17 Things You Didn't Know About Bruce Lee
Born Lee Jun-Fan in San Francisco, CA, Bruce Lee would eventually become internationally famous as a film star and martial artist. Even if you put Lee's fighting and acting conquests aside, enough fun facts about Bruce Lee exist that reveal him to be a man of great talent and charisma. Even as a young man, Lee showed amazing resolve and dedication to every action he undertook. Responsible for propelling Hong Kong martial arts films into prominence in the West, he completely changed the stereotypical portrayals of Asians in film, especially in mainstream Hollywood films. When it comes down to it, there are likely many different things you didn't know about Bruce Lee.
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The Matawan Man-Eater | The Inspiration for the Film Jaws
There's no denying that the movie Jaws definitely made some beach-goers scared to go into the water. However, the story that inspired Jaws was what really had people scared to have a day at the beach. The Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916 were so unexpected, sudden, and violent that they stuck in the public's mind even up to the point that the movie hit theaters. The "Matawan man-eater," as the shark was called, took down at least three people before the killings finally stopped, and it forever changed the public's view of sharks.
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What Being A Prisoner In The Tower Of London Was Like
What was it like to live in the Tower of London? That depended on a prisoner's social position and personal wealth; however, even the most notable prisoners were subject to horrible fates. Many prisoners in the Tower of London faced torture and even death, but privileged inhabitants brought servants and threw feasts.
The Tower of London didn't start off as a prison, but it certainly became one of the gnarliest places to send criminals and political enemies. The last executions at the Tower of London took place after World War II when Josef Jakobs was shot by firing squad. But between its origins and the final shot, the Tower of London offered a vast array of experiences for prisoners.
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Stray Dogs Are Still Living In Chernobyl
In one of the more ironic disasters of all time, the unit 4 reactor of the Chernobyl power plant in Ukraine failed during an emergency shutdown safety test in 1986, belching nuclear waste and radioactive isotopes all over the nearby city of Pripyat. More than 30 years later, hundreds of stray dogs live in and around the power plant, along with the many wild animals that call Chernobyl home.
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What Being a Spectator at the Rome Colosseum Was Like
Ancient Romans loved their sports and entertainment, and the Colosseum put on the grandest games in all of ancient Rome. With its gladiators, interchangeable arenas, exotic animals, and the rare naval reenactment, being a spectator in the Roman Colosseum would have indeed been a spectacle.
Crowds of 50,000 people, spanning every region and socioeconomic class of the empire, gathered at the stadium to watch shows and get away from the disgusting life of everyday Rome. They enjoyed food, wine, music, and theatrics in a large venue, all paid for by the emperor himself.
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The Chilling True Story of 'The Conjuring'
The Conjuring, directed by James Wan, is one of the best horror films of the 21st century. And one of the most terrifying parts? It's based on a true story.
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Queen vs. David Bowie | The Making of Under Pressure
When David Bowie and Freddie Mercury came together to record "Under Pressure" in 1981, the result was one of the best duets of all time. Though the recording process managed to unite some of the most prolific musical geniuses of the 20th century, creating the masterpiece was no simple task.
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Who Is the Real Chuck Norris? The Man Beyond the Meme
Chuck Norris was born Carlos Ray Norris in southern Oklahoma on March 10th, 1940. Truth be told, he wasn't the extraordinary kid you'd think Chuck Norris would be. In fact, Norris was a bit subpar all throughout his adolescence. Carlos was not athletic, painfully shy, and when it came to his studies, he barely slid by. The fact that his frequently unemployed father was a belligerent alcoholic and his family was always financially scraping by didn't help his depression or debilitating introversion. All that set Norris up for a childhood filled with insecurity and low self-esteem.
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Gouverneur Morris | The Wildest Founding Father Of Them All
From engaging in trysts at the Louvre, to losing a leg in an adultery-driven accident, to vehemently opposing slavery, Gouverneur Morris is arguably one of the most fascinating figures in history. Bronx born, Gouverneur Morris was one of the founding fathers, but his personal life is one wild ride. Buckle up.
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Viking Raids | What It Was Like to Be On the Front Lines
Ten-foot spears, three-foot shields, and a thousand raving warriors - Viking combat was brutal, bloody, and often deadly. Whether raiding a defenseless monastery to haul off gold and jewels or lining up to battle a rival army, Vikings took no prisoners on the battlefield. The life of a Viking warrior started in childhood when boys would train and hunt to learn the spear. But the warrior's life wasn't only for boys; shield-maidens fought alongside the men during Viking battles, throwing spears and fending off enemies. Sometimes Vikings also made love connections on the battlefield.
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Magician Harry Houdini Lived His Life to the Fullest
Some of the most awesome Harry Houdini facts center on his search for truth in everything he did. Harry Houdini was not a guy to half-ass things. If he was going to chase down so-called mystics and expose them as frauds, he canceled shows, wrangled a panel of scientists, and debunked you with fury. There are so many tales of badass Houdini exploits, you should just watch them for yourselves. Keep in mind, Houdini was a tough cookie - you shouldn’t try any of his feats of endurance or pissy note writing.
