Posts

In reality, Florida Man is an Internet meme popularized in recent years that makes fun of the disproportionately large number of bizarre crimes perpetrated in the state of Florida. The idea behind the running joke is that the same person (Florida Man) is responsible for all of them. Whether the state’s reputation is actually deserved or is simply a consequence of its large population and the generous Freedom of Information laws is a matter of debate for another time....

The following controversial music genres, though, are a bit more clear-cut. Their music or lyrics glorify and promote violence, hatred, murder, racism, rage, or anti-Semitism. Who knew music could be so unpleasant? 10Powerviolence Powerviolence, a type of hard-core punk rock, began in California in 1989. Powerviolence songs melded the shouting vocals of punk with the abrasive breakdowns and blast beat drums of metal. Frequently changing tempo, bands spastically switched from playing extremely fast to slowly and then back again to fast....

Still, there’s some true gems here that deserve to be seen and remembered. So next time you stroll into Blockbuster or send away to Netflix and have an urge to see a mystery or thriller, skip the contemporary stuff just once, and try one of these. This crossword puzzle of a movie is one of the most remarkable murder mysteries ever made. The entire movie plays like a game; indeed, it’s all about a game being played by a group of bite-you-in-the-back friends who have subjected themselves to a week’s vacation aboard the yacht of a sadistic egotist (James Coburn) who derives enjoyment from humiliating his guests....

There are plenty of stories and videos of police brutality to go around and plenty of strife between the police and the people they encounter that has been largely politicized. But this list seeks to step out of the highly politicized framework and show these individual men and women who serve their communities, in individual instances where they’ve gone above and beyond the normal call of duty, saving someone’s life....

10 Moll Dyer Moll Dyer was a 17th-century woman who lived in St. Mary’s County, Maryland. Many things about her are shrouded in mystery, but she was know to be a strange woman. An herbal healer and outcast who survived mostly through the generosity of others, she was eventually accused of witchcraft and burned out of her hut during a freezing-cold night. She fled into the woods and was not seen for several days ....

Life is constantly striving to outdo and overcome itself. With this in mind, there have been some pretty brutal plagues which have threatened entire civilizations on many occasions. The term “plague” is used generally here to mean any sort of pathogen which devastated a large portion of a human population, though many of the following entries, in fact, involve the plague you’re thinking of. Here are ten of the most atrocious plagues in human history, what they were, and what happened....

10The Job Of A Lifetime To Scott Davis, the ad seemed, too good to be true: a steady $300 a week and a place to live, all for watching a secluded farm in southeastern Ohio—the “job of a lifetime.” Davis, 48, had recently broken up with his girlfriend and was looking for a new start in life when he saw the ad on Craigslist in 2011. The ad mentioned that over 100 applicants had responded to the job posting, so Davis could barely contain his excitement when he got a call telling him that he was one of the job finalists....

From Dr. No to Shortbus, directors and actors have surprised us for decades with all the ways the horizontal shuffle can be brought to life on a 40-foot screen. But these scenes are not always the mood-lit, sweat-drenched, sex-positive Valentine’s Day fodder we might want them to be. Sometimes they represent real life a little too well, with their awkward moments and mis-starts, and sometimes filmmakers just make it all a bit… well, weird....

10The Ghost Army You would think that a prerogative of any army would be to fight. However, that was not the case with the Ghost Army, a US special tactical unit deployed in World War II. It carried out its mission successfully, and it never had to fire a single shot. The unit in question was the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. It contained 1,100 soldiers who had very little training in the way of fighting....

Lots of weird things happened this time courtesy of members of the animal world, be they living, robotic, or inflatable. Even so, they are still no match for us. 10 The Oldest Spider The oldest-known spider in the world died at the ripe age of 43 following an attack from a wasp. The arachnid, affectionately dubbed “Number 16” by scientists, was a female trapdoor tarantula living in Western Australia’s Central Wheatbelt region....

This week, we look at animals on the wrong side of the law. There are two English gulls that took a couple hostage and a slug that brought Japan’s rail traffic to a halt. For other news, we tilt our heads up to the sky, where we see mysterious signals from outer space, daredevil high-wire acts, and a man running with an ice cream machine. 10 Alfred Hitchcock Presents In a scene reminiscent of The Birds, an elderly English couple from Lancashire was trapped in their own home by two seagulls that attacked them every time they tried to leave....

Whether they view food as nourishment, exploration, or a medium for socialization and bonding, few people spare much thought for where the items in their fridge came from or what history may be behind them. They’ve simply always been around, right? Here are ten common foods and their origins. 10 Sandwiches Perhaps the most famous, and maybe most contentious, food origin story, the “invention” of the sandwich has traditionally been credited to John Montagu, the fourth earl of Sandwich....

While it may seem an ignominious end to a life, there have been plenty of people throughout history who have had to suffer the indignity of being found dead on the toilet. And, although you may not be able to cheat fate entirely, if you have enemies, you may find it wise to check your toilet bowl for danger before sitting down to relieve yourself. Here are ten people from history who died on the toilet....

The answer should be obvious—graveyards. Except for most of us city dwellers, that option is quickly running out. Limited underground grave space is swiftly becoming an international issue, one for which many cities have had to find creative and preemptive solutions. 10 New York City, New York With an overwhelming population of over eight million people spread across five boroughs, New York is easily the largest city in the United States....

If you’re one of those types of people, the travel destinations on this list might just be perfect for your next trip. 10 Hike to Your Ultimate Fate Yosemite is one of the world’s most well-known and popular national parks. Here you can gaze up at the giant wonder of the ancient sequoia, explore deep valleys, and take picturesque hiking trails that lead to stunning waterfalls. One of these trails is the Chilnualna Falls Trail— pronounced “Chil-noo-al-na”—which is 13....

SEE ALSO: 10 People Who Give Christianity a Bad Name Within the movement are differing views, and its broad complexity should caution us from labeling it as a monolithic conspiracy. Liberals are often accused of exaggerating the Dominionist threat and are called paranoid conspiracy theorists. But whatever the true numbers of those who hold this radical doctrine, they exert a powerful influence on policy makers of the right wing....

Still, innovations in technology and practical applications of survivalist techniques have shown us that Hollywood could take a few pointers from what is already available in real life. Here are ten gadgets that James Bond would want in real life (in no particular order). 10 Makr Shakr The quintessential Bond line “Shaken, not stirred” is the inspiration for our first selection. The Makr Shakr is a robotic arm bartender that eliminates the need for a human bartender....

But if you know where to look, you’ll find plenty of real-life places that look like they were dreamed up by George Lucas or Philip K. Dick. There’s the apocalyptic Svalbard Global Seed Vault in the Arctic, the flying saucer–shaped Buzludzha Monument in Bulgaria, and the depressing dystopia of the Tower of David. And then there are the following places, some creepy, some gorgeous, some downright weird, and all looking ripped straight out of a sci-fi story....

With that in mind, the following ten examples are unlikely to give a boost to those hopes that such a journey might one day be possible and shouldn’t so much be taken with a pinch of salt but with several large helpings of it. Regardless, the following ten people recently felt the need to tell the world of their arrival from the near or distant future. Here’s what they had to say....

The French celebrate Bastille Day with fireworks, military parades, dancing, live music, and food. But while the Bastille itself is long gone, the notorious building is far from forgotten. Here are 10 facts about the Bastille that every lover of liberty should know. 10 The Bastille Only Held Seven Prisoners On July 14, 1789 The popular image of the Bastille as a bastion of tyranny is only partially true. In its heyday, the Bastille was notorious due to the lettre de cachet, a royal order under which those who displeased the king could be locked up indefinitely without a trial....