This year is the 500th anniversary of Robert Recorde's birthday; a little known Welshman. But did you know that Recorde invented the equals sign in 1557. Prior to the usage of =, people used to finish sums by writing AE from the Latin word aegualls.

Rocorde was a genuis, he was only 15 when he went to study in Oxford.

Recorde was also a personal physician to Edward VI, was also a mining surveyor a teacher and for a while the Royal Mint.

22 August 2010

99 years ago today, the Mona Lisa painting which was on display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris, France was stolen.



It was two years after the culprit was finally discovered. He turned out to be an employee at the museum. He hid in a closet for a day and walked out of the museum the next day with the painting hidden under his smock. Vincenzo Peruggia was an Italian patriot who wanted to have the painting displayed in Italy where it belongs.

The painting is now back at the Louvre.

These famous words of Winston Churchill were spoken 70 years ago today in the House of Commons.
And there must have been a lump in the throat of many yesterday as there will be today and tomorrow as the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight roars over the seafront during the Bournemouth Air Festival.
The Lancaster bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane are taking part as the country marks the milestone anniversary of the Battle of Britain.

Attila the Hun is the king of the Huns.

Quote: Where my horse has trodden, no grass grows.

Genghis Khan or Chinggis Khan is best known for creating the Mongol Empire.

Did you know that the location of his tomb is still a mystery today. Apparently when he died in 1227, he was buried with 40 of his horses, the soldiers then killed all those in the know including the animals and then killed themselves to ensure that the tomb will remain secret.

Genghis Khan must have been such a charismatic and compelling man to be able to trust his soldiers do to what they did!