Home Rates Author Bio Column Specs
"Here are samples of what your readers will be enjoying.
Check back often--the selections will change from time to time. Thanks."
What Editors Are Saying About Is That a Fact!
"...After several misfires with other syndicated sources, with problems ranging from delayed delivery to family inappropriate content, I discovered your "Is That A Fact!" column and immediately arranged to start it on our page two. In just a few weeks, based on both my own impression of the column as well as reader feedback, I made the decision to move it to page one, which is where it has since remained. This is due not only to the superior nature of the column's content and authorship, but also to the timely and reliable delivery thereof and the hassle free nature of conducting business with the author...."
"Above and beyond the attractiveness of the column to the
reader, as the one tasked with the editing and layout of the paper I find it a personal
blessing that the quality of writing in your column is superb. It has never happened that
I have had to edit a column for spelling, grammar or any other technical or stylistic
matter. Perhaps more telling is that due to [our] limited space...it's often the case that
I will have to pare down the column; however, even this task is an easy one thanks to the
clean and logical structure of your work."
Michael LeFan
Sample Columns
Sample Column #1
FACT-SEP09--#1
FOR RELEASE ON SEPT. 3, 2009
Michael LeFan
First
Serial Rights
1802 S. 13
Temple, TX 76504
Exclusive
Your Circulation Area
(254) 773-3590
mlefan@lefan.com
Is That A Fact!
By
Michael LeFan
© 2009 by Michael LeFan
Not everyone will rejoice, but the 2009 football season is upon us. High school, college, and professional players will be taking to gridirons across the nation as loyal fans cheer them on. The first pro football game was played at Latrobe, Penn. on Sept. 3, 1895.
In other sporting news, the first U.S. bowling league was established this date in 1921.
Other notable events on Sept. 3 include the Treaty of Paris, ending the Revolutionary War in 1783. World War II began in 1939 when England and France declared war on Germany. Celebrity birthdays on Sept. 3 include actor Alan Ladd, 1913-1964.
Sept. 4 is Newspaper Carrier Day; on this date in 1833 Barney Flaherty became the first newsboy. This is (yum) Oatmeal Day. The Edsel was introduced September 4, 1957, and the first roll-film camera was patented in 1888. In the Olympics of 1972, Mark Spitz became the first athlete to win seven gold medals. Birthdays for Sept. 4 include singer Beyonce Knowles, 1981, and it is Peter Rabbit's birthday. Beatrix Potter wrote his story. She sent it in a get-well letter to 5-year-old Noel Moore in 1893.
Sept. 5 is Be Late For Something Day. Birthdays include Raquel Welch, 1940.
On Sept. 6 we celebrate Salami Day, of course. It’s nice to recall that the Harlem Globetrotters were organized on the sixth in 1927. The Great fire of London happened in 1666. In the U.S., William McKinley (25th U.S. President) was shot at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, N.Y. in 1901. He died eight days later. Today’s birthdays include actress Jane Curtin, 1947 (from the original cast of Saturday Night Live).
The first Monday in September is Labor Day, which was first observed as a legal holiday in 1894. The seventh is also Google Commemoration Day, and ESPN premiered 1979. The historic Farley Post Office building in New York City opened for business in 1914. The building, bearing the inscription "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds," is a national historic landmark, and occupies two full city blocks. Birthdays for Sept. 7 include actor Corbin Bernsen, 1954; musician Richard Roundtree, 1942; Buddy Holly, 1936; famed "primitive" artist Grandma Moses, 1860; and England’s Queen Elizabeth I, 1533.
Sept. 8 is International Literacy Day, and it’s the 79th anniversary of the "Blondie" cartoon strip. Other observances on Sept. 8 include World Physical Therapy Day. Celebrity birthdays include Patsy Cline, 1933-1963, and actor Peter Sellers, 1925-1980.
We’re all waiting for Sept. 9, because it is Wonderful Weirdoes Day. On that date in 1776, "The United Colonies" were renamed the "United States" by the Continental Congress. Birthdays for Sept. 9 include musician Otis Redding, famous for "Sittin On The Dock of the Bay," – 1941-1967; Adam Sandler, 1966; Hugh Grant, 1960; and Michael Keaton, 1951.
No Cost Treasures
"The best things in life are free," says the song, and might include laughing so hard that your face hurts.
Who Knew
Bee stings have been known to cure rheumatism.
In 1789, the total U.S. federal government debt was $190,000.
Americans collectively eat one hundred pounds of chocolate every second.
The original IBM-PCs, that had hard drives, referred to the hard drives as Winchester drives. This is due to the fact that the original Winchester drive had a model number of 3030 which, of course, is a Winchester rifle.
And I Quote
"Our greatest weariness comes from work not done." --Eric Hoffer (1902–83)
Question of the Week
Q: What is the only food that cockroaches won’t eat?
