Professors
Art critic
Pandora's Inbox
Make a wish
Get a job
The Fall of the Onomatopoeian Empire
Robert De Nero
Rome 1582
Barbarians
Night of the long knives
The Pedants' Revolt
King Tut
History repeats
Boston 1876
Alternative gladiator
Aethelred the Oven Ready
Siren

Fact of the Day

The Latin word for an hour is hora. An hour made smaller is an hora minuta, from minuere (to lessen). An hour made smaller for a second time is an hora minuta secunda. From this, English has hours, minutes and seconds.

Quote of the Day

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. "
~ John F. Kennedy

On This Day

1541 The German-Swiss Paracelsus, alchemist and 'herald of toxicology' who made significant contributions to the use of chemistry in medicine, died in Salzburg.
1645 Charles I suffered a personal defeat at the Battle of Rowton Heath when the army he was leading lost to the Parliamentarians and thus failed to relieve the Siege of Chester.
1652 Highwayman Captain James Hind was executed for treason. He had targeted Roundheads and become something of a Cavalier hero.
1869 Two speculators, Jay Gould and James Fisk, caused havoc on the New York Gold Exchange when they used insider information obtained through their friendship with US president Ulysses S. Grant to manipulate the price of gold. 'Black Friday' led to economic destabilisation, the ruin of thousands of businessmen, and questions over Grant's presidency, but Gould and Fisk managed to escape prosecution.