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Harry Anslinger | The Man Responsible for Marijuana's Prohibition
The origins of the War on Drugs in the US go back more than a century and are mired in complicated history. However, the story of the ban on cannabis in America can be easily traced to one individual: Harry J. Anslinger, who spent three decades as the head of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, the forerunner of the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Not only was Anslinger the loudest and most influential proponent of the ban in the 1930s, but he was also an architect of the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 that federalized the ban.
As the government’s number one anti-drug crusader, Anslinger led a vitriolic campaign against cannabis, promoting his proposed ban with a blend of sensationalism, racism, and propaganda. His tactics worked, and the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 kicked off nearly a century of persecution against pot smokers - one that still hasn’t ended in some parts of the country.
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Hiroo Onoda | The Man Who Fought WWII For 30 Extra Years
Who was Hiroo Onoda? Onoda was a Japanese soldier who refused to surrender long after the capitulation of Japan in WWII. For 29 extra years, Onoda continued to execute the mission that he was ordered to carry out in 1944. Stationed at Lubang Island, in the Philippines, he and his three-man team were the only survivors when the US attacked and recaptured the island in 1945. Onoda ordered the group to retreat to remote mountains, occasionally carrying out guerrilla missions against island installations, which was his original assignment. Despite the death or capture of all three of his subordinates, repeated attempts to inform him of the end of the war, and gun battles with Filipino authorities, Onoda fought on. When he was finally tracked down by a Japanese national and told that the war was over, he responded by saying he was continuing to follow orders and would not surrender until he received an appropriate command from his superior officer.
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Pompeii | Crazy facts that will blow your mind
Whether it be from Mount Vesuvius or director Paul W.S. Anderson, most of us associate the word Pompeii with disaster. But while the deadly volcanic blast of 79 a.d. was the most memorable aspect to this doomed civilization, it was still just a single moment in the history of this Italian city. Today, we're looking at things you probably didn't know about Pompeii.
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Pink Floyd Recorded An Album That Was Too Trippy For Them
After the immediate worldwide success of Dark Side of the Moon and the lengthy tour that followed its release, Pink Floyd's album Harvest Records went on another chart-topping moneymaker and fast. But when the Dark Side tour ended in June of 1973, the band took a break and went their own ways for four months.
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What It Was Like During The Golden Age Of Flying
The 1950s and '60s are often regarded as the golden age of airlines, offering luxurious seating, fancy meals, and beaming flight attendants. But while it was certainly roomier than today's modern sardine can technique of travel, there was also a fair share of less desirable details unseen in the black and white evidence left behind. So what was it really like to fly during the Elvis era? Let's take a trip through the many ups and downs of getting around in the olden days.
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Palm Springs | The Craziest Old Hollywood Celebrity Scandals
Palm Springs, CA, has been a hideaway for celebrities since the 1920s; the desert location, with its unique microclimate and dry weather, was seen as a "tonic" for those looking to escape the stress and pressure of Hollywood. In the early and mid-1900s, there was a "two-hour rule," meaning stars couldn't live further than two hours away from set in case they were called back to work unexpectedly. Palm Springs became the perfect destination for celebrities who needed to stay close but desired privacy.
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Anne Perry | The Bestselling Crime Author's Dark Criminal Past
Anne Perry, an English author of historical detective fiction is a best-seller best known for her Thomas Pitt and William Monk series. But not all of it was fiction, turns out Perry was keeping a disturbingly dark secret. At the age of fifteen, she was convicted of participating in the murder of her friend's mother. After serving her five-year sentence, she changed her name and began a successful career as a crime novelist. Today in weird history, we're diving deep into a story that's almost stranger than fiction.
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How Vanderbilt Family Went From Richest In America To Broke
In the 1800s, the Vanderbilt family ruled supreme as the wealthiest family in America known for luxurious homes, lavish parties, and extreme philanthropy. Their riches in today's market would come out to be a stunning 185 billion net worth. But the money did not last. So how did such a prominent family lose it all? And in what way is Anderson Cooper connected to the famous Vanderbilt name? All that and more, in today's Weird History Explainer.
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Actor Christopher Lee Was A Real Life Badass
From fighting Nazis to holding not one but THREE Guinness World Records to playing some truly iconic film roles, beloved actor Christopher Lee had one of the most fascinating lives of all time.
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Fort Knox | What's Really Inside The Mysterious Military Base?
Located just outside Louisville, Kentucky, Fort Knox is a top-secret United States Army post surrounded in mystery and conspiracy theories. Not only does it house a majority of the nation's gold reserve, it's so exclusive that even U.S. Presidents don't get an invite. So what exactly goes on behind closed doors?
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The Feud That Almost Destroyed Paleontology
Nothing better than an intense rivalry between scientists...right? Well, that's exactly what happened with paleontologists Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles Marsh -- two men who really take the cake for petty feuds. This fight, also known as The Bone Wars or The Great Dinosaur Rush, was so heated that it devolved into bribery, theft, and destruction that almost ruined paleontology. Uh, yikes!
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10 Gross Medical Conditions You Probably Have
Prone to browsing WebMD and panicking over every mole on your body? You might want to sit this next one out. Today we're talking the top 10 nasty medical conditions that just about everybody has, that includes you.
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10 Rare Genetic Features You'll Wish You Had
From super strength to 4D vision, these genetic traits, while extremely uncommon, can absolutely exist. Jealous yet? Today we're counting down the top 10 rare genetic features you'll wish you had.
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