A: My granddad said that even hogs wouldn’t eat this food, which is a Cucumber.
Send your questions or unusual facts to "Is That a Fact" c/o this newspaper, or email to mlefan@lefan.com
--30--
Sample Column #2
FACT-MAY09-#1
FOR RELEASE ON MAY 07, 2009
Michael LeFan
First Serial Rights
1802 S. 13
Temple, TX 76504
Exclusive Your Circulation Area
(254) 773-3590
mlefan@lefan.com
Is That A Fact!
By
Michael LeFan
© 2009 by Michael LeFan
Before e-mail and faxes, postcards delivered panoramic vistas, beaches, and city views from folks in places far and near. For many people, postcards are keepsakes. Affection for these little cardstock rectangles is on display as we observe National Postcard Week May 1-7 (annually the first week of May).
Postcards as we know them came about in the early 1900s. The post office issued plain, stamped mailing cards in 1873. Within 20 years, a company came out with "souvenir cards," which had a picture on the front and a space for the address on the back. Any message had to be written on the picture. In 1907, postal authorities allowed postcard designers to divide the back so that both an address and a message could be put on it.
There are more than 100 postcard clubs in the U.S. For information, send a postcard (naturally) to Postcard History Society, Box 1765, Manassas, VA 22110.
Other Dates of Note
May 7 is the 58th annual National Day of Prayer. Millions will unite in prayer from coast to coast. The theme is "Prayer...America's Hope," based on Psalm 33:22. For info: www.ndptf.org/. Tonight is Mom’s Night Out. On May 7, 1941, Glenn Miller’s orchestra recorded "Chattanooga Choo Choo" for RCA Victor.
Friday, May 8 is No Socks Day, VE Day, World Red Cross Day, and Military Spouse Appreciation Day.
On May 9 remember Babysitter’s Day, Miniature Golf Day, National Train Day, and Letter Carrier’s Food Drive Day (be sure to place a sack of canned goods by your mailbox for this important nationwide food drive).
May 10 is Mother’s Day, of course. It’s also Lupus Day and Windmill Day.
May 11 is Eat What You Want Day.
Tuesday, May 12 is Limerick Day and Nutty Fudge Day.
Receptionists Day pops up on May 13, along with Root Canal Appreciation Day. For info: TheSmileExperts.com.
Whose Birthday Is It?
May 7: Johannes Brahms (1833); Gary Cooper (1901); and Johnny Unitas (1933).
May 8: Bob Clampett, cartoonist (Looney Tunes, Merrie Melodies, Porky Pig), born May 8, 1913, died 1984; Melissa Gilbert (1964); Rick Nelson (1940); Don Rickles (1926).
May 9: Fred Astaire (1899), and singer Donovan (1946).
May 10: singer Bono of the group U2 was born Paul Hewson at Dublin, Ireland in 1960.
May 11: actor Phil Silvers (1904), surrealist artist Salvadore Dali (1894).
May 12: Burt Bacharach (1929); George Carlin (1937-2009); Yogi Berra (1925); Katharine Hepburn (1907-2003), born at Hartford, Conn.; Florence Nightingale (1820-1910), founder of modern nursing; skateboarder Tony Hawk born at Carlsbad, Calif., in 1969.
May 13: actress Bea Arthur (1926-2009); actor Harvey Keitel (1939); basketball great Dennis Rodman (1961); musician Stevie Wonder (1950).
Show Me the Money
The Sultan of Brunei hosted the world's most
expensive birthday party to celebrate his 50th Birthday on July 13, 1996. The cost was
$27.2 million. He had three concerts featuring Michael Jackson, costing $16 million of the
total cost.
And I Quote
"Shallow men believe in luck, believe
in circumstances...Strong men believe in cause and effect."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
This Week’s Question
Q: How many times per day do your eyes blink
(assuming 16 hours of awake time? (a) 10,000 to 750,000 blinks; (b) 985 to 3,000; (c) 5760
to 28,800
A: On average you blink every
2-10 seconds. Do the math and you’ll see that "c" is the answer. As you
focus on each word in this sentence your eyes swing back and forth 100 times a second, and
every second the retina performs 10 billion computer-like calculations.
Send your questions or unusual facts to "Is That a Fact" c/o this newspaper, or email to mlefan@lefan.com
--30--
Sample Column #3
FACT-APR09-#5
FOR RELEASE ON APR 30, 2009
Michael LeFan
First Serial Rights
1802 S. 13
Temple, TX 76504
Exclusive Your Circulation Area
(254) 773-3590
mlefan@lefan.com
Is That A Fact!
