Tidbits Archives - Page 4 of 20 - Useless Information

Useless Information

Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

Footnote – 1952: Dammed Missouri Valley Book Disappears in Flood

Published on October 12, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Humor, Tidbits

A patron was unable to return the book The Dammed Missouri Valley to his local library because the river had taken it away in a flood.

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Footnote – 1947: Lazy Man Makes Tough Job Simple

Published on October 8, 2021

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

Clarence E. Bleicher, president of the Chrysler Corp.'s De Soto division, told the US Senate's Labor Commission how he solves tough jobs at his plant.

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A Woman Had Some Run-Ins With Modern Appliances (1957)

Published on October 5, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Tidbits

Firemen had to be called to get Virginia Schoen's hands out of her garbage disposal. They later returned to get her toe out of her refrigerator door.

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Footnote – 1936: Mother Has Leap Year Babies

Published on October 1, 2021

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

In 1936, Mrs. Ralph E, Hansen gave birth to her second child born on leap day - February 29th.

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16-Year-Old Girl Jailed for Cursing

Published on September 28, 2021

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Tidbits

On Friday, January 30, 1953, 16-year-old Yvonne D. Fonda was jailed for cursing while skating at the Flushing Park Skating Rink in Queens, NY.

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Footnote – 1928: Husband Refuses to Buy His Wife False Teeth

Published on September 24, 2021

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Footnotes to History, Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

In 1928, Mathias Blau was in a Chicago courtroom because he had his wife's teeth pulled and refused to purchase dentures for her.

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72-Year-Old Woman Marries 20-Year-Old Man

Published on September 22, 2021

Posted in: Love & Marriage, Tidbits

In 1926, 72-year-old Mary E. Mouring married 20-year-old Roy Hinton Matthews in Newport News, Virginia. Would the marriage last?

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Footnote – 1914: Speaking English Deforms the Mouth

Published on September 18, 2021

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

In 1914, Lord Ashbourne described to an audience how the speaking of English deformed the human jaw.

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Retrocast #3 – Podcast #156

Published on September 15, 2021

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts, Tidbits

A 72-year-old woman who married a 20-year-old man, a 16-year-old girl arrested for cursing, a woman who had some run-ins with modern appliances, speaking English deforms the mouth, a husband who refused to buy his wife false teeth, and more!

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Saved From Nazi Firing Squad by Freak of Fate

Published on September 3, 2021

Posted in: Escape and Survival, Tidbits

In 1944, Majlech Elencwajg stood with many others before a Nazi firing squad. He miraculously survived the shooting.

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Mother Loans Her Son to a Stranger

Published on August 27, 2021

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Tidbits

Mrs. Florence Parker made the mistake of loaning her son Billy to a woman who had lost her son. Mrs. Parker would not see Billy for five months...

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Runaway Boy Couldn’t Learn Latin

Published on August 20, 2021

Posted in: Schools & Education, Tidbits

In 1916, 15-year-old Rolla Bostwick ran away from home because he was unable to master Latin.

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Retrocast #2 – Podcast #154

Published on August 15, 2021

Posted in: Podcast, Retrocasts, Tidbits

Boy runs away because he can't master Latin, a mother who loaned her son to a stranger, a man who survived a Nazi firing squad, cows killed by lightning, man's leg broken three times, 200 hog call records stolen, a helicopter melon thief, & more!

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Footnote – 1952: Parrot In Tree Cries ‘I Like Ike’

Published on August 10, 2021

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Footnotes to History, Tidbits

In 1952, a parrot escaped from a London apartment and took to a tree outside of Parliament. It had been taught to say "I Like Ike."

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Footnote – 1949: Farmer Joe Solves Vacation Milking by Taking Cow Along

Published on August 7, 2021

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Footnotes to History, Tidbits

Farmer Joe Trevethan was unable to take a vacation of twenty years because he needed to milk his cow. So, he took the cow with him.

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