POLITICS

5 Out-of-Alphabetical-Order Nations of the UN

For most situations, the UN relies on that old standard of impartial organization. But some nations don't show up where you'd expect them to.

8 Other World Leaders Who Got Divorced in Office

Sometimes, love and politics don't mix.

9 Highlights from GQ's Kim Jong Il Expose

An interview with Kim Jong Il's former sushi chef reveals wild parties, Beijing Big Mac runs, and an obsession with Iron Chef

10 Contestants for Earth's Next Superpower

These nations have been dismissed as underdogs and weaklings. But like budding superheroes, they’ve been sitting on hidden talents. And now they’re about to fly.

Oleksii Liskonih/iStock via Getty Images

45 Odd Facts About U.S. Presidents

Here's a whole bunch of strange facts about all the people who have been President of the United States, including the one named Leslie.

The Senate’s Sweetest Secret

A U.S. senator can pull some pretty long hours on the floor initiating, passing, and enacting the laws that govern our nation, but the lawmakers have a secret that C-SPAN’s live broadcasts don’t reveal. In the farthest back row of the Senate Chamber, near

Can You Fire the Pope?

Reader Gabrielle wrote in to ask: “Can a pope be ousted? And has it happened before?”

5 Famous Filibusters

After a mere 13 hours Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul ended his filibuster against the nomination of John Brennan for CIA director. While the thought of more than half a day of nonstop speaking may make the glossophobes among us (consider my hand raised) bla

Benjamin Franklin and Jonathan Swift Were Fart Joke Masters

Benjamin Franklin was many things: printer, inventor, postmaster, turkey-zapper, constitution-signer, and connoisseur of fart jokes. The founding father fancied flatus. So much, actually, that in 1781 he penned an essay dedicated to the thunder down under

The Best Baseball Players Ever, According to Richard Nixon

Over the Borderline: The Little Bit of Minnesota That Could Have Gone Canadian

If you look at a map of North America, you’ll notice that the Canada–United States border is strikingly straight from the Pacific Ocean to about a third of the way across Minnesota, where it hiccups and then squiggles the rest of the way to the Atlantic O

12 Historical Speeches Nobody Ever Heard

For every speech, there are a bunch of versions that ended up on the writers' room floor. Here are 12 speeches that were written but, for a variety of reasons, never delivered.

President Ronald Reagan with German chancellor Helmut Kohl at the Berlin Wall in 1987.

Tear Out This Line: How Ronald Reagan’s Most Famous Words Almost Got Silenced

On June 12, 1987, President Reagan stood by the Berlin Wall and implored: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" It is one of Reagan's most famous speeches and most memorable lines—but it almost never made it past Reagan's lips.

Martin Van Buren Had a Really Nice Toilet

It's December 5th, and we all know what that means: The time has come, once again, to celebrate Martin Van Buren's birthday. In commemoration of the eighth U.S. president, who would have turned a ripe 230 years old today, his upstate New York hometown of

4 Early American Politicians Rocked by Sex Scandals

General David Petraeus resigned his position and ended any hope of a run for the presidency over a sex scandal. While his actions weren't appropriate, he was just carrying on a long tradition of powerful men in government ruining their careers for a roll

There Are Only 22 Countries in the World That the British Haven’t Invaded

Of the almost 200 current member states (and one observer state) of the United Nations, the British have, at some point in history, invaded and established a military presence in 171 of them.

Element5 Digital, Unsplash // Public Domain

Why Do Nebraska and Maine Split Electoral Votes?

In the majority of the United States, one candidate gets all of a state’s electoral votes. Two states, however, don’t have to go the all-or-nothing route: Nebraska and Maine, thanks to the Congressional District Method.

Where Did The Idea Of "Red States" and "Blue States" Come From?

Wikimedia CommonsThat’s all, folks: The 2012 election is finally over. In the run up, we tackled big election questions, from why we vote on Tuesdays to what would happen in the event of a natural disaster on Election Day to whether Americans actually mov

How the Presidency Sort of, Maybe, Almost Might Have Gotten Cursed

William Henry Harrison, Tecumseh, and Tenskwatawa. In 1809, William Henry Harrison, then governor of the Indiana Territories, was negotiating the Fort Wayne Treaty to secure native lands for white settlers in Indiana and Illinois. He was buying the land

10 Public Figures Who Choose Not to Vote

We’re not telling you not to vote. We’re just saying that these 10 people won’t be (or didn’t). 1. Nate Silver When “Poblano” began publishing his 2008 presidential election predictions and analyses on Daily Kos in 2007, people paid attention. Then “Pobl

9 Tips for that James K. Polk Bash You’re Probably Planning

Wikimedia Commons Looking for ways to go wild this weekend? Then think about throwing a big-time 217th birthday bash for one of America’s least known presidents of all time, Mr. James K. Polk, born November 2, 1795. Here are some hosting tips to get you

The White House of Horrors: 4 Ghosts Haunting 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Wikimedia Commons Sure, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue isn't exactly the Amityville house, but that big, drafty mansion is one of the most haunted of houses in America. Over the decades, and particularly in the early ones, the presidents and families who have

A Brief History of Political Halloween Masks (and What They Tell Us About the Election)

You can't visit a Halloween store without seeing the vinyl visages of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney. Dressing up as the incumbent president on October 31 dates back to the 1960s at least, though some beloved political figures, like George Washington and Ab

Boo-reaucrats: 8 Presidential Families—And Pets!—Dressed Up for Halloween

Politicians have to dress the part. Before public appearances, they meet with image consultants to ensure that they're wearing the perfect power tie and accessorizing with American flag memorabilia that's noticeable without being ostentatious. But what mi

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