Strange & Weird

2020-01-21

5 Facts About Charles Ponzi and the Original Ponzi Scheme

David McNamara History, International, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612015/charles-ponzi-scheme-facts

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

Some of the most infamous scams in history have been Ponzi schemes, but before Bernie Madoff (or Bitcoin), there was Charles Ponzi himself. The con he built was so successful that his last name became synonymous with fraud. In January 2020, a century after he set up his fraudulent Securities Exchange Company, the phrase Ponzi scheme is still used to describe any scheme in which funds from new investors are used to pay back old investors. Here are some facts about Ponzi and his scheme that you should know.

2020-01-21

Here’s Why the Coke at McDonald’s Is So Good

David McNamara Business & Economics, International, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612223/why-mcdonalds-coke-is-so-good

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

Not every cup of Coke is created equal. If you’re a McDonald’s customer who can’t resist ordering a large Coke with your Big Mac and fries, you may suspect that the soda from the fast food chain is superior to versions found elsewhere. It’s not childhood nostalgia warping your taste buds: McDonald’s takes steps to ensure their Coke really does taste better than the competitor’s. Coca-Cola is serious about preserving its secret formula, and the drink you get at McDonald’s is made from the same ingredients that you’d get in a can from a vending machine. The difference lies in the way McDonald’s treats those ingredients right up to the moment they fill your cup.

2020-01-21

16 Facts About Squirrels for Squirrel Appreciation Day

David McNamara International, Nature & Environment, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/524606/15-reasons-you-should-appreciate-squirrels

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

Even if you live in a big city, you probably see wildlife on a regular basis. Namely, you’re sure to run into a lot of squirrels, even in the densest urban areas. And if you happen to live on a college campus, well, you’re probably overrun with them. While some people might view them as adorable, others see them as persistent pests bent on chewing on and nesting in everything in sight. But in honor of National Squirrel Appreciation Day, here are 16 reasons you should appreciate the savvy, amazing, bushy-tailed critters.

2020-01-21

10 Craziest Museums in the World

David McNamara International, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.oddee.com/10-craziest-museums-in-the-world/

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

If you’ve never considered yourself a ‘museum-goer’, then maybe you’ve been going to the wrong museums. Forget about historical artifacts and works of art; there are some wild museums out there. Their founders all found something mundane, bizarre, or ubiquitous and went in hard on it. These are the ten craziest museums in the world.

2020-01-21

4 Cowboy Cannibals

David McNamara History, International, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.oddee.com/4-cowboy-cannibals/

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

Life in the wild west was undeniably difficult. Hardships included food scarcity, disease, violence, and outhouses. If that wasn’t enough to contend with, it seems like cannibalism happened with disturbing frequency. Cannibalism gets sorted into different categories; aggressive, sexual, ritual, and survival. Of those categories, the old west had at least three. Starting with the infamous Donner Party (spoiler alert: it was not a party), here’s four tales of cowboy cannibalism.

2020-01-21

Pig bungee jumping event draws backlash

IRWeasel International, Race & Culture, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://torontosun.com/news/world/pig-bungee-jumping-event-draws-backlash/wcm/2b69350c-85da-4778-8319-078396110eeb

Discussion posted by: IRWeasel

A shocking video of a pig being tied to a bungee cord and thrown off a platform at a theme park in China has sparked outrage online. The incident happened last Saturday at the Meixin Red Wine Town theme park in the southwestern city of Chongqing to promote the park’s bungee jump attraction. Video posted on Weibo, China’s social media site, showed the trussed up pig wearing a blue cape tied to a bungee cord and pushed down a platform. The pig can be heard squealing and wiggling as it bounced up and down from the end of the cord.

2020-01-18

The Reason Why a Puppy in North Carolina Was Born Bright Green

David McNamara International, Nature & Environment, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612671/reason-why-puppy-was-born-bright-green

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

When a dog owner in Canton, North Carolina, first saw her new puppy, she knew exactly what to name him. Hulk the infant pup is much smaller than his namesake, but like the comic book character, he’s green from head to toe.

2020-01-16

Dream Job Alert: Irish Island Is Hiring a Couple to Run Its Local Café

David McNamara Business & Economics, International, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612610/irish-island-hiring-couple-run-its-local-cafe

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

Resolving to spend more time unplugged isn’t easy in 2020, but if you’d like to replace the gaming, binge-watching, and social media in your life with silence, nature, and solitude, consider moving to Ireland. As The Guardian reports, Great Blasket Island, off the country’s west coast, has a job opening for two caretakers to manage a café and accommodations that are straight out of the 19th century.

2020-01-16

Wolf Puppies Play Fetch, Too, Study Finds

David McNamara International, Nature & Environment, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612433/wolf-puppies-play-fetch-study-finds

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

It took thousands of years of selective breeding for wolves to become the Golden Retrievers you see at dog parks today. Domesticated dogs are very different from their wild counterparts, but according to a new study, they may have a surprising trait in common. Researchers found that some wolf puppies are willing to play fetch with total strangers, suggesting that following human commands is intrinsic to canines.

2020-01-16

7 Animals That Appear to Fly (Besides Birds, Bats, and Insects)

David McNamara International, Nature & Environment, Strange & Weird 0

Article Link: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/22195/7-flying-animals-besides-bugs-birds-and-bats

Discussion posted by: David McNamara

The only animals that can truly fly are birds, insects, and bats. Other animals manage to travel through the air by gliding from great heights or leaping from the depths. Here are a few.

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