Yet Another Blog

In school, you may not have been a history buff.  After all, it meant memorizing a lot of names and dates you would not likely remember after school was out.  Unless you became a history teacher yourself, you might not see in real purpose in knowing all of these historical facts.  However, you might change your mind about history, just a bit, after you learn a few fun facts that are simply amusing and interesting.  For example:

Did you know . . .

Duct tape was first invented for the Army during World War II.  It was created to solve the problem of protecting ammunition from getting wet, and subsequently not being of any use when needed.  The taped worked.  It kept the ammunition free of moisture.

Although it only came in kelly green at the time, the tape was actually called duck tape, in the beginning, because moisture rolled off of the surface, much like water rolls off the back of a duck.  However, the army soon found some more great uses for this awesomely versatile and strong tape.

It wasn’t long before they discovered that this very strong substance was also great for temporarily fixing mechanical problems with jeeps, until they could get back to base.  Probably the most amazing fact about duct tape is the fact that it might be responsible for saving lives out in the field.  After being wounded, soldiers sometimes used duct tape to bind the injured, until they could get them to proper medical care.

Now you know that duct tape is even more versatile than even you imagined.  So, next time you use it to fix something around the house, you will remember that it got its beginning during a very unsettling time in world history.

Did you know . . .

Eight of the forty-four United States presidents have been left-handed. If you do the math, that is eighteen percent.  While that doesn’t seem like any big deal, maybe it would be a little bit more interesting; if you knew that the national average says that only about ten percent of the population is lefties.

William Shakespeare

Everyone who has gone to school has heard of William Shakespeare.  For those that are fans of poetry, they have probably read more than one of his most famous works. Some would say that he is the most famous poet of his time and still today. But, for those that have really studied his writing, it soon becomes obvious that Shakespeare probably didn’t enjoy the acclaim to fame he has received posthumously.

Shakespeare is a radical of his time.  His writings and his plays were often far from what we would call socially acceptable.  He pushed the limits in both his personal and professional life.

Many of Shakespeare’s plays were acted out in the Globe theatre.  Shakespeare himself was listed as an actor in some of the plays.  Usually, he played bit parts, so he could concentrate on writing.  Unfortunately, the Globe burned down in 1613, after a cannon shot, during the play, started a fire.

For all of his fame today, Shakespeare had a troubled life. His marriage to his wife was a little rushed, as she was already pregnant.  They also had twins a couple of years later.  But, there is some question as to where his true allegiances lay.  Based on some of his sonnets, many scholars believe that Shakespeare was bisexual, and the young gentleman in his love sonnets was a young man of the time that was obviously homosexual.

Shortly before his death, Shakespeare had his will rewritten.  In the will, he left not his best bed but the second and the coverings to his lovely wife.  Shakespeare left majority of his estate his eldest daughter Susanna, and no further mention of his wife was made.  No one knows exactly why precipitated this change.  But, his troubled existence may explain why much of his work was filled with some of the darkest aspects of society. Much of his work may have reflected some of his own internal turmoil.

After only looking at two very well known men that have written some of the most memorable works in history, it seems to support the theory that authors do their best work, when they write about what they know firsthand.  Both of this notable classic writers experienced both successes and failures in their personal and professional lives.  If you take the time to study the correlations, the ups and downs are sure to be reflected in each masterpiece that readers still appreciate today.