In 1979, two families escaped East Germany in a homemade hot air balloon. They flew for 28 minutes at −8 °C (18 °F) with no shelter as the gondola was just a clothesline railing. They landed just 10km (6.2 mi) from the border. The escape was planned out over 1 and 1/2 years and took 3 attempts.
politics
In 1984, New Zealand Prime Minister Robert…
In 1984, New Zealand Prime Minister Robert Muldoon got drunk and decided to spontaneously call a general election, which he lost.
As Pres. Grover Cleveland and his…
As Pres. Grover Cleveland and his wife were moving out of the White House, she told staff to take care of the place because “We are coming back four years from today.” Cleveland won another term and moved back in four years later.
Lake Tahoe at one time was named Lake….
Lake Tahoe at one time was named Lake Bigler in honor of the popular third governor of California. However, once it was revealed that Bigler was a Confederate sympathizer during the US Civil War, his name was removed from the lake and renamed Tahoe.
A new religion has emerged…
A new religion has emerged in Tennessee that believes all US voting days are a religious holiday, legally allowing all members to vote by mail. They have Ministers in Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and Georgia.
In 1948 Lyndon B Johnson used a helicopter…
In 1948 Lyndon B Johnson used a helicopter to campaign for office. He would hover over farmers working in their fields, many who had never seen a helicopter, and blare through the loudspeaker: “Hello, down there! This is your friend, Lyndon Johnson, your candidate for the United States Senate.”
When Tom Hanks was touring…
When Tom Hanks was touring the White House, he learned that the press corps didn’t have a coffee pot so he donated one then, and again in ’10 and ’17. “Keep up the good fight for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Especially for the truth part” is the message that accompanied the ’17 machine.
A bizarre incident involving…
A bizarre incident involving a fictitious write-in candidacy occurred in the small town of Picoazá, Ecuador in 1967. A company ran a series of campaign-themed advertisements for a foot powder called Pulvapies. Pulvapies ended up receiving the most votes in the election.
Most parents do not successfully transmit…
Most parents do not successfully transmit their political values to their children, according to new research which found education appears to make children more likely to reject whatever that they believe their parents to be.
During a concert in Ireland, Dave…
During a concert in Ireland, Dave Mustaine (of Megadeth) drunkenly dedicated a song to “the cause” and yelled “give Ireland back to the Irish!”. A riot then broke out between the Catholics and Protestants and Megadeath had to travel in a bulletproof bus.