About Roman Numerals (and Not Numbers)

Roman numerals are still used today (you'd know that if you would stay to the end of a movie). And they are numerals, not Roman numbers. If the Romans had used different numbers from what we use today, we would have the hell of a time converting them to our numeric system. Roman numbers, in fact, don't exist, scrap the term and start using Roman numerals correctly. 

James Abbott and Abbottabad

Abbottabad has been all over the news for all the wrong reasons, thanks to someone called Ossama Bin Laden. The town on the Indian subcontinent is a purely British invention. These days, it forms part of Pakistan. 

Prime Minister for Dinner Anyone?

Johan de Witt was Grand Pensionary of Holland, an office with powers similar to that of a Prime Minister cum Foreign Secretary combined. He led the country during the first stadtholder-less time from 1650 to 1672 when Republicans saw their chance to get more power for themselves personally at the expense of the House of Orange.

Graffiti in the Church

When a relatively new church built in 1961 fell into disrepair, the diocese of Freiburg in Germany decided to sell it for profane uses in 2005. But the parishioners had other ideas and collected enough money for a thorough renovation. All that was missing was some artwork to embellish the nave. 

1608: Walking From Somerset to India

Thomas Coryat didn't walk all the way, but he first traveled 2,000 miles mostly on foot in Europe and then went on to explore the Orient covering over 4,000 miles also mainly on foot. If you think this is extraordinary, imagine further that he did this at the beginning of the 17th century.