Historical

History of Telemachus: the Monk Who Ended the Roman Gladiatorial Games
January 1, A.D. 404 marked the last known gladiatorial games in Rome. What part did an obscure Christian monk from the East play in this epic change in Roman entertainment?
By Bill Petro3 years ago in FYI
History of New Year’s Day
We have the ancient Romans to thank for celebrating New Year’s Day on January 1. It wasn’t always that way. Previous civilizations celebrated it in March to observe the “new year” of growth and fertility.
By Bill Petro3 years ago in FYI
History of New Year’s Ev
New Year’s Eve is the last day of the year, according to the Gregorian Calendar, and is known as Old Year’s Day or St. Sylvester’s Day. You may remember reading that Emperor Constantine was considered the first “Christian” Roman Emperor. St. Sylvester is responsible for Constantine’s conversion in the 4th century.
By Bill Petro3 years ago in FYI
History of Auld Lang Syne
Why do we sing “Auld Lang Syne” each New Year’s Eve, but do we know what it means? The song contains words from a language that few are familiar with, in a syntax that is confusing to most, and is from a poem about friends recalling adventures they had long ago but had nothing to do with New Year’s Eve.
By Bill Petro3 years ago in FYI
How to Choose the Best VPN for Your Needs - A Comprehensive Guide
The internet is a great thing - it's given us unprecedented access to information, communications, and entertainment. But it's also made us more vulnerable than ever to hackers, identity thieves, and other online threats. Fortunately, there is a way to protect yourself from these dangers - by using a virtual private network, or VPN. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic and routes it through a server in another location, making it virtually impossible for anyone to steal your data or track your online activity. But with so many VPN service providers out there, how do you choose the best one for your needs? Read on for our comprehensive guide to choosing the free VPN for your needs!
By Smarters VPN3 years ago in FYI
THE 10 DEADLIEST NATURAL DISASTERS
Natural disasters are an all too common occurrence in our world, but we’re fortunate that many do not result in a devastating loss of life. This is not always the case however, and throughout history, there have been many disasters that took countless lives.
By Library of the Lost3 years ago in FYI
How Michael Rockefeller Was Killed By Cannibals
Michael Rockefeller vanished somewhere off the coast of Papua New Guinea in the early 1960s. His disappearance stunned the country and sparked a manhunt of unprecedented proportions. Years later, the exact destiny of the heir to the Standard Oil fortune has been revealed — and it is far more troubling than anyone could have predicted at the time.
By Rare Stories3 years ago in FYI
Russia and Ukraine: Both Deadlocked.
As we creep nearer to the new year Russia and Ukraine appear to be in a stalemate. According to a Ukrainian statement "Ukraine cannot make progress on the battlefield but neither can the Russians".
By Nicholas Bishop3 years ago in FYI
Why North Carolina Isn't First In Flight
Who is First in Flight?!? It's not North Carolina, but it's not Ohio either. Every time I see a North Carolina (NC) license plate that says “First in Flight” I jokingly call the occupants of the vehicle a liar, and point it out to my wife. She always rolls her eyes and refuses to dignify my jest with a response. The truth is, no state can claim to be first in heavier than air flight; that belongs to the Wright brothers. No state government made any contributions to the first flight in any substantial way. But if any state did have a claim, it should be Ohio.
By Braden 3 years ago in FYI
Troy is yet to be found
When I was thirteen, The Gold of Troy by Robert Pane caught my imagination with its tale of Heinrich Schliemann and his discovery of the ruins of Troy in 1870. I was struck not just by the discovery, but how he discovered it, as a rank amateur, not an archaeologist. He was a fan of Homer and followed clues in The Iliad.
By Richard Seltzer3 years ago in FYI
Dayan of Indian Folklore
The witches! I love witches! All the witches! Let's dive right into the world of witches in India, to a specific kind of witch called a "dayan"—whose lore primarily comes from Jharkhand and Bihar in India. We're talking pure, unadulterated, uncensored, no-holds-barred, stick-with-you-forever kind of evil here. Lock your doors and pull your curtains because you're about to learn of the truly horrific. If you are easily disturbed, you may want to stop now. This article contains descriptions of real-world violence against women and children.
By J.A. Hernandez3 years ago in FYI
fasting girls of 15th-19th century
during the 15th-19th century there were young woman who claimed to starve themselves. It often included a religious element and many claimed to have psychic powers. Most extreme cases ended with the girls dying, and the girls exhibited the appearance of stigmata. Historian Joan Jacobs Brumberg believes the phenomenon is an early example of anorexia and Dr William A. Hammond believed the phenomenon to be fraud and hysteria on the part of the girl. These young woman become local celebrities due to the belief that they were mystics and were praised for their faith. In the 19th century, they become more and more common. ‘The Welsh Fasting Girl', Sarah Jacob is one of the most famous examples of this, who lived in the 1860s. At the age of nine, she fell ill and was told to take bed rest. She started to refuse to eat, therefore keeping herself weak and preventing her from taking part in the farm work. Her parents soon realised what she was doing and played into it, claiming she hadn't eaten or had water for two years. The story spread and she quickly become a national phenomenon. However, six nurses were sent to test the theory, after five days of watching her, Sarah died and her parents were convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to hard labour. The doctors and nurses, were not convicted of any crimes. Mary J. "Mollie" Fancher, also known as the ''Brooklyn Enigma'' was known for her claims of not eating or eating very little for extended periods of time. She went to a reputable school and was considered an excellent student. At 16 she was diagnosed with dyspepsia. At the age of 19, it was reported that she hadn't eaten for seven weeks. After two accidents, in 1864 and 1965, that she had become famous for her ability to abstain from eating food. She became blind as a result from the accidents and lost her ability to taste, smell and touch. She claimed to be able to predict events and to read without her sight. Her claim lasted 14 years and by the 1870s, she was claiming to eat nothing or very little for many months. This lead to doctors and the public to begin to question her abilities and want tests to be performed to test them. However, no tests were done and she died in February 1916 at age 68. Many companies and people rushed to exploit the fasting girls and put them on display, in the popular freak shows and human zoos at the time. Two companies, the Nickelodeon and Stone and Shaw's museum, fought in court for the right to ''exhibit'' one of the fasting girls, Josephine Marie Bedard. She also was accused of being a fraud by Dr. Mary Edwards Walker. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker also claimed that Josephine had a donut in her pocket with a bite taken out of it and that Josephine had stolen a fried potato from her plate. When she confronted Josephine and accused her, Josephine broke down and cried. While she was exploited for commercial gain, there was also an element of scientific inquiry in regards to her as a medical phenomenon. Some of the fasting girls were pre-adolescent while others were young woman. There's a chance the young woman lied for their family, becoming a national phenomenon could allow their families to charge people money when coming to see them and because they heard about stories of fasting girls and wanted to copy it. ''The Wonder'' is a movie about this phenomenon, it is directed by Sebastián Lelio and is on Netflix.
By Bunny B3 years ago in FYI