The Secret Message in Lincoln’s Watch

The Smithsonian has announced that they’ve found a secret message inside the pocket watch that belonged to President Abraham Lincoln. The message was left by a watch repairman named Jonathan Dillon and probably never seen by Lincoln himself.Inside the watch Dillon inscribed a note indicating that Fort Sumter had been attacked, along with the date (“April 13 – 1861”) and the note “thank God we have a government.”

Extreme Makeover: Historical Edition

What did William Shakespeare really look like? Most of us have seen the same image for the last five hundred years, from an engraving by Martin Droeshout, done about seven years after Shakespeare died.It shows us a Shakespeare who was a big-headed, little fella, in plain garments and looking a tad shabby.

News Flash: Barbie and Ken Are “Just Friends”

Mattell sets the record straight:Barbie has never been married (she just likes wearing wedding gowns), she is “just friends” with Ken and her “real” measurements are 5 inches (bust) x 3 1/4 inches (waist) x 5 3/16 inches (hips). Her weight is 7 1/4 ounces.

Barbie Turns 50

Today, 50 years after her debut at New York Toy Fair, Barbie doll celebrates five decades as the world’s most popular fashion doll by unveiling a new face and throwing a pink-carpet birthday bash at her real Malibu Dream House.So says Mattel, in a press release datelined “Malibu, Calif.”Yes, Barbie is 50.

Joe Lieberman Now Pro-Bama

After campaigning across the country for Republican John McCain in 2008 and attacking Obama as naive, untested and unwilling to take on powerful special interests, Lieberman now showers praise on the popular new Democratic president.

A Swingset for the White House

The 100 percent cedar and North American Redwood structure has four swings, including a tire swing, a slide, a fort, a climbing wall and climbing ropes. There’s also a picnic table with brass plates etched with the names of all 44 presidents.Malia and Sasha Obama now have their own swingset.The AP has photos.

Second-Tier Twins

Pretty-famous actors Catherine O’Hara and Adrian Zmed were both born on this day in 1954. 441 miles apart: Zmed in Chicago and O’Hara in Toronto.Both were very big in the ’80s, Zmed as a star of cop show T.J. Hooker and O’Hara as a continuing part of the Second City TV comedy gang.

Keith Richards, Voice of Moderation

You know you’ve got problems when you get a “booze ultimatum” from Keith Richards.Even China Daily is on the story.

Paul Harvey Goes to That Great Broadcast Studio in the Sky

Known for his resonant voice and trademark delivery of “The Rest of the Story,” Harvey had been heard nationally since 1951, when he began his “News and Comment” for ABC Radio Networks.