I think most Americans tend to learn about the Austro-Hungarian Empire vis a vis WWI when, let's face it, they didn't make a great showing. (It was like swinging an ax into a log and poof, it's already been eaten by termites.) So a lot of the English-speaking world doesn't seem to realize how important the Habsburgs…

I always enjoy a good article on history, and the 19th century royals are indeed a fascinating bunch. I also think Austria-Hungary tends to get overlooked (perhaps it's not "Western" enough?), so I quite like this on a few different levels!

I love articles like this! Thanks, Kelly.

One aside on "Mad King Ludwig": I went to Austria with my folks when I was a kid, on one of those bus tour thingies. Our guide was English, and he was very condescending about Ludwig, his mania for Wagner, his weakness, and what I now realize are sly hints about his…

I think a lot of female royals, especially in the past, had very miserable/lonely lives. If you're curious about things like that, read up on Juana "La Loca" of Spain - her life and reign were just terrible. Of course, she dates back back to the early 1500s, so records and accounts of her life are even more skewed or…

Thank you! I do think there are many echoes between Marie Antoinette's and Sisi's stories, for sure. I think part of Sisi's problem was that she really was quite bright, but she had zero productive outlets for it (and didn't have the well-fuck-you-too-buddy attitude necessary to create outlets for herself, probably…

For anybody who'd like to read further: My two big sources were The Lonely Empress, by Joan Haslip, and The Reluctant Empress, by Brigitte Hamann. If you're curious about the Habsburgs more generally (and really they are FASCINATING, the most important royal family nobody gives a shit about anymore) check out The…

These people don't look like Nazis. Nazis were stylish criminals (except Goering). These are just tasteless criminals.

I think he's referencing this 3D classic, from SCTV:

I will always like the "Or cocaine" version better.

He really can do no wrong in my book.

A theatre professor of mine once worked on a show that cooked real food onstage. It was so integral to the script that they actually had a real kitchen built onto the stage. Part of this was a coffee pot. One night, during intermission a man walked *on to the stage* poured himself a cup, and one for his wife, and…

he was actually backing away from me in the parking lot, saying it was his mother's idea "because of the furniture" and telling me that his cats are treated like royalty and they never ever go outside. so i told him the story (minus most of the gory details) of the polydactl cat that was clearly previously well loved,…

There is no way you went overboard on that. It's not possible. If your date didn't get it, your date was the asshole, not you.

OMG I cannot wait for People All Out Of Fucks week!

I initially debated either doing servers revenge, dumb customers, or people all out of fucks for this week (ive got enough for all of them, easily), but the pig and chuck e. Cheese submissions were new and i couldnt bring myself to not use them.

I hope those same people break into my house and leave a puppy.

Your user name is the literal best, though.

Reminds me of when I was younger and someone broke into our house (happened a lot) but instead of stealing anything, they left a pot bellied pig in our basement.

Boy Scouts are the literal worst of the literal worst.

Turns out, someone had bought a pot-bellied pig, then decided they didn't want it and had just let it loose in the mall.