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ADVERTISEMENT While political and military leaders come and go, religious figures seem to endure throughout the ages, which is why millions of people still venerate them hundreds or even thousands of years after they’ve died. What some people might find it enlightening to know, however, is that not everyone who was responsible for starting a [...]

Before people were able to access information by way of the Internet, written text was the primary resource for knowledge.  The history of books has been linked to political and economical contingencies, as well as the history of ideas and religion.  In the ancient world, humans developed writings as a desire to create a lasting [...]

It is estimated that we are exposed to thousands of commercial messages every day in one form or another. Most of them are boring as hell, but once in a while, a shocking ad makes us stop and wonder. ‘Shockvertising’ is like a sword with a double-edged blade. Do bold and controversial print ads incite [...]

Fan fiction is perhaps the single strangest method of creative expression ever conceived. Despite the fact that the form is fueled entirely by people incapable of coming up with their own characters, there are works that show a remarkable—and often disturbing—level of creativity. Writers, unchained from the burdens of conventional standards of plot, pacing and [...]

By this point in life we’re all well aware that Japan is the source of crazy, crazy things, so to create a list of their weirdest video games seems like it would be old hat. But Japan never ceases to amaze us; even in this day and age, when just hearing the word “Japan” conjures [...]

Thanks to their sheltered lives and the adverse effects of inbreeding, a lot of history’s kings, queens, and other royals became known for their eccentricities. There was Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who delighted in torturing her servants and was even rumored to bathe in the blood of virgins; there was Gian Gastone of Italy, who was [...]

The first sword appeared during the Bronze Age.  It was made of copper and was uncovered at the Harappan sites in present-day Pakistan.  By the Middle Ages iron and steel swords were being mass produced and used in battle.  Soldiers were trained in swordsmanship and prepared for combat.  It was before the era of guns [...]

Halloween is one of the creepiest times of the year.  The holiday was molded from ancient Celtic practices, religious rituals, and European folk traditions.  Halloween is a time for celebration, candy, and ghostly superstition.  The day has long been thought of a time when the dead come alive and watch over the land.  These spirits [...]

As one of the most influential directors of all time, many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films have become permanent classics of the cinema.  Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and The Birds are just some of his most popular titles. Audiences all over the world know his movies, but few people know just how many [...]