10 Incredible Insights About Missouri

Peel back the curtains on the fascinating state of Missouri, and you’ll discover a host of intriguing facts that may astound you. Welcome to ’10 Incredible Insights About Missouri’.

Image of St. Louis downtown with Gateway Arch at twilight.
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1. In an impressive ecological milestone, Missouri emerged as the pioneering US state to embed wildlife conservation into its constitution. Established through a statewide referendum, this move aimed to shield it from easy repeal. Eighty-one years later, Missouri’s wildlife conservation framework is recognized and respected worldwide.

2. In the quest to recall all 50 states of the US, it seems ‘Missouri’ is the one most likely to be overlooked. So next time you take on that challenge, don’t forget the ‘Show-Me State’.

3. Thanks to industrial influence, Missouri boasts some of the most lenient alcohol laws in the nation. Everything from hard liquor retailing in grocery stores and gas stations, to bars doubling up as liquor stores, and even public intoxication, is permissible. Most areas even allow open containers, including passengers in vehicles.

4. In a startling episode, a Missourian intentionally damaged a Mississippi River levee to hinder his wife’s return home, thereby extending his party time. The resulting flood covered 14,000 acres. This man was subsequently arrested, convicted of instigating a catastrophe, and sentenced to life imprisonment.

5. Did you know that the United States safeguards a mammoth cheese stockpile of 1.4 billion pounds in Missouri’s caves? Now that’s a lot of cheese!

6. In a dark chapter of Missouri’s history, Governor Lilburn Boggs issued Executive Order 44 in 1838, mandating all Mormons to exit the state or face execution. Disturbingly, this decree remained in effect until 1976, making it legal to murder Mormons in Missouri.

7. In a bizarre twist of fate, due to a communication mishap, Missouri authorities assumed Michael Anderson was serving his 13-year sentence for armed robbery in prison. The error was only discovered as his supposed release date approached, revealing they had forgotten to incarcerate him.

8. The Mormon community holds the belief that the original Garden of Eden is located in Jackson County, Missouri. A truly divine location!

9. Walt Disney, before his death, had envisioned creating a Disney park in his birthplace of Marceline, Missouri. This quaint city, with a population slightly over 2,000, inspired the iconic “Main Street, USA” in Disneyland.

10. Missouri also claims the sweet accolade of being the birthplace of the ice cream cone, which is believed to have debuted at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1904.

5 Mind-Boggling Facts about Car Insurance

Diving into the world of car insurance can reveal some truly fascinating insights. Here are five that might just make you rethink everything you thought you knew about this industry.

Stressed Driver
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  1. It might come as a surprise, but auto insurance companies often provide police departments with laser guns, more challenging to circumvent than traditional radar guns. This investment works in favor of insurance companies, as it leads to an increase in detected traffic violations, consequently causing a rise in insurance premiums. This interplay between law enforcement and insurers creates an interesting cycle of benefit.
  2. Here’s a fact that’ll make you blink – in 2017, title insurance firms in Texas wrote policies amounting to an astounding $1.8 billion. Yet, the sum of claims they paid out was a meager $24 million in comparison. This stark contrast underscores the unpredictable and lucrative nature of the insurance sector.
  3. Brace yourself for this statistic – an average American motorist lodges a collision claim approximately once every 17.9 years. Meaning, if you embarked on your driving journey at 16, you’re likely to be involved in a crash around the age of 34. During a typical driving lifetime, you’re expected to experience three to four accidents overall.
  4. Across many U.S. states, your credit score can significantly influence your car insurance premiums. A higher credit score could lead to lower premiums, while a lesser score may elevate what you have to pay. Critics argue that this practice could unduly impact individuals with lower incomes, potentially affecting premiums based on factors that aren’t associated with driving capabilities. Yet, it’s worth highlighting that a few states, including California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts, ban the use of credit scores in deciding car insurance rates.
  5. In a deviation from the norm, residents of Virginia can opt out of auto insurance. By simply paying a $500 fee, they can choose to “drive at their own risk”. This distinct feature of Virginia’s insurance laws provides an interesting contrast to the mandatory insurance rules found in most other states.

Five Interesting Facts You Didn’t Know About Basketball

Immersed in the exhilarating world of basketball, let’s uncover some trivia about the sport that has defined generations of athletes and fans.

Basketball basket with ball
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1. A single three-point shot may have saved hundreds of lives in 2008. Mykal Riley, a player from Alabama, made a three-pointer that caused the game to extend into overtime, mere minutes before an EF-2 Tornado hit the area. Had Riley missed that shot, countless fans could have found themselves caught in the tornado’s devastating path in the parking lot.

2. Lisa Leslie, a prodigious high school basketball talent, showcased an unforgettable performance when she amassed an astonishing 101 points in merely 16 minutes of gameplay. She exhibited an incredible shooting accuracy, scoring 37 out of 56 attempts from the field and netting 27 out of 35 free throws. Yet, despite her extraordinary feat, she was denied the opportunity to break the women’s high school game scoring record. The reason? The opposing team’s coach, perhaps overwhelmed by her prowess, decided to refrain from playing the second half of the match.

3. Kobe Bryant, influenced by his upbringing in Italy and observing soccer players’ athleticism, is largely responsible for the decline of high-top basketball sneakers. He expressly requested Nike to create the ‘lightest, lowest basketball shoe ever,’ a departure from traditional basketball footwear that has forever changed the game.

