In 1802 the US Congress established the West Point Military Academy in New York. It was originally going to be called East Point Military Academy, but the developers were holding the map upside down. To this day the Army hasn’t forgotten the shame and forces new recruits to spend a week memorizing directions and learning to read maps.
In 1850 the novel “The Scarlet Letter,” by Nathaniel Hawthorne, was published for the first time. It was an instant success with English teachers, causing school age children everywhere to cry out in distress. Yet another book added to the reading list that would require a 1500 word essay.
In 1926 physicist Robert H. Goddard launched the first liquid-fuel rocket. At least that’s what he is credited for. Goddard was actually making an effort to create a new type of fizzy drink to replace carbonation. Needless to say he was rather shocked when he popped the top and the bottle flew through the ceiling.
In 1993 in France, ostrich meat was officially declared fit for human consumption. Until then it was illegal? These are the people who eat snails and frog legs. What possible reason could exist for them to say ostrich meat wasn’t edible? Maybe because it wasn’t cheese.
