Lawrence Ripple entered the bank and gave the teller a note that said, “I have a gun, give me money.” Ripple didn’t have a gun, and strangely, he didn’t actually want the money. After the teller handed over $3,000 in cash, Ripple sat down in the lobby and waited for the cops to … [Read more...]
According to the United Nations, there are 19.5 million refugees around the world. Most of them are poor and in need of support. What most people don’t hear about are the ultra-rich, who can easily buy their way into a new life abroad. In the US, for example, foreigners who … [Read more...]
Joanne Barnaby was deep in the Canadian wilderness hunting wild mushrooms when she heard the growl of a wolf. She turned to see her dog facing off with a big black wolf. The wolf looked skinny and hungry but was still twice the size of her dog. Joanne had made the near fatal … [Read more...]
Depending on whom you ask, Felix von Luckner was a noble, a gentleman, a pirate, and a hero. Born into a German military family, he dreamed of becoming a naval officer since he was a child, even though his father pushed him to follow in his footsteps and become a cavalry … [Read more...]
Elderly people trying to make a break for freedom are common at nursing homes. Confused patients at the Ben Rath nursing home in Germany would often slip out the door and get lost. Some would be found wandering in stores or even in the forest. Others would jump on buses in search … [Read more...]
A mother and her six children were accused of killing a five-year-old boy in Savigny, France in 1457. The mother and children were brought before a court to answer for their crimes. The mother was found guilty and sentenced to death by hanging, but her children were freed. … [Read more...]
Einstein once said, “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” Philosophers and scientists from Aristotle to Einstein have known throughout history that walking in nature can boost creativity. When we walk, our heart rate increases, pumping blood … [Read more...]
One day in 1986, Edgar Latulip got on a bus headed for Niagara Falls and then disappeared. Edgar was reported to the police as a missing person. For 30 years, the case went cold. Some people thought Edgar had died in a mysterious accident. Edgar’s mother and the police … [Read more...]
For the majority of us, an airport is nothing more than a place to wait for a journey to begin. But for some, an airport has become a home. In a perfect storm of unlucky events, Mehran Karimi Nasseri found himself stranded at the Charles de Gaulle airport in France for more than … [Read more...]
English expressions like ‘Everything happens for a reason’ sound hokey to some, but not if you believe in fate or destiny. Pediatrician Dr. Michael Shannon says, “Things are supposed to happen when they do. I see examples of this almost daily in my life and practice.” In 2011, … [Read more...]
Worldwide, it’s estimated that one out of every three women has been a victim of violence. Also, women are paid less than men, and they are less likely to hold positions of leadership. Female babies are even aborted at a higher rate than male babies. This phenomenon is so common … [Read more...]
Walt Disney once said, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Many people don’t realize that Walt Disney, the creator of Mickey Mouse and so many other iconic characters, was once a man who was very familiar with failure. In fact, in his younger years, he had a boss who fired him … [Read more...]
Brian McGuinn waded through a sea of more than nine tons of garbage. He came to the dump because just days before, he accidentally threw away his wife’s $10,000 diamond engagement ring. Brian needed to find that diamond ring. It was a symbol of his marriage, of his love for … [Read more...]
To kill two birds with one stone is an English phrase that means to achieve two goals with one action. When a terrorist group kidnapped 19-year-old Patty Hearst, they knew they were killing two birds with one stone. The group was called the SLA, and they chose to kidnap Patty … [Read more...]
The people of Vietnam suffered through war from 1955 to 1975, but for one man, the war took much longer to end. Ho Van Thanh was a soldier for more than 15 years. One terrible day, a mine exploded and killed his wife and two of his sons and completely destroyed his home. In a … [Read more...]
Why would 30,000 Americans pay $6 for a box of bull poop? According to the marketing material of one company that sold bull poop on Black Friday, you could "fertilize your garden, adorn a festive tree, or surprise a loved one with the gift of poop." Black Friday is the day … [Read more...]
Ma Yuanjiang survived eight days trapped under the rubble of an earthquake in China. He had no food or water, so he ate paper and drank his own urine. Ma had no training in survival. He was a business executive, yet somehow, against all odds, he survived longer than almost anyone … [Read more...]
Most of us take our breathing for granted, but we aren’t all lucky enough to live in a place with clean air. In Beijing, pollution has gotten so bad that breathing the air has become dangerous. There are days when the smog is thick enough to block out the sun. On these days, … [Read more...]
Helen and Maurice Kaye met in 1929 when they were just teenagers. Fast forward to 2015, and the pair is now celebrating their 80th anniversary. They’ve been married longer than most people on Earth have been alive. Through thick and thin, their marriage has endured. They lost two … [Read more...]
Against all odds, the remarkable Roy Sullivan was hit by lightning seven times in his life. Roy was a park ranger working in the Shenandoah National Park when he was first hit by lightning. He was standing in a tower in the middle of a storm when he realized he wasn’t in the … [Read more...]
