Amongst the many contenders for having inspired Bram Stoker when writing his seminal work, Dracula, few have been afforded as prime a position as has the Hungarian noblewoman, Elizabeth Bathory. In the early seventeenth century, Bathory was accused of having killed as many as 650 victims. She was convicted of her crimes, spending the remainder of …
The True Story of Elizabeth Bathory, The Blood Countess Read More »
To ask, ‘Who was Grady Stiles?’ opens the door to an intensely fascinating but disturbing story. On his merits, Grady Stiles was a freak show performer, famous for his talents and work on stage. Still, after the limelight on him dissipated, his life would begin taking several hellish turns, ending ultimately in a vicious death. …
The Infamous Life and Death of Grady’ The Lobster Boy’ Stiles Jr. Read More »
Cold War tensions between the USSR and United States hit an all-time high during the 1960s. Events like the Cuban Missile Crisis and building the Berlin Wall were just a few examples of how extreme things were. In Asia, North and South Korea were only a decade past the terrible Korean War that tore through …
Charles Robert Jenkins, A US Defector To North Korea Read More »
Japan’s Sengoku period between 1467 and 1615 was a time of political intrigue, war, and change on a massive scale. The enormous demand for samurai marked a shift in culture that forever altered Japanese history. One of the fascinating tales from this period is the story of Yasuke the black samurai. He was an outsider …
The Story of Yasuke, Japan’s First Black Samurai Read More »
The military histories of Germany and China before the Second World War were inextricably linked. One interesting testament to their close ties was when in March 1938, the German Wehrmacht crossed the border into Austria. The event was known as the Anschluss but is sometimes called the Blumenkrieg, or the war of flowers, because it …
Chiang Wei-Kuo: The Chinese Soldier Who Fought For The Wehrmacht Read More »
Over 18 years, Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo built one of the world’s most extensive drug operations, earning the title El Jefe de Jefes (“The Boss of Bosses”), or El Padrino. You may know him well from Diego Luna’s depiction of him in the Netflix show Narcos: Mexico. Félix Gallardo’s Guadalajara Cartel unified the Mexican drug trade until his …
Miguel Ángel Félix Gallardo: The Godfather of the Mexican Drug Trade Read More »
Wrigley is a chewing gum manufacturer founded in 1891. They’re famous for their peppermint gum, advertised for its “double” flavor introduced in 1914. The company loved to capitalize on the word “double” and introduced the Doublemint twins in 1939. Initially, they were drawings Wrigley included in magazine and newspaper advertisements. From 1959 they cast and …
The Doublemint Twins: The Faces of Wrigley’s Iconic Gum Read More »
Marilyn Monroe has many iconic photos and looks – standing over a grate with her dress blowing up, blowing out a candle, and many others. Some photos many don’t remember except for the most hardcore fans are a series of her wearing the hell out of a fitted burlap sack. There is fascinating speculation behind …
Abraham Lincoln (February 12th, 1809 – April 15th, 1865) was the United States’ 16th President. He was elected to two terms, serving from March 4th, 1861, until John Wilkes Booth assassinated him on April 15th, 1865. Abraham Lincoln is known primarily for two important things: Signing the Emancipation Proclamation, which was an executive order signed …
17 Amazing Facts About Abraham Lincoln You Never Knew Read More »
Sir Isaac Newton lay the groundwork for our understanding of the world, earning the title of “the father of modern science.” He was a jack-of-all-trades who revolutionized mathematics, physics, and astronomy. Beyond that, he was a bit of a celebrity in England, leading a fascinating life outside of his scientific work. Here are some interesting …