In the winter of 1887, Parisian journalists gathered at a curious construction site on the Champ de Mars. There, amid wooden scaffolding and the rhythmic clang of hammers, they witnessed what one reporter would describe as men "reaping lightning bolts in the clouds."
For over 30 years, one name appeared again and again as the director of some of the worst movies ever made -Â Alan Smithee. But Alan Smithee wasn't a real person. He was a pseudonym used by Hollywood directors who wanted to disavow their finished films.
In the late 1990s, a brazen fraudster named Emmanuel Nwude pulled off one of history's most outrageous cons - selling a fictional airport to a gullible Brazilian bank director for a whopping $242 million.
The next time you find yourself composing an angry email to customer service, take comfort in knowing you're participating in a tradition nearly four millennia old. Long before Yelp reviews and Twitter rants, an irate customer named Nanni etched his frustrations into clay, creating what would become the world's oldest documented customer complaint. His target? A copper merchant named Ea-Nasir...
For centuries, the phrase "burning of the Library of Alexandria" has conjured an image of mankind's greatest collection of knowledge going up in flames. It's become a metaphor for the triumph of ignorance over learning, a cautionary tale passed down through generations.
Few items feel as timelessly iconic as blue jeans. Their casual aesthetic seamlessly blends into any era, worn by everyone from laborers to rockstars to fashion models. Yet this versatile wardrobe staple wasn’t always mainstream apparel. Jeans began strictly as hardy gear for gritty frontier survival before becoming universal closet necessities over nearly 150 years.
Tequila, the iconic spirit of Mexico, has long been a symbol of celebration and indulgence. Little did we know that this fiery beverage held a secret, a dazzling gem just waiting to be discovered. Scientists at the National Autonomous University of Mexico made an astounding breakthrough when they successfully transformed tequila into real, glittering diamonds.
Swaying gently over the boulevards, palm trees evoke Los Angeles glamour everywhere from Beverly Hills to Venice Beach. Their slender trunks and breezy fronds appear as quintessentially Californian as surfboards and starlets.
TAlong the craggy shores of Little Brewster Island stands a stately tower sending its beacon over the dark waters. Though hundreds of lighthouses dot America's coasts, Boston Light remains special - it's the country's last continuously staffed lighthouse guiding ships through the night.
Another Friday! Woo Hoo! Many many years ago (over 15 years ago) I visited Tahiti. I stayed on the island of Mo'orea; a small island that you can drive all the way around in about 45 minutes or so. I know, because I rented a small buggy and did just that. Tahiti is one of the most beautiful places I've ever had the pleasure of visiting. One of my top traveling experiences of my life. If you ever get a chance to go, you should. The night sky over the Pacific with no light polution was ......
Picture this: it's 1952, and you’re in London, known for its foggy, damp weather. Suddenly, a thick fog rolls in, and it's unlike anything the city has ever seen. The fog starts to turn sooty, and visibility is reduced to just a few feet in front of you. The smell of coal filled the air. A sense of gloom and possible doom fell over the city of London.