When it comes to trivial knowledge, the US presidents are second only to opera and playwrights in the list of "things that are always on Jeopardy that I know very little about". To rectify the situation, I picked up a copy of this month's Mental Floss. Mental Floss, for those who don't read it, is my new favourite magazine. Essentially, it's just a bimonthly compilation of interesting stories, completely unbound by such petty restrictions as "themes" or "genres". The Sept/Oct issue's cover story promises "Presidential Secrets", and there are some pretty good ones within. Here are my favourites:
- The 33rd president, Harry S Truman's middle name was actually just S.
- Fattest president: William Howard Taft. Couldn't tie his own shoes.
- James Garfield (president #22) could write Greek with one hand, and Latin with the other. Simultaneously.
- Richard Nixon ate the same lunch for almost every single day of his presidency: rye crackers, skim milk, a canned Dole pineapple ring, and a scoop of cottage cheese.
- Shortest president: James Madison (5'5", 100 pounds).
Bring it on, Trebek.
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