The least-visited national park in the U.S. is the Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve in Alaska, which lies entirely north of the Arctic Circle and has “no established roads, trails, visitor facilities, or campgrounds.”
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The first recorded battle in history was…
The first recorded battle in history was the Battle of Megiddo in 1457 BC. It left such an impression on the Levantine people there that they believed the final battle of humanity would take place there as well. That’s where the word Armageddon comes from.
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Hypnosis and politics
Nick Belluso, while running for governor of Georgia in 1978, came up with the idea of hypnotizing the voters to vote for him. So he hired a hypnotist and created a TV ad.
Candidate: This is Nick Belluso. In the next ten seconds you will be hit with a tremendously hypnotic force. You may wish to turn away. Without further ado let me introduce to you the hypnogenecist of mass hypnosis, the Reverend James G. Masters. Take us away, James.
Hypnotist: Do not be afraid. I am placing the name of Nick Belluso in your subconscious mind. You will remember this. You will vote on Election Day. You will vote Nick Belluso for governor. You will remember this. You will vote on Election Day. You will vote Nick Belluso for governor.
However, Belluso’s scheme was foiled when every TV station but one refused to run the ad, fearing the hypnosis might actually work, which would open them up to potential legal liabilities.
So Belluso lost the election. Though he subsequently became a perennial candidate running for many offices, including President of the United States in 1980.
Also worth noting: Belluso claimed he had been endorsed by “The Force.”
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There was a Roman priesthood whose job…
There was a Roman priesthood whose job was to perform a specific dance and chant around sacred shields. Since this ritual was unchanged for centuries, later Romans had no idea what the ritual actually meant while still continuing the tradition.
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A Swedish sailor shipwrecked on an island inhabited…
A Swedish sailor shipwrecked on an island inhabited by cannibals. He was captured and taken to a local king, whose daughter fell in love with him. He married, had nine children with her, and became the king after his father-in-law.
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In 1977 the Chicago Sun-Times bought a bar…
In 1977 the Chicago Sun-Times bought a bar and ran it with undercover reporters to investigate widespread corruption.
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In 2011, Laura Dekker, the Dutch girl, became the youngest…
In 2011, Laura Dekker, the Dutch girl, became the youngest person to sail around the world solo. She did it in a year and celebrated her 16th birthday on the trip.
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The idiom “Turning a blind eye” is attributed…
The idiom “Turning a blind eye” is attributed to Admiral Horatio Nelson who, in the midst of battle and given the permission to retreat by his superior, lifted the telescope to his eye (blinded from an earlier injury) and said “I really do not see the signal” and pressed on with the attack.
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In 2011, when Jeopardy!’s 74-game champion Ken Jennings…
In 2011, when Jeopardy!’s 74-game champion Ken Jennings lost in an exhibition match against IBM’s Watson AI program, he wrote under his final response “I for one welcome our new computer overlords”.
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There is a 1982 Barbie commercial…
There is a 1982 Barbie commercial that ends with the line “Better make Ken a sandwich!”
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