4. The “Granny style” throw, despite its propensity for mockery, is actually the most effective technique for free throws in basketball. Players’ reluctance to use it is not due to any rule restrictions but seemingly springs from fear of ridicule, highlighting the intriguing intersection of sports strategy and social perceptions.

5. The tradition of home teams in basketball donning white uniforms has its roots in laundry logistics. Originally, home teams had the advantage of laundry facilities, and by having visiting teams wear darker shades, such as grey, stains accumulated over the course of the series were more easily concealed, presenting an unexpected factor in the stylistic evolution of basketball uniforms.

Five Unbelievable Stories from the Gangster Underworld

Plunging into the thrilling and often murky depths of the criminal underworld, let’s uncover five jaw-dropping tales about infamous gangsters.

John Gotti just after his arrest in 1990
John Gotti just after his arrest in 1990
Photo by Wikipedia

1. Hymie Weiss, the notorious gangster from Chicago, was known for his audacious encounters with the formidable Al Capone, earning him the unique distinction of being “the only man Al Capone feared.” Weiss’s fatalistic approach to his own life can be traced back to his terminal cancer diagnosis. Fearlessly embroiling himself in gang wars against Capone, he even assaulted Capone’s car and lodging place. However, Weiss’s brazen actions led to his demise, as he was assassinated on October 11, 1926.

2. Famously known as ‘The Teflon Don’ for his uncanny ability to evade legal charges, John Gotti was a notorious figure in the criminal world. Yet, his brutal and conspicuous methods eventually led to significant crackdowns on the Gambino crime family. In 1992, Gotti was convicted, and by the start of the new millennium, half of the made men in the Gambino family found themselves behind bars.

3. Sammy “The Bull” Gravano, once the underboss of the Gambino family and instrumental in Gotti’s downfall, now freely shares his mafia tales on a YouTube channel. Gravano, with his self-proclaimed immunity from testifying against the mob, unabashedly discusses his involvement in numerous murders. His stories, while always taken with a pinch of skepticism due to the notorious unreliability of mob members, often bear an uncanny resemblance to a Martin Scorsese script. Gravano’s exploits dwarf the characters of “Goodfellas,” affirming him as a genuine figure in the mafia world.

4. In a peculiar turn of events in 1926, acclaimed jazz pianist Fats Waller was abducted by gangsters and held for three days in Chicago. The surprising reason? To perform as the “surprise guest” at Al Capone’s birthday celebration. Waller was eventually discovered in a state of extreme fatigue and intoxication, his pockets bulging with thousands of dollars he had received as tips from Capone and other party guests.

5. In a chilling display of gangster loyalty, Frank Gusenberg, a mobster riddled with 14 bullets during the infamous St Valentine’s Day massacre, steadfastly refused to reveal his attacker. His final defiant words, “I ain’t no copper,” went down in underworld history.

10 Fascinating Tidbits About Keanu Reeves

The enigmatic and profoundly talented actor Keanu Reeves is a man of countless fascinating narratives. Let’s dive deeper into ten interesting facets of his captivating life story.

Canadian actor and director Keanu Reeves speaks during a press conference for his new movie, Man of Taichi, in Wuhan city, central Chinas Hubei province, 28 June 2013.
Canadian actor and director Keanu Reeves speaks during a press conference for his new movie, Man of Taichi, in Wuhan city, central Chinas Hubei province, 28 June 2013.
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1. Despite his reputation for delivering unforgettable performances, Keanu Reeves has not yet been recognized with a nomination or award from the Oscar, Golden Globe, or Emmy award platforms.

2. The iconic character Neo in the blockbuster movie ‘The Matrix’ was eventually portrayed by Reeves after several famous personalities, including the likes of Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, declined the role.

3. The incredible potency and efficiency displayed by Reeves in his movies inspired scientists to christen a new lipopeptide with potent microbe-fighting properties as ‘keanumycins‘.

4. Life has dealt Reeves a series of difficult blows, including the loss of his girlfriend and daughter in quick succession and supporting his sister through her leukemia battle. Yet, his spirit remains unbroken, and he continues to contribute significantly to cancer-related causes, even establishing his own charitable organization.

5. Reeves is not averse to cutting his salary to enable the production to cast other significant actors. He demonstrated this during ‘The Devil’s Advocate’ to make Al Pacino’s participation possible and again in ‘The Replacements’ to collaborate with Gene Hackman.

6. The critically-panned movie ‘The Watcher’ featured Reeves due to an unusual circumstance where a friend forged his signature on the contract.

7. Reeves faced an eccentric lawsuit from a woman who claimed he used hypnosis to impregnate her while posing as her ex-husband. However, the case was dismissed when a DNA test confirmed he was not the father.

8. In his pursuit of realism in action sequences, Reeves is known to train intensely. For ‘The Matrix’, he trained in karate for four months. For ‘Matrix Reloaded’, he mastered more than 200 martial arts maneuvers, and for ‘John Wick’, he learned Judo and Jujitsu.

9. The illustrious rockstar Alice Cooper used to babysit Keanu Reeves.

10. Reeves has experienced multiple home invasions by stalkers. On one occasion, he found an intruder in his library, calmly engaging with her until the police arrived for a mental health assessment.