Has the Strait of Hormuz Ever Actually Been Closed?
The Strait of Hormuz has never been shut. Not once. But oil markets don't wait for that. Even the hint of trouble sends prices jumping. Roughly 20% of the world's oil moves through that narro...
The Highest Presidential Approval Rating in U.S. History
George W. Bush holds the highest presidential approval rating ever recorded. Ninety percent. That number is almost unthinkable in today's political climate, where polarization is the norm and ev...
When the New York Times Almost Got Delisted
In early 2009, shares of The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) dropped below $4. Yes - $4. This was a company that had once been among the most respected and influential media empires in the wo...
The President Who Saw a UFO
Jimmy Carter saw something strange in the sky. It was 1969. He was in Leary, Georgia, standing outside with a group of about 20 people. A bright light appeared in the western sky just after sunset....
What Was the Worst Midterm Loss in U.S. History?
The year was 1894. The United States was reeling from a deep economic depression, and voters were looking for someone to blame. They found their target in President Grover Cleveland and the Democra...
President Trump: The Republican Who Was Also a Democrat, Reform Party Member and Independent
President Donald Trump has never been shy about changing lanes. When it comes to political affiliations, the President has switched sides more than once - and always for reasons that made sense to him...
Taiyuan's "Pretend to Work" Office Says a Lot About China's Job Market Right Now
A new "pretend-to-work" office has opened in Taiyuan, Shanxi Province - and it's exactly what it sounds like. For a small daily fee, people can show up, sit at a desk, use the Wi-Fi, eat lunch, and go...
The Time That President Obama Wore a Tan Suit and Caused a Furore
On August 28, 2014, President Obama wore a tan suit during a press briefing. The topic? National security and the threat posed by ISIS. The reaction? Not what you'd expect. Republicans quickly s...
The President Who Got Stuck In A Bathtub
William Howard Taft, the 27th President of the United States, is remembered for many things - his leadership, his judicial career, and notably, his size. Standing over six feet tall and weighing mo...
The Secret Surgery That Saved a Presidency
In the summer of 1893, as the nation teetered on the edge of a deep economic depression, President Grover Cleveland faced a personal crisis that he and his closest advisors deemed too delicate to disc...
The Six US Presidents Who Sought a Third Term in the White House
President George Washington voluntarily stepped down after two terms. Some will say that most United States Presidents, prior to the 22nd Amendment, voluntarily stepped down after two terms in the...
Which Countries Have The Worst Credit Ratings?
Countries such as Australia and Canada enjoy perfect AAA credit ratings, but which countries sit at the opposite end of the table? Which countries are the worst of the worst, according to credit ra...
"Elbows Up": Canada's Holdings of US Debt Has Soared in 2025
"Elbows up" was the popular catchphrase that helped Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of Canada and former Governor of the Bank of England, become Canada's new Prime Minister in April of 2025. ...
Which Countries Currently Have a AAA Credit Rating at Moody's?
Earlier today, Moody's announced that they were downgrading the credit rating of the United States to Aa1 from AAA. The reason for the downgrade? Moody's feels as though the "persistent" deficits ...
When Was The Last Major Military Parade in the United States?
Earlier this week, the United States government revealed that a military parade is going to be held in Washington, DC on June 14th. This parade will celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Arm...