Random things I've learned lately:
* The District of Columbia was named after Christopher Columbus. Kind of obvious in retrospect.
* Iraq and Afghanistan each have a city named after Alexander the Great, who was known as Iskandr in Arabic. In Iraq it's Iskandariyah and in Afghanistan it's Kandahar.
* The Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th St. in Washington was, as George Will notes, "founded by Henry Foxhall, who in 1812 vowed that he would build a church as a thanksgiving offer if the British did not destroy his cannon foundry when they took Washington and burned the White House." Presidents often attend church here -- I was in the neighborhood one Sunday when Clinton was there.
* Algeria and Tunisia have little history as modern states, which is why each country is named after its respective capital -- Algiers and Tunis. Again, a little obvious in retrospect.
* The District of Columbia was named after Christopher Columbus. Kind of obvious in retrospect.
* Iraq and Afghanistan each have a city named after Alexander the Great, who was known as Iskandr in Arabic. In Iraq it's Iskandariyah and in Afghanistan it's Kandahar.
* The Foundry United Methodist Church on 16th St. in Washington was, as George Will notes, "founded by Henry Foxhall, who in 1812 vowed that he would build a church as a thanksgiving offer if the British did not destroy his cannon foundry when they took Washington and burned the White House." Presidents often attend church here -- I was in the neighborhood one Sunday when Clinton was there.
* Algeria and Tunisia have little history as modern states, which is why each country is named after its respective capital -- Algiers and Tunis. Again, a little obvious in retrospect.
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