Historical
John Wayne vs Joseph Stalin
*Disclaimer, this is partly a work of parody, but is based on the true story of Joseph Stalin's order to have John Wayne killed. No part of this entry is meant as an endorsement of communism or any particular ideology. It just comes across as being one of the most absurd pieces of history I have ever heard. Please enjoy.*
By H. R. Nelson5 years ago in FYI
The Man who Saved the World!
Moscow, September 26, 1983 Shadows ebbed and flowed from the greenish light that reflected from the instrument panel to Lt. Colonel Petrov's face. The jade drop out light gave him the appearance of a headless ghoul suspended in space. He sipped steaming tea from his mug and wished he could accelerate the clock to 2400 hours, only twenty-three minutes away.
By J. S. Wade5 years ago in FYI
Knock on Wood
It seems as though the “luck of the Irish” goes back farther than St. Patrick’s Day. Most of us have used the phrase “knock on wood” (typically after saying something that we immediately regret). If you are in the medical field or service industry, you most likely use it when someone comments on what a slow day it is. Others use it after gloating about how they have never been ticketed while driving. No matter how you use it, it always seems to bring some form of comfort.
By Micaela Quinn Arnott5 years ago in FYI
AUSTRALIA AT WAR… with EMUS!
Australia has been in its fair share of wars; from the Boer War in South Africa (1899 – 1902), the Boxer Rebellion in China (1900 – 1901) to the First World War (1914 – 1918) and Second World War (1939 – 1945). Then they moved on to the Korean War (1950 – 1953), the Vietnam War (1962 – 1975), the Gulf War (1990 – 1991), Iraq War (2003 – 2009) and are still present in Afghanistan, since 2001.
By Travis Berketa5 years ago in FYI
Love & War: The Gay Army who Destroyed the Spartans!🏳️🌈. First place in (Un)Common Knowledge Challenge. Top Story - March 2021.
When Gerard Butler King Leonidas led his 300 warriors into one of the most notorious battles in history, The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, his army became the ultimate symbol of strength, bravery and peak masculinity. This three-day bloody battle spawned countless iterations; paintings, statues, essays, novels, comic books, movies, memes and the fancy dress costume of choice for buff dudes.
By Kate Holderness5 years ago in FYI
For the Love of Mustard!
Origin Mustard is believed to be the very first condiment that humans ever put on food. Stretching back to ancient Egypt, mustard seeds were found in the tombs of many pharaohs. Romans would grind the spicy seeds into a spreadable paste that went with many meals. French monks would mix the ground seeds with a ‘must’ such as unfermented wine, inspiring the word mustard. Which stems from the Latin mustum ardens, roughly translating to ‘burning wine.’ King Louis XI refused to travel without mustard, keeping a pot with him at all times to ensure he would never have to face a meal without it.
By M.R. Cameo5 years ago in FYI
Cracking the Ginger Gene
Red Hair. It has been mystified, vilified and sometimes revered over the centuries. It's rarity and charm almost always makes people turn around and catch another glimpse of someone with red hair passing by. They say red haired people only make up about 2% of the population, which makes me lucky, because I have two red haired sons. Many people forget that although rare, there are many different shades of red from many different places on our planet. Being red haired doesn't necessarily mean the lightest shade of pale skin. My oldest son has deep brown eyes and copper colored hair with skin that tans easily. My youngest has strawberry red hair with light brown eyes and slightly lighter skin that burns easier in the sun. There are black people, east Asian, southeast Asian, and Middle eastern, Mediterranean people with red hair. Very often, people see my children and tell us they also had red hair when they were young or that they know someone who has a child with red hair when neither parent does. They always ask us where the red hair comes from.
By Isabelle Dumais5 years ago in FYI
The mystery behind milk in Canada
Canadians have heard many jokes and stereotypes about our beloved country, like our bills look like Monopoly money, and we say 'aboot' instead of 'about' (which we don't). Every Canadian is born with hockey skates, and the list goes on.
By Rachelle Baird5 years ago in FYI
