Are you bored of hearing the same, semi-whispered, vaguely English sounding female singer that pronounces every ‘s’ as ‘zsh’? Interested in expanding your musical horizons so far that you may just find yourself in another universe? Check out these fringe musical genres, shed the notion that ‘current’ and ‘new’ means ‘good’ and you may just
Month: September 2020
Humans are well known for their love of being honoured. In the pursuit of medals and prizes we will do almost anything. Animals on the other hand take a rather relaxed approach to awards. Yet there are times that animals have performed acts so amazingly brave that humans have felt the need to pin tiny
Officially known as the Aokigahara Forest, one of the most mysterious places on the planet is better known as the Suicide Forest. As the name suggests, this is because of the sheer number of people who have taken their own lives there. Literally, hundreds of people commit suicide in this most chilling stretch of woodland
Certain viruses, bacteria and parasites get all the attention for being contagious. If a friend happens to pick up Covid-19, ringworm or lice, we’re probably going to give them a little extra space for a while. Despite the many diseases we know spread from one person to another, there are still plenty we are not
I think we can all agree that some movies, especially space movies, go so far beyond what is realistically possible that they suspend belief. But as the majority of us have not been in outer space, it is, at times, hard to know what is fact and what is fiction. Which is where our real
The Metro-2 system is supposedly one of the most secretive underground rail systems in the world. Said to exist under the equally intriguing Moscow Metro system, the line was alleged to be used by the elites of the Soviet Union. Some say it remains operational today. What’s more, rather than being merely an underground rail
When a new gadget or technological marvel is introduced, people often describe it as something that will change the world. Maybe it will transform business, travel, or communications. But one thing’s for sure: It will be around for a long time. Of course, very little gets that far. Most inventions that start out strong ultimately
Celebrities meet hundreds of people on their path to fame. A few monsters are almost sure to be among the throngs of fans. But these people had much weirder encounters than just passing glances. The following 10 stars interacted with individuals who went on to kill or who had already murdered other people. It just
Sometimes, an idea is so brilliant that it changes the world immediately. Sometimes, it takes a little longer. In fact, a great concept may take millennia to catch on. So don’t be too disappointed if your genius notion doesn’t impress people straightaway. It’ll get there even if you’re no longer around to see it. Here
There are underwater ruins almost everywhere around the world. However, some stand out more than others due to the suggestion that they might prove lost civilizations existed in the deep past. And, in turn, might even suggest some truth in the many flood myths that also exist around the planet.Many of these aquatic ruins feature
In the ever-changing world of technology, TikTok is the latest social media phenomenon. Since its global launch in 2017, the Chinese video sharing app has gained 1.5 billion downloads, rapidly becoming one of the most popular platforms in the world. Although still in its infancy, TikTok (named Douyin in China) was listed as the seventh
Learning to play a musical instrument takes hard work. Practice, and patience, and more practice. And that can be such a drag. The devil is believed to be very fond of music, which is not surprising. After all, he does have all the best tunes. Lucifer is said to have a special affinity to stringed
To many, marijuana seems harmless. The business behind the high is another story. Violence follows black markets, and as long as prohibition persists people will kill for the product and its profits. Bloodshed plagues the legal market as well. Money attracts greed, greed breeds violence, and marijuana motivates murder. 10 Crazy Drugs You Don’t Know
Humans have been mucking about inventing things for thousands of years, and many of the items we take for granted today were actually invented long ago. That includes shoes, musical instruments, money, and plenty more. Looking back over the millennia, it’s interesting to see when things pop up in the archaeological record. Odds are, many
Almost everyone goes through some sort of a ‘phase’; a double denim phase, that time you got a Mohawk, growing your own chilli peppers, getting weekly colonics. Some of these passing fads stick, growing into movements, lasting trends or subcultures, replete with specific conventions, jargon and even taking on a pseudo-religious air. Here’s a list
