Although Dirty Harry is arguably Clint Eastwood’s signature role, he was not a top contender for the part. The role of Harry Callahan was offered to John Wayne and Frank Sinatra, and later to Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, and Burt Lancaster. Dirty Harry is a 1971 American neo-noir action-thriller film…
The “40 acres and a mule” promise featured prominently in the class action racial discrimination lawsuit of Pigford v. Glickman. In his opinion, federal judge Paul L. Friedman ruled that the United States Department of Agriculture had discriminated against African-American farmers, and wrote: “Forty acres and a mule. For the…
The key operational planner of the September 11 attacks was Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (often referred to simply as “KSM” in the later 9/11 Commission Report and in the media), who had spent his youth in Kuwait. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed became active in the Muslim Brotherhood, which he joined at age…
After his breakout role of Ralphie’s little brother Randy, Ian Petrella went on to appear in a string of television shows including Diff’rent Strokes, Who’s the Boss?, Highway to Heaven, My Sister Sam, and Beverly Hills, 90210 (his last credit before a 15-year acting break). The upcoming sequel to A…
Die Hard’s John McClane role had to be offered to 70-year-old Frank Sinatra. When Bruce Willis was cast to play John McClane in 1988’s Die Hard, he was known only for his starring role in the TV dramedy Moonlighting. So, he was a strange choice for the gallant hero of…
Individuals’ attitudes towards the creation, accumulation and disposal of wealth will depend on their cultural, social and family influences, their religious affiliation (if any), and the social welfare available where they live and generate their wealth (which will have an impact on the taxes they pay). According to The Great…
The cause of death remained uncertain until 10 years after the discovery of the body. It was initially believed that Ötzi died from exposure during a winter storm. Later it was speculated that Ötzi might have been a victim of a ritual sacrifice, perhaps for being a chieftain. Ötzi died…
George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore, applied to Charles I for a royal charter for what was to become the Province of Maryland. After Calvert died in April 1632, the charter for “Maryland Colony” was granted to his son, Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Baron Baltimore, on June 20, 1632. The Province of…
The political group that proved most troublesome for Kerensky, and would eventually overthrow him, was the Bolshevik Party, led by Vladimir Lenin. Bolsheviks revolt in Russia Led by Bolshevik Party leader Vladimir Lenin, leftist revolutionaries launch a nearly bloodless coup d’État against Russia’s ineffectual Provisional Government. The statement that the…
Ultimately, the three witches, Lady Macbeth, and Macbeth himself were all responsible for the death of Macbeth. Not only did the physical body of Macbeth die, but the loyal caring man inside that was transformed into a monster. Macbeth transformed from a noble shoulder to a murderous unreliable king which…