci-fi fan and appointed many sci-fi writers to government think-tanks.
Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president…
Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, ran and won his campaign from prison. Once elected president, he released himself.
The US provided Laos with funds…
The US provided Laos with funds and concrete to expand an airport which could serve as a base for US fighter jets during the Vietnam War. But as the funds and concrete arrived before any contract was signed, Laos decided instead to build a memorial to soldiers who died in World War II.
The population of Rio de Janeiro…
The population of Rio de Janeiro was so unsatisfied with its politicians during the election of 1988, that a well-known local monkey from a zoo received over 400,000 votes.
Gaddafi had a serious obsession with…
Gaddafi had a serious obsession with Condoleezza Rice, showering her with over $200,000 in gifts and having a famous local composer write a song for her called “Black Flower in the White House”.
After Chairman Mao gifted mangoes…
After Chairman Mao gifted mangoes to workers during China’s Cultural Revolution, a mango cult developed, with workers preserving mangoes in formaldehyde and making wax mango replicas. Workers worshipped mangoes, holding processions that celebrated them and equating them with Mao’s image.
At a 1976 Amsterdam chess tournament….
At a 1976 Amsterdam chess tournament, Soviet grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi politely asked an English competitor how to spell the words “political asylum.” He then went straight to a police station and announced that he wished to defect.