Question for Brian (or any other ORCAN)

RAM · Post by **RAM** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 10:48 am

Warren G. Harding and King Kalakaua of Hawaii had one unusual thing in common. Know what it was?

Bad Bob
(Only weasels will Google this!)[/list]

Post by **john elder** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 3:32 pm

they were both less than 5 ft tall?

Lynn Thomas · Post by **Lynn Thomas** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:16 pm

They both were NOT reel collectors ?

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:02 pm

Neither was named Tonya.

Post by **Brian F.** » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:32 pm

First to live in a house (ok, palace) with a lightbulb?

(Ha! Ok BB, close. I googled it AFTER I put up my answer

)

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 7:46 am

After googling, too, I have to disagree that the "thing" was "unusual."

Still, it was worth the search just to run across this description of Harding's speeches: "an army of pompous phrases moving across the landscape in search of an idea." Nothing has changed.

orourke · Post by **orourke** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 8:59 am

Are you going to make all of us google the answer? Remember we are young and Lazy and want to be spoon fed. Well at least I'm Lazy (6 mos shy of 50 still young to a bunch of you all)

Dave "O"

RAM · Post by **RAM** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 9:58 am

The answer (whether or not you agree it is unusual) is that both died in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco. Apparently the cause of Harding's death was never quite determined to be acceptable to all concerned (up to ten people). It does seem fitting that the King died in a palace at least. Irony lives!

Brian: Why would anyone have known this but a nut like me who had just read it in a great book about the San Francisco Earthquake by Simon Winchester. Highly recommended!

PS: Steve-Great quote. Reminds me of one about William Jennings Bryan, erstwhile presidential candidate and famous orator:
He was compared to the Platte River in Nebraska (his home)
"A mile wide at the mouth and six inches deep!"
Bad Bob

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 10:03 am

Hey RAM,

I read the Professor and the Mad Man and Krakatoa by Winchester. He's a great popular historian.

-- Dr. Todd

Steve · Post by **Steve** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 12:17 pm

My wife couldn't convince herself that Winchester really saw Mt. Shasta from the vantage point he described early in the book, which was 300 miles away. "So what?" sez I. Winchester also wrote what once was in the running for my annual Gobi, an award given for the Most Interesting Book on the Driest Topic: The Meaning of Everything, a history of the OED that gives a more complete background for Professor.

Jim Wiegner · Post by **Jim Wiegner** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 1:56 pm

Question and answer

This is just a personal opinion of course, but the cause of the demise of Mr. Harding and the good King may well have been the hotel grub. Given the number of great restaurants in San Francisco, why would anyone want to eat hotel food?

OK, I'll just sit here and be quiet and vegetate.

Jim

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 5:29 pm

Apparently Winchester also wrote a book recently about a British scholar of medieval China. It's also supposed to be very good.

-- Dr. Todd

RAM · Post by **RAM** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:18 pm

Steve-Your wife may be correct in her doubt about Simon's claim, but consider that it is also claimed you can see 7 states from Lookout Mountain at Chattanooga (or you could pre-pollution days). I have no problem with six of them, but South Carolina is a stretch, not so much because of distance but there are no really high peaks in that northwestern corner of SC. But Mt. Shasta at close to 13,000 feet being viewed 300 miles away from the top of another mountain on a clear day? I am on Winchester's side on this one. BB