Best Hoaxes and Pranks

🦅 Death by Tortoise — The Most On-Brand Exit in All of History

2026-05-06T22:38:03.596-07:00

The man invented tragedy. Of course, he died like this.

The résumé. Aeschylus was born into a noble family in 525 BC. He fought at Marathon. He wrote over 90 plays. According to Aristotle, he expanded the number of characters in theatre and allowed conflict among them — basically, he invented drama as we know it. The greatest playwright in the ancient world, a war hero, a genius.

And then a bird killed him with a turtle.

The prophecy. Here's where it gets deliciously Greek. An oracle had predicted that Aeschylus would be killed by a falling object. Now, if you know anything about Greek mythology, you know that trying to outrun a prophecy is always, always a terrible idea. But Aeschylus was rational. He had a plan.

He took the precaution of trusting himself only under the canopy of the heavens — staying outdoors, away from buildings, away from rooftops, away from anything that could fall on him.

Solid logic. Airtight, even. Except for one thing he never considered.

The exile. After creating his Oresteia trilogy, his greatest work, Aeschylus became very unpopular with Athenians, who didn't appreciate his openly aristocratic tendencies. Disappointed, he left for Sicily. He was sitting outside one sunny afternoon — safe, he thought, under the open sky.

The moment. Here it is, preserved for eternity by the Roman historian Valerius Maximus:

"He was in Sicily. Leaving the walls of the town, he sat down in a sunny spot. An eagle carrying a tortoise was above him. Deceived by the gleam of his hairless skull, it dashed the tortoise against it, as though it were a stone, in order to feed on the flesh of the broken animal."

Two tragedies in one — Aeschylus died, and the eagle was deprived of its dinner.

The cosmic joke. The man who spent his entire life writing about the inescapability of fate — Oedipus, Agamemnon, Prometheus — died proving his own point. He hid from falling objects by going outside. The universe sent a bird to drop one on him anyway. His death remains the only documented case in human history of someone being killed by a tortoise.

And his epitaph? Written by himself, inscribed on his tomb in Sicily? It mentions his valor at Marathon. Not a single word about his plays.

The Father of Tragedy wanted to be remembered as a soldier. History remembered him as the guy the turtle landed on.

He would have written it exactly this way. 🐢

🥤 How Pepsi Accidentally Became a Naval Superpower

2026-04-30T15:38:28.762-07:00

It started with a sip.

1959, Moscow. The Cold War is ice-cold. The US and USSR are holding cultural exhibitions in each other's cities — essentially a "look how great our lifestyle is" competition. At the American exhibition, Vice President Nixon led Soviet Premier Khrushchev toward a display booth dispensing none other than Pepsi-Cola. The night before, a sharp Pepsi exec named Donald Kendall had whispered to Nixon: get Khrushchev to drink it on camera. Nixon did. Khrushchev liked it so much he asked for a second one, and reportedly said "This is very refreshing."

That one sip cracked open the entire Soviet market.

The vodka years. Since Soviet rubles were worthless internationally, the USSR and Pepsi resorted to barter — cola syrup in exchange for Stolichnaya vodka, which Pepsi then sold in the US. By the late '80s, Russians were drinking approximately a billion servings of Pepsi a year, and in 1988 Pepsi even broadcast the first paid commercials on Soviet TV — starring Michael Jackson.

Life was good. Until it wasn't.

The vodka problem. The US imposed sanctions on Soviet products, including vodka, after the USSR invaded Afghanistan. Suddenly Pepsi had a billion-serving market but nothing to take home in return. Kendall flew to Moscow to renegotiate. The Soviets had no hard currency. So they made an offer only the Cold War could produce:

"How about some warships?"

The deal. PepsiCo secured 17 submarines at $150,000 each, plus three warships: a cruiser, a frigate, and a destroyer. On paper, a country operating 17 submarines would have tied with India for the seventh-largest fleet of attack submarines in the world.

Kendall called the White House and deadpanned to the National Security Adviser: "We're disarming the Soviet Union faster than you are."

The anticlimax. Here's the twist — the ships were small, old, obsolete, and unseaworthy. PepsiCo was more a middleman than a maritime power. The 17 submarines and warships were sold almost immediately for scrap to a Norwegian shipping firm.

Two years later, the Soviet Union itself collapsed. Pepsi's billion-serving market vanished. The navy was already gone.

A soft drink company briefly owned more submarines than most countries — and sold them for parts. Just another Tuesday in the Cold War. 🫧

"I Never Did Anything Wrong — And I Won't Do It Again"

2026-03-31T21:41:00.000-07:00

How American Radio Once Resurrected the Most Hated President in the Country

Imagine: you're driving to work, the radio is on, and suddenly you hear the voice of the man the entire country despises. He's announcing he's running for president again. His campaign slogan?

"I never did anything wrong — and I won't do it again."

That's exactly what happened on April 1, 1992, in the United States. And thousands of people believed it. Genuinely, completely believed it.

First — Who Was Nixon, and Why Did Everyone Hate Him?

For those who don't obsessively track American political history, a brief primer. Richard Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, and he managed to enter history as the only president who voluntarily resigned from office. He didn't die in the job. He didn't lose an election. He simply left — because the alternative was being thrown out.