By
Michael LeFan
© 2009 by Michael LeFan
April 30 is upon us. It’s National Honesty Day, which always occurs on April 30th to encourage us to be honest today, and everyday. Most of us try our best to be honest. Honesty is a vital virtue. If we want people to believe us when its important, then we need to be open and honest the rest of the time. You know about the boy who cried wolf. When a wolf actually appeared, no one believed him. So let’s celebrate National Honesty Day in an open and honest way. There aren’t many rules for this special day—just be honest. For info: www.teacherplanet.com/resource/honesty.php .
We also offer a tip of the hat on April 30 to Hairstylists Appreciation Day and the work they do in beautifying America. Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day and Love Your Lawn Day.
On May 1 it’s "all aboard" for Amtrak Day, Emmet Kelly Clown Day, Executive Coaching Day, Law Day, May Day, Mother Goose Day, New Homeowner’s Day (an endangered species), School Principals Day, Silver Star Day, Stepmothers Day, Space Day, and Tuba Day. Whew!
Saturday, May 2 presents the Kentucky Derby, Astronomy Day, and National Scrapbooking Day.
It’s time for Garden Meditation Day on May 3, also Lumpy Rug Day, and World Press Freedom Day.
May 4 is Melanoma Monday and Respect for Chickens Day (that’s sure the sublime and the ridiculous). The whole month of May is Melanoma Prevention Month. Get important info at www.melanomamonday.org/ .
Celebrate May 5 as Asthma Day, Cartoonists Day, National Teacher Day, and Totally Chipotle Day because this is also Cinco de Mayo.
Wednesday, May 6 is Prevent Teen Pregnancy Day, School Nurse Day, Nurses Day, and No Homework Day (why didn’t they have that when I was in school?).
As if that’s not enough, May is National Barbecue Month, Clean Air Month, Allergy/Asthma Awareness Month, Arthritis Month, Family Wellness Month, Get Caught Reading Month, Mental Health Month, Egg Month, Hamburger Month, Fitness and Sports Month, Moving Month, National Bike Month, Motorcycle Safety Month, Women’s Health Care Month, Older Americans Month, Teen Self-Esteem Month, Vinegar Month, Salad Month, Salsa Month, and Smile Month.
I Didn’t Know That
On May 1, 1868, Tom Dula was hanged in North Carolina. A few days earlier, he had composed a song that said, "Hang down your head, Tom Dula, poor boy, you’re goin’ to die."
On May 1 of 1889, the Bayer Company of Germany introduced aspirin in powdered form.
Blow Out the Candles
Birthdays for April 30 include Jill Clayburgh, Cloris Leachman, and Willie Nelson (1933).
Born on May 1: Scott Carpenter, Astronaut (1925); Rita Coolidge (1945); Judy Collins (1939); Glenn Ford (1916); Tim McGraw (1967); Jack Paar (1918); and Kate Smith (1909).
May 2: Catherine the Great of Russia (1729); Larry Gatlin, musician (1948); Engelbert Humperdinck (1936); Bianca Jagger (1945); and Benjamin Spock, physician, writer (1903).
May 4: Audrey Hepburn, actress, born May 4, 1929 in Brussels, Belgium; died January 20, 1993, see www.audreyhepburn.com; Randy Travis (1959); Moe Howard (Three Stooges), born June 19, 1897, died May 4, 1975.
May 5: Karl Marx (1818); and Tammy Wynette, singer, considered The First Lady of Country Music, born May 5, 1942. She died on April 6, 1998 in Nashville.
May 6: George Clooney (1961); Sigmund Freud (1856); Bob Seger (1945); and Willie Mays (1931).
And I Quote
"The most important thing in acting is honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made." –George Burns, actor and comedian
This Week’s Question
Q: For every dollar you spend for produce at
the supermarket, how much goes to the farmer who grew the produce: (a) five cents; (b) 10
cents; or (c) 15 cents?
A: According to the National
Campaign for Sustainable Agriculture, about five cents of each dollar gets to the farmer.
Send your questions or unusual facts to "Is That a Fact" c/o this newspaper, or email to mlefan@lefan.com
--30--
Sample Column #4
FACT-APR09-#4
FOR RELEASE ON APR 23, 2009
Michael LeFan
First Serial Rights
1802 S. 13
Temple, TX 76504
Exclusive Your Circulation Area
(254) 773-3590
mlefan@lefan.com
Is That A Fact!
