Meanwhile, in the spirit of the season

saltwn · #1 (**permalink**) 09-15-2008, 12:52 AM

Meanwhile, in the spirit of the season, here are some interesting tidbits about some past U.S. presidents...

-6th President John Quincy Adams (March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829), customarily took a nude early morning swim in the Potomac River.

-8th President Martin Van Buren (March 4, 1837 – March 4,1841) was the first President born after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 making him the first President born a U.S. citizen. Van Buren was delivered on December 5, 1782.

-16th President Abraham Lincoln (March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865) was the tallest President. He stood 6 feet, 4 inches (193 centimeters) tall.

-20th President James A. Garfield (March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881) was able to write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other
-22nd and 24th President Grover Cleveland (March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897) (March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889) discovered a malignant cancer on the roof of his mouth in 1893 against the backdrop of a market crisis involving free silver coinage. To avoid further market panic, he and his doctors snuck aboard a cruise boat and performed surgery to remove the growth. The public were told that he was on a fishing trip and first discovered the truth in 1917.

-26th President Theodore Roosevelt (September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909) gave the teddy bear its name. On a hunting trip to Mississippi, a number of Roosevelt's aides chased an American Black Bear until it was exhausted before clubbing it and tying it to a willow tree so that the president could make a kill on what had so far been an unsuccessful hunt. The president refused to kill the old bear for sport, ordering that it be put down to end its suffering. The anecdote inspired a cartoon that was run in numerous papers of Roosevelt sparing a cute, large-headed bear cub. A New York shopkeeper, Morris Michtom, saw the cartoons and came upon the idea of selling toy bears under the name "Teddy's Bear". The rest is history.
-29th President Warren Gamaliel Harding (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923), who became infamous for his White House poker games where the whiskey flowed freely despite Prohibition and for his keen interest in burlesque, also died under mysterious circumstances against the backdrop of a scandal. Harding's administration was accused of transferring naval oil reserves in Wyoming into private hands in return for bribes in what became known as the Teapot Dome scandal. After returning from holiday in Alaska as news of the disgrace was breaking out, Harding developed fatigue, symptoms of food poisoning and pneumonia before dying suddenly. Some speculate that he was poisoned by his wife.

-35th President John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963) gave a speech in West Berlin in 1963 during the Cold War with the Soviet Union that emphasized the importance of the "free world" fighting the "Communist world". In an attempt to communicate with the Berliners in German, Kennedy's speech included the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner," or "I am a Berliner." While his audience understood his meaning, that West Berlin represented the beginning of the free world, Kennedy had actually said something along the lines of "I am a popular local pastry product." By including the article "ein" before "Berliner" Kennedy introduced himself as a jam filled cake nicknamed 'the Berliner'
-40th President Ronald Reagan was the oldest elected president at 69 years old

So now ya know!

cnredd · #2 (**permalink**) 09-15-2008, 03:36 AM

42nd President William Jefferson Clinton - Decided on his own to legally change the definition of the word "is"...

saltwn · #3 (**permalink**) 09-15-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

42nd President William Jefferson Clinton - Decided on his own to legally change the definition of the word "is"...

And was one of the best Presidents in modern history, unlike the drug store cowboy who took us all to hell in a handbbasket with deregulation so we had to "downsize", which ultimately lead to homelessness for a big chunk of formerly middle class citizens, the closing of every bank in the state of Texas, the early closing of schools and early release of prisoners in the state of Louisiana. This after workers had flooded those two states wandering for a job.

This was supposed to be a light hearted thread about some historical trivia on the Presidents, but if you want to take the gloves off...

Game On!

marylouc · #4 (**permalink**) 09-15-2008, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saltwn

Meanwhile, in the spirit of the season, here are some interesting tidbits about some past U.S. presidents...

-6th President John Quincy Adams (March 4, 1825 – March 4, 1829), customarily took a nude early morning swim in the Potomac River.

-8th President Martin Van Buren (March 4, 1837 – March 4,1841) was the first President born after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776 making him the first President born a U.S. citizen. Van Buren was delivered on December 5, 1782.

-16th President Abraham Lincoln (March 4, 1861 – April 15, 1865) was the tallest President. He stood 6 feet, 4 inches (193 centimeters) tall.

-20th President James A. Garfield (March 4, 1881 – September 19, 1881) was able to write Latin with one hand and Greek with the other
-22nd and 24th President Grover Cleveland (March 4, 1893 – March 4, 1897) (March 4, 1885 – March 4, 1889) discovered a malignant cancer on the roof of his mouth in 1893 against the backdrop of a market crisis involving free silver coinage. To avoid further market panic, he and his doctors snuck aboard a cruise boat and performed surgery to remove the growth. The public were told that he was on a fishing trip and first discovered the truth in 1917.

-26th President Theodore Roosevelt (September 14, 1901 – March 4, 1909) gave the teddy bear its name. On a hunting trip to Mississippi, a number of Roosevelt's aides chased an American Black Bear until it was exhausted before clubbing it and tying it to a willow tree so that the president could make a kill on what had so far been an unsuccessful hunt. The president refused to kill the old bear for sport, ordering that it be put down to end its suffering. The anecdote inspired a cartoon that was run in numerous papers of Roosevelt sparing a cute, large-headed bear cub. A New York shopkeeper, Morris Michtom, saw the cartoons and came upon the idea of selling toy bears under the name "Teddy's Bear". The rest is history.
-29th President Warren Gamaliel Harding (March 4, 1921 – August 2, 1923), who became infamous for his White House poker games where the whiskey flowed freely despite Prohibition and for his keen interest in burlesque, also died under mysterious circumstances against the backdrop of a scandal. Harding's administration was accused of transferring naval oil reserves in Wyoming into private hands in return for bribes in what became known as the Teapot Dome scandal. After returning from holiday in Alaska as news of the disgrace was breaking out, Harding developed fatigue, symptoms of food poisoning and pneumonia before dying suddenly. Some speculate that he was poisoned by his wife.

-35th President John F. Kennedy (January 20, 1961 – November 22, 1963) gave a speech in West Berlin in 1963 during the Cold War with the Soviet Union that emphasized the importance of the "free world" fighting the "Communist world". In an attempt to communicate with the Berliners in German, Kennedy's speech included the phrase "Ich bin ein Berliner," or "I am a Berliner." While his audience understood his meaning, that West Berlin represented the beginning of the free world, Kennedy had actually said something along the lines of "I am a popular local pastry product." By including the article "ein" before "Berliner" Kennedy introduced himself as a jam filled cake nicknamed 'the Berliner'
-40th President Ronald Reagan was the oldest elected president at 69 years old

So now ya know!

saltwin, you are just a fount of information.

saltwn · #5 (**permalink**) 09-18-2008, 12:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marylouc

saltwin, you are just a fount of information.

Actually I am an addicted "surfer". I found this info "stumbling" on Welcome to StumbleUpon.

The neatest little relaxation tool I have found. You just enter your likes and interests and start stumbling on a world of knowledge (or games or whatever

).
But I do love trivia. I can't remember important stuff sometimes, but I can tell you the history of mayonnaise!

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

The Following User Says Thank You to saltwn For This Useful Post:
marylouc