Kiyoshi Kimura, Japanese sushi chain CEO, solved Somalian piracy by providing the facilities and teaching the pirates how to fish for tuna.
In Japan, some have the status of the Living…
In Japan, some have the status of the Living National Treasures of Japan. They are individuals and groups certified by the government, who are masters of a traditional art or craft that is in danger of being lost. As a reward, they receive a small amount of money from the government annually.
Eddie Murphy has a daughter with…
Eddie Murphy has a daughter with former Spice Girl Melanie Brown. Murphy had initially denied it was his child until a DNA test proved he was the father.
Euler, one of the greatest mathematicians…
Euler, one of the greatest mathematicians to ever live and certainly the most prolific, completed about half of his life’s work completely blind.
Despite stealing $2.2 million dollars…
Despite stealing $2.2 million dollars and being a convicted felon for being a perpetrator of the largest public school embezzlement in American history, Frank Tassone receives a pension of $173,495 a year for life because New York State does not bar felons from collecting pensions.
In Ireland, each person who becomes…
In Ireland, each person who becomes 100 years old receives a congratulatory letter signed by the President with a gift cheque of €2,540. This custom is called the “Centenarian Bounty” and also applies to foreign national residents of the country.
The painting “The Scream” was stolen…
The painting “The Scream” was stolen the same day as the opening of the 1994 Olympics; the thieves left a note saying “thanks for the poor security”.
The price of bread was commonly…
The price of bread was commonly regulated across medieval Europe. As bread was essential to the lives of medieval peoples, these laws protected common people from fraudulent bakers.
During the Cold War, the USA tried to intimidate…
During the Cold War, the USA tried to intimidate the Soviet Bloc by convincing them that then president Richard Nixon was an unstable lunatic who was likely to lash out for no rational reason, based on the dubious “madman theory” of foreign policy.
In 1963, Bruce McAllister…
In 1963, Bruce McAllister, a 16 year-old student, wrote to 150 authors to settle a dispute with his English teacher about textual symbolism. More than 75 replied, including Ray Bradbury, John Updike, and Saul Bellow. McAllister later became an acclaimed author and literature professor.