Nowadays, we have a decent understanding of mental health and many who need help can find it in psychiatric hospitals. That was not always the case, though. In the past, people with mental issues were sent to lunatic asylums; not to get treatment, but to keep them out of the way of the general population.…
Author: Radu Alexander
A posthumous pardon is a form of symbolic redemption; a way of trying to right a wrong and redeem a reputation that had been tarnished for a long time. By definition, the person it is intended for is already dead, and that does prompt a discussion over the true merits of such a pardon. Some…
The insanity defense might be a popular trope in fiction, but it is actually used in less than one percent of court cases and has only a 25 percent success rate. Some US states don’t even allow it anymore, but despite all that, it has worked on occasion, as you are about to see. To…
We all like to indulge our appetites every now and then. Maybe eat a bit more than we should. Maybe try out something new or exotic, or maybe simply ravage an entire pint of delicious ice cream in one go. Well, compared to the next ten entries, we’re not even playing in the same ballpark.…
Where would we be without underwear? Well, probably in the same place we are now, but a lot less comfortable, that’s for sure. Since the dawn of time, humans have understood the value and usefulness of undergarments, and today we are going to take a “brief” look at ten key moments in the lingering history…
For many people, time spent in the bathroom is the perfect opportunity for reflection and introspection. And for many others, it’s when they get new high scores on Candy Crush. Okay, so maybe most of us use that time for procrastination, but even so, there have been a few significant events that occurred inside a…
We all have hidden talents that we like to break out every now and then to show off. Famous people are no different. Most of them get primarily remembered for one or two things, but that does not mean they don’t have a few other skills in their bag of tricks. 10. Christopher Walken the…
If you say “pyramids,” you think of Egypt. If you say “deep dish pizza,” you think of Chicago. There are certain things, be they food, giant ancient structures, or anything in between, that are inexorably linked to specific places. But that does not necessarily mean that they originated in those places, as you are about…
Musicians often lead crazy lives, full of excesses and unique experiences, so it’s only normal that their deaths should be just as memorable. Here are ten examples that prove the point. 10. Keith Relf Nowadays, the ’60s London rock band The Yardbirds is primarily remembered for launching the careers of not one, not two, but…
Court scenes are usually filled with drama, tension, emotion, twists, and even violence. That’s why they often make for good television. And then, of course, there are those that are simply… odd. History is full of bizarre and unique court proceedings, so today we’re taking a look at ten of them. 10. The Impiety of…
Oftentimes, we regard actors as people who exist in their own special little world, outside the norms of common folk. However, major events and tragedies often bring them back down to reality, and few events are more major than a war. That’s why today we are taking a look at ten actors who fought in…
It is time for us to probe the dark underbelly of Hollywood once again and see what forgotten scandals, murders, and tales of depravity and abuse lurk beneath. 10. The Coogan Act Child actors have a pretty rough time in Hollywood, but it used to be a lot worse. Not only did the studios control…
Most modern societies rely on a police force to enact law and order, but sometimes people feel like the wheels of justice turn too slowly so they decide to take matters into their own hands. These people are known as vigilantes and these are some of their stories: 10. Phoenix Jones https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zvJIyC6qas Given how hugely…
Classic Hollywood had about as many controversies, scandals, and seedy stories as it did guys in fedoras. And since the Academy Awards, or the Oscars to you and me, established themselves as the most prestigious and most coveted award ceremony in Tinseltown, it was natural that it would also garner a few of these controversies. …
In the past, we have examined a lot of bizarre historical deaths. A lot of them… so this time, we are flipping the script. We all know that humans can find tons of unique and strange ways to meet their maker, but what about animals? 10. The Fastball Dove On March 21, 2001, future baseball…
Alcohol can be a tricky experience. Drink enough and it can make almost any event more fun and memorable. Drink too much and it does the opposite – you forget everything and the bits you do remember, you probably wish you didn’t. But this doesn’t apply only to bachelor parties and New Year’s celebrations. In…
The music industry is filled with larger-than-life figures and tales of debauchery and eccentricity, and the public is usually ready to lap up every juicy detail that they can find in tabloid magazines, interviews, autobiographies, and, more recently, social media. It’s not really surprising, then, that the secretive and scandalous nature of the music world…
In the past, we have examined the origins of some popular and peculiar idioms, but for every true story, there’s also a false one, that sometimes becomes more popular than the truth. So today, we put our debunking hats on and set out to correct a few myths about language and communication, be they false…
It is time, once again, to take 10 well-known persons from the past and explore the things that everyone thinks they did, that they didn’t actually do. In other words, 10 more myths about historical figures. 10. Ben Franklin and Daylight Saving Time Undoubtedly, Benjamin Franklin was a pretty smart guy. In fact, there is…
In the past, we have examined a few aspects of ancient Greece that still puzzle historians, scholars, and scientists. We don’t have very far to travel, as today we go back to the time of the Romans and take a look at some of the mysterious wares that they have to offer. 10. The “Burrito”…
Being a celebrity might bring you fame and fortune, but safety is often not included in the package. We know all too well the tragic fates of musicians like John Lennon and Dimebag Darrell, actors like Sharon Tate, and even fashion moguls like Gianni Versace. But there are many other celebs who suffered attempts on…
On-screen, movies often portray all sorts of dangers, whether they involve shootouts, explosions, zombies, or even evil leprechauns who make terrible puns. However, filming those movies is supposed to be pretty safe. You don’t expect to be injured, or even killed, on the set of a movie. Unfortunately, it does happen. Whether it was due…
It’s been a while, but bizarre historical deaths are back on the menu. Today we take a look at some strange ways in which people met their ends through sex, fire, flowers, baseball, lampreys, and, of course, man’s oldest foe, gravity. 10. Death by Potpourri We start off with a tale of a lethal prank…
In the past, we have taken a look at some common sayings that most of us use in day-to-day speech, but many of us use them incorrectly. This can be because we have misheard them, or maybe because they contain a word we have never heard of, or maybe they simply make more sense to…