Month: January 2022

The average person unknowingly breaks three federal laws every day, and one in three Americans have a police record. You’ve probably already broken the law this morning without even realizing it, and no, I’m not talking about you driving over the speed limit to make it to work, though yes, that is a crime. Without

Ah, good ol’ money. It’ll always be there, right? So long as we have enough of it, we can purchase goods, services, security…well, you get the idea. Unfortunately, too many governments treat money like coffee—assuming they can always just make more. As we’ll see, this process of chasing increasingly bad money with even worse money

What comes to mind when you first think of a cult? An image of brooding black-robed, heavy death-metal teenagers gathered around a pentagram comes to mind, but that’s occult, or the belief in the supernatural, mystical, and magical. A cult has a much more pleasant philosophy—sometimes. Merriam-Webster Dictionary officially defines the term as “a small

Accidents are nothing new, but when humanity entered the industrial age, workplace accidents became a lot more…deadly. Improvements in manufacturing, power production, transportation, mining, and every other industry out there may have brought about the modern world, but they came at a cost. Industrial accidents have been happening since the early days of the industrial

Humanity’s relationship with nature has been complicated. From the distant hunter-gatherer past right up to the present, we have relied heavily on the natural bounties reaped from the environment. While most people have shifted to office work, interacting and coexisting with nature has never been more important. With that in mind, here are ten places

There are more than 4,000 minerals that naturally occur on Earth. Many of these are almost impossible for most people to distinguish. A rock is a rock to most people. But some stones stand out. Humans love sparkly things, and luckily, some minerals and gemstones can be both pretty and rare—two things humans prize. This

Most people are familiar with claims of UFO sightings made from planes. And many of us will have heard or read about UFOs witnessed from the deck of a ship or tracked on the radar of a submarine. However, what perhaps does not come to mind quite so quickly are UFO encounters with locomotive trains,

When we think of kids, it often brings to mind images of laughter, playgrounds, and first days of school…not graphic scenes of murder. However, there are always exceptions, particularly in the realm of fiction. Whether they fight for the side of good or evil, these ten kids prove you don’t have to be an adult

Fish have been a part of the human diet for centuries. We have learned more about the risks and benefits of eating fish over time. We have also become quite fond of the taste and texture of fish. (Well…not our vegetarian and vegan friends.) Eating fish offers nutrients that aid in reducing the risk of

While trying to think of stories of ancient information leaks to add to this list, my mind wandered to the story of King Leonidas of Sparta and the story depicted in the movie 300. Despite all the outlandish claims, exaggerations, and outright lies about the battle of Thermopylae in that movie, one part of the

Of their own accord, sometimes because they have been pressured by government officials or private parties, entertainment media have banned the playing of particular pop songs. Whether at the federal, state, or local level, direct government censorship of such music occurs less often. However, due to political and other motives, government bans have taken place

Most of us have used an online dating app or know someone that has used one. It can make meeting a significant other much easier because you can set your preferences and chat online to get to know them before any in-person date. Most of us think that the worst that can happen is that

One of the best things about science fiction is how broad a genre it is. Sci-fi movies can be about the exploration of space and distant planets, aliens and monsters, time travel, advanced technology, alternate dimensions, and many more imaginative things. If you’ve seen all of the classic and most popular sci-fi movies, but you’re

Among other magical abilities, witches in history have long been thought to consort with the dead. Be it with a Ouija Board at the height of the spiritualism movement or via the old, alleged maleficium, it’s easy to put witches and ghosts in a similar, mystical camp. However, every now and then, supposed witches do

Today, some of the most bankable stars in Hollywood are African-American actors, such as Will Smith, Denzel Washington, or “the voice” Morgan Freeman, whose talent might have in all likelihood been denied in classic Hollywood. Hattie McDaniel was the first African-American actress to win a competitive Oscar. But sadly for her and many of her

North Korea, officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), is the most secretive and closed country in the world. Its leader, dictator Kim Jong-un, rules the country with an iron fist. The country is home to an estimated 120,000 political prisoners who live and work in harsh conditions and are subjected to

Before the 1969 Apollo 11 mission put U.S. astronauts on the moon, hundreds of missions preceded it. The whole reason for the space race was for both sides, with tensions high due to the Cold War, eager to test missile capability and distance via space exploration. While the U.S. was the first to land a

We can all agree that 2020 was a pretty crappy year for a lot of people around the world, and 2021 wasn’t much better. However, while 2020–2021 were undoubtedly bad years for the people experiencing them, they are hardly the worst years in history. Human history is filled with absolutely horrible years that saw natural

It’s not unusual for actors to play characters that differ in age from themselves. The pattern of older men playing across from much younger women appears to have been a popular choice since the Golden Age of Hollywood and hasn’t stopped since then. Although sometimes an age difference is necessary for the plot of a

Nature reserves are protected land areas where fauna and flora thrive, and visitors can experience them in their natural habitat. There are around 100 countries worldwide that have several reserves, with Australia topping the list at 285. Naturally, some reserves are more famous and receive more visitors than others, including Yellowstone, the Galapagos Islands, and

Countless subjects of “alien” abductions have been regularly reported to organizations like the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON) since their beginnings in 1969. However, according to the Pentagon’s Preliminary Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon Assessment delivered to Congress in June 2021, “Limited data and inconsistency in reporting are key challenges to evaluating UAP. No standardized reporting mechanism existed

Ah, tourists. So curious, so plentiful, so unaware. Whenever someone travels somewhere for pleasure, there’s always a bit of ignorant self-entitlement. They disembark from the plane, ready to take a culture by storm, thinking they know better and that everything is catered to their comfort—isn’t tourism how these people make their money? It’s exactly this

Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” These words, first uttered in 1939, still ring true today. Despite the collapse of the Soviet Union over thirty years ago, many still regard Russia as a

For decades, people have traveled from all around the world to kiss the Blarney stone and visit Grafton Street. And one of the most precious souvenirs they take away is the memory of Irish folk songs ringing in their ears and the memory of a stiff drink. The music from this enchanted island swirls around

Humans have continued to build and expand their cities, encroaching on acres upon acres of animal habitats. Sadly, many animals get hurt or killed while trying to cross man-made roads. This leads to diminishing animal populations, a lack of biodiversity, and a de-segmentation of animal hunting and living grounds. The good news is that human

You’d think it’s safe to assume that some businesses aren’t going anywhere. From Coca-Cola and Nike to Apple and Microsoft, these businesses seem more like permanent structures than vulnerable companies right now. But take a picture and make a Xerox of it—or share it on your Myspace page—because these moments don’t last forever. Many businesses

Everybody has fantasized about hitting the jackpot at some point in their life. Whether you scour the ocean floor looking for sunken treasure, love sports betting or casinos, or even just play the lottery, everybody harbors a small flicker of hope that one day they can win big and change their lives for the better.

What do you get when you combine English good manners with the native Hawaiian traits of aloha and pono? Why, you get Keanu Reeves, of course—the internet’s boyfriend. And he’s quite possibly the nicest guy on the plant. Canadians are universally known as nice people. So it makes sense that, although born in Beirut, Keanu

Have you ever had one of those hours-long conversations with a group of pals, the type of talk that ranges all over the landscape of subjects that people can discuss? Sometimes these conversations take a turn to the darker side. Next time you find yourself deep into one of these types of convos, bring up

We’ve all been there—unless you’re under the age of 21 or don’t drink *respect*—we’ve all experienced the hangover from hell. Symptoms of a doomsday hangover include but are not limited to dry mouth, the spins, prolonged intoxication (depending on when you finally passed out versus woke up), and nausea. No, I don’t know why we