A painting from ~1510, Ascent of the Blessed, depicts the famous ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ experienced by some people during near-death experiences.
Facts
In 1972 Jean Boulet set the world record…
In 1972 Jean Boulet set the world record for the highest altitude reached in a helicopter, 40,280ft. During descent his engines failed, and he landed the helicopter without power, setting another record in the process for the highest unpowered helicopter landing.
Portraits of presidents were not depicted….
Portraits of presidents were not depicted on the official currency of the USA until the beginning of the 20th century. The first dollars had the figures and faces of the characters of Greek and Roman mythology and pictures with the participation of Native Americans appeared on the money.
There is a term related to the art…
There is a term related to the art of hotel toilet paper folding called “toilegami”. The reason for this hotel practice: “Hotels want to give their guests…confidence that the bathroom has been cleaned (so) the maid will fold over the last piece of toilet paper. It is subtle but effective”.
Vincent Van Gogh wanted to be a pastor…
Vincent Van Gogh wanted to be a pastor and didn’t start painting until 1880 when he was 27 years old and his most famous works were done while he was a patient in an asylum a year before his death in 1890, completing nearly 900 oil paintings in just ten years.
In Finland, knitting…
In Finland, knitting and making textile stuff is part of the school curriculum.
The “Dade” in Miami-Dade county…
The “Dade” in Miami-Dade county refers to Major Francis Dade who led 110 men to forcibly remove the Seminoles Indians from Florida in 1836 but was the first man killed in an ambush by Chief Miccanopa. The battle was so decisive that the Seminoles only lost 3 men compared to the 108 lost by Dade.
In 1925 William Randolph Hearst…
In 1925 William Randolph Hearst purchased the cloisters of a Spanish monastery, had it dismantled brick by brick, and shipped it all to the US. The pieces sat in a Brooklyn, NY warehouse for 26 years until two entrepreneurs bought them and rebuilt the structure in North Miami, FL.
In effort to keep morale high for WWII…
In effort to keep morale high for WWII troops fighting in the Pacific, the British built a floating brewery and dispatched it to the South Seas. America did something similar with ice cream. They recommissioned a warship to make ice cream during WWII.
In 2011, a 29-year-old Australian bartender…
In 2011, a 29-year-old Australian bartender found an ATM glitch that allowed him to withdraw way beyond his balance. In a bender that lasted four-and-half months, he managed to spend around $1.6 million of the bank’s money.
“Being able to make your account balance move up into the millions by the stroke of a key was a very addictive thing; I felt like a caveman discovering fire.”