The Great British Bake Off has become a major part of British culture and has become part of Britain’s global identity. With its pastel colours, gentle ribaldry, and delicious things to eat the Bake Off is the perfect calming show for our troubled lives. For an hour per week we can pretend we are in
Selling a movie concept in just a few words is hard. Hollywood studios are famous for buying, or passing on, movies based on an elevator pitch, that can last only as long as it takes for the elevator doors to close. Movie executives are short on time and hard to impress, so often respond best
We’re all only human. We laugh, we love and, per popular pre-school literature, everyone poops. Our bodies are incredible works of nature, so complex and complementary that the gift of life is indeed miraculous. On the other hand, we’re a bunch of shaved primates. Any male on the wrong side of 40, like myself, loses
Disney just can’t catch a break in the news these days, constantly dealing with different PR disasters of their own making like the controversies surrounding their live action remake of Mulan, high profile actors speaking out against them for alleged racial biases, and even opening up their theme parks as a pandemic rips through the
Lightning has fascinated humans from the beginning of time. Striking at random, starting fires, and appearing from thin air, some thought that it must have a divine origin. Was it Zeus wielding his thunderbolts or Thor striking with his hammer? Opinions differed, but we can say with certainty that it is still a mesmerizing spectacle
Celebrities are often in the news without being charged with serious crimes. However, when one inevitably ends up on the wrong side of the law, he or she is sure to dominate headlines. Everybody knows of the criminal convictions of former famed producer Harvey Weinstein as well as comedian and TV star Bill Cosby. Their
In 1973, the illusion of a perfect family (as portrayed by TV programs such as The Brady Bunch) was shattered by the introduction of a 12-hour documentary series on PBS called An American Family. This was acknowledged as the first reality TV series and named as one of TV Guide’s “50 Greatest TV Shows of
Art restoration is one of those professions that requires a great deal of knowledge and skill to be done correctly. Restoring a painting, statue, or structure often requires an understanding of various art techniques, but also chemistry, architecture, and many more subjects. When it’s done well, the public is none the wiser, but if it’s
New York City: the home of gritty, groundbreaking, independent film. Unlike Los Angeles, New York offers filmmakers more artistic freedom with their work. Here, they are not bound by the pressure from major Hollywood studios; and while budgets may be lower, the results of financial restraints are often rewarding. Many hip, young directors draw inspiration
Despite what certain mainstream media outlets might lead one to believe, America is not going to hell in a hand basket. Pockets of radical protestors-turned-rioters and would-be vigilantes do not speak for the less vocal, more peaceful majority. Recently we explored America’s ten most dangerous cities. And while it’s undeniable that the US has its
You may think that you can use any color that you want. But there are some colors that can be very hard to get your hands on. Whether they’re toxic, outdated, illegal, or copyrighted, there are some colors that are simply off-limits. Top 10 Little-Known Facts About Color 10 Mummy brown In the 16th century,
From time to time, YouTube videos of animals hunting prey in incredible ways pop up and go viral. Usually they’re one-off random events but there’s a long list of unknown and unusual methods that animals use frequently as their method for hunting. As the saying goes, it’s a jungle out there. You also hear it’s
It probably won’t come as a surprise that script writers, directors, producers and even actors take some creative liberties recreating real life scenarios in the name of art (or rather, entertainment). On this list Tony and Jonna Mendez, former CIA agents and Chiefs of Disguise, Jack Barsky, former KGB Agent turned American Intelligence, Peter Earnest,
With a heaping dose of ‘health and safety hypersensitivity’, any family trip or neighbourhood party can turn into a boring, slow moving dull-a-thon. That grill is too hot, keep the kids away. How deep is that pool? That popcorn is a choking hazard, enjoy some celery soup with your movie. Sometimes, you have to live
We know that the geography of a country has a huge role to play in its social and economic progress. Quite a few regions around the world have always been relatively better-off than others due to the inherent advantages afforded by their starting position on the map—like arable land and natural borders. It’s not really