By
Michael LeFan
© 2009 by Michael LeFan
It may not mean much to you, but Saturday, April 25 is Bob Wills Day. Wills was born outside of Kosse, TX, in 1905. From his father and grandfather, he learned how to play mandolin, guitar, and eventually fiddle, and he grew up playing for local dances. In 1929, he joined a medicine show in Fort Worth, performing wherever opportunity allowed. Bob Wills' name is forever associated with Western swing, which he popularized, and in the process reinvented popular music. Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys were a dance band with a country string section, but they played pop songs in jazz arrangements. Throughout the '40s, the band was one of the most popular groups in the nation and the Playboys were among the finest musicians of that era. As Western swing’s popularity declined, so did Wills' popularity, but his influence remains today. Honky tonk singers, Western swing revivalists, all shades of country artists, as well as some rock and jazz musicians owe him a debt. These include artists such as Asleep at the Wheel, Tex Atchison, Spade Cooley, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Leon McAuliffe, Jelly Roll Morton, Willie Nelson, Ray Price, George Strait, and others.
Wills, a maverick in style and spirit, infused American popular music of the 20th century with a flair for individualistic virtuosity. His hits include "Steel Guitar Rag," "New San Antonio Rose," "Smoke on the Water," "Texas Playboy Rag," and "Faded Love." Wills died on May 15, 1975, after a massive stroke. For info: http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/wills_bob/bio.jhtml
Dates of Note
April 23 is Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (www.daughtersandsonstowork.org). Volunteer Week is April 19-25 (Source: www.pointsoflight.org/programs/seasons/nvw/). Today’s birthdays: Valeri Bertinelli (1960); James Buchanan (1791), 15th US President; Shirley Temple Black; Glen Campbell (1936); Melina Kanakaredes (1967) of "CSI: New York"; Lee Majors; Roy Orbison; and William Shakespeare (1564).
In some areas, April 24 is Arbor Day, and it is National Hairball Awareness Day. Birthdays: Jill Ireland; Shirley MacLaine (1934); and Barbra Streisand (1942).
As already noted, the 25th is Bob Wills Day, as well as Bulldogs are Beautiful Day, and Malaria Awareness Day. Birthdays: Al Pacino (1940) and Talia Shire.
On April 26 we observe International Marconi Day (you know, he invented radio), and Richter Scale Day. Birthdays: Alan Arkin; Carol Burnett (1933); and Bobby Rydell.
April 27 is Morse Code Day. Birthdays: Sheena Easton; Ulysses S. Grant; Coretta Scott King (1927); Jack Klugman; and Walter Lantz (creator of Woody Woodpecker).
Birthdays on April 28 include Jessica Alba (1981); Lionel Barrymore; Jay Leno (1950); Ann-Margaret (1941); and James Monroe.
April 29 is Zipper Day (patented by Gideon Sindback, 1913). Birthdays: Andre Agassi (1970); Duane Allen (1943, musician, Oak Ridge Boys); Duke Ellington; William Randolph Hearst; Michelle Pfeiffer (1958); and Jerry Seinfeld (1954).
TV Tidbits
Elvis Presley made his first appearance on national
television in 1956, and it wasn’t on the Ed Sullivan Show. He sang Blue Suede Shoes
and Heartbreak Hotel on "The Dorsey Brothers Show."
Gunsmoke debuted on CBS-TV in 1955, and went on to become
the longest-running (20 years) series on television.
Captain Kirk never said "Beam me up, Scotty," but
he did say, "Beam me up, Mr. Scott."
And I Quote
"The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the
arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly...."
--Theodore Roosevelt (1858-1919) 26th president of the United States
This Week’s Question
Q: Star Trek’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard had a pet fish.
What was its name?
A: Captain Picard's fish was named Livingston.
Send your questions or unusual facts to "Is That a Fact" c/o this newspaper, or email to mlefan@lefan.com
--30--
First Name Middle Initial Last Name
Title
Publication
Address
City State Zip Code
E-mail Telephone Fax
I want the column sent until I cancel. I understand that it runs 1 time weekly, and that fresh copy will be available 7 (seven) days before the "Release By" date--AND THAT OUR RATE IS ONLY $5.00 PER COLUMN. Forget the Rate Card.
Our Circulation is
We want to begin service on this date:
Mike, please supply Is That A Fact! columns in the
following format --
I want the column manuscript sent as plain text email to this email address:
I want this column as an email attachment in WORD.doc format to this email address
I want the column weekly as an email attachment in .pdf format sent to
I want the column weekly via FAX to (area code + nnn-nnnn)
DELIVERY:
Columns are delivered weekly (individually) by either fax, e-mail (text, Word, or .pdf format), or hard copy via US Postal Service [indicate your preference for hard copy in the "Comments" box]. Lead time for receiving copy [all formats] is 7 (seven) days prior to "Release By" date.Invoices sent monthly. Due upon receipt.
Comments are always welcome!
Contact Info
Michael
LeFan
1802 South 13th Street
Temple, TX 76504
Phone:
254.773-3590
Fax: 254.231-4128
Email: mlefan@lefan.com
Web: www.lefan.com
www.lefan.com/isthatafact/
© 2008, 2009 by Michael LeFan. All rights reserved.