The reason was Watergate. In 1972, during the election campaign, operatives from Nixon's circle broke into the Democratic Party headquarters at the Watergate Hotel in Washington. The goal was political espionage. When the story unraveled, it emerged that Nixon himself had been involved in covering up the crime. For two years the country watched the hearings, the taped recordings, the congressional testimony. In 1974, Nixon delivered a farewell address to the nation and flew off from the White House lawn by presidential helicopter — for good.

The line he'd uttered not long before his resignation became the epitaph of his era:

"I am not a crook."

He said it — and instantly became, in the public memory, the crook to end all crooks. His name became a synonym for political dishonesty, paranoia, and the abuse of power. Cartoonists, comedians, and satirists gave him no peace for years after he left office.

The Man Who Could Be Nixon

Among those who became especially celebrated for their Nixon impressions was the Canadian-American comedian Rich Little. He possessed a rare gift: he could reproduce the voices and mannerisms of famous people with almost photographic precision. His Nixon was legendary — the same gravelly voice with its characteristic pauses, the same awkward gestures, the same peculiar blend of arrogance and self-justification. Many performers tackled Nixon — Dan Aykroyd on Saturday Night Live among them — but Rich Little was the undisputed master of the impression.

April 1, 1992: The Day Nixon "Returned"

National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that former President Richard Nixon had unexpectedly declared his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination.

That alone would have been extraordinary. But it went further.

Audio clips were aired of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech and declaring, "I never did anything wrong, and I won't do it again." Harvard professor Laurence Tribe and Newsweek reporter Howard Fineman then came on air to offer their perfectly earnest analysis of Nixon's decision and its possible impact on the 1992 presidential race.

For good measure, a clip from Torrie Clarke, press secretary of the Bush-Quayle campaign, was also played, in which she declared: "We are stunned and think it's an obvious attempt by Nixon to upstage our foreign policy announcement today."

Detail by detail, the hoax was building into something that felt disturbingly real.

The Reaction: The Phones Melted

Americans responded immediately — and volcanically.

Listeners flooded NPR with calls. People rushed out to tell their mailmen. Some were crying. The emotions were off the charts.

Host John Hockenberry deliberately put through only those callers who had swallowed the story whole. This only poured fuel on the fire: the airwaves filled with the outraged, bewildered, furious voices of real Americans who were absolutely certain that Nixon was coming back.

Only during the second half of the program did Hockenberry reveal that it had all been an April Fools' Day joke, and that Nixon's voice had been impersonated by comedian Rich Little.

Why It Was So Funny — and So Painful

The humor of this prank operated on several levels simultaneously.

Level one: the sheer absurdity of the premise. Nixon had resigned in 1974 — in disgrace, under threat of impeachment. The idea that he would want to return to public life in the White House seemed like delirium. And yet that absurdity is precisely what made the joke plausible: "Well, it's Nixon. He'd do it."

Level two: the slogan. "I never did anything wrong, and I won't do it again" is a phrase of genius in its construction. Technically it confesses to nothing. And yet its very existence sounds like an indirect admission. Anyone who remembered the famous "I am not a crook" heard the rhyme immediately. It was the perfect Nixonian campaign slogan — written as if Nixon himself had come up with it.

Level three: Rich Little. Little, playing Nixon, also delivered the line: "I would not boast of a career in which so many tragedies and setbacks have occurred." A perfect bulls-eye. Nixon really did speak precisely like that — wounded, with a tinge of martyrdom, carefully sidestepping direct language.

Level four: the context of 1992. It was a presidential election year. The Republican primaries were underway. George H.W. Bush was already vulnerable. The idea that someone — even Nixon — might challenge him wasn't entirely fantastic. In popular culture, a T-shirt had been circulating that read: "He's Tanned, Rested and Ready — Nixon in '92." The cultural soil had already been tilled for exactly this kind of joke.

Nixon in Eternity

The NPR prank became one of the most celebrated April Fools' hoaxes in American broadcasting history — in the same conversation as Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast in 1938.

Sadly, the audio recording of the show is not readily available, as NPR has said it is in the process of converting old audio files to digital format. Only eyewitness accounts and the next-day newspaper stories remain.

Nixon died in 1994, having made no actual attempt to re-enter politics. But the image that comedians and satirists had built around him proved immortal. Fans of the animated series Futurama know that Nixon eventually does regain the presidency — of Earth, that is — with his head preserved in a glass jar, mounted on the robot Bender's body, running for office in the distant future.

Some characters are simply too large to just go away.

The Moral

The best pranks are the ones you want to believe. Not because they're technically convincing, but because they contain a truth about a person or an era. Nixon returning with the slogan "I never did anything wrong" is absurd. But it's a Nixonian absurdity. And that is precisely why thousands of intelligent, educated Americans believed it — for a few minutes, at least.

April 1st is that rare day when reality yields to the carnival. And sometimes, the carnival tells the truth more precisely than the news ever could.

The Pudding Drop: When Humor Flew Over the Trenches of WWI

2026-03-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

In the annals of military history, the First World War is typically remembered for its grim attrition, the haunting silence of No Man's Land, and the mechanical terrors of industrial warfare. It is a period defined by gray skies and even grayer realities.

However, hidden among the archives of 1915 is a story so absurd it feels like a piece of historical fiction. It involves a Royal Flying Corps plane, a terrifying descent, and a traditional British dessert. This is the story of "The Pudding Drop"—perhaps the most daring practical joke ever executed during active combat.

The Ultimate High-Stakes Prank

The premise was simple, yet heart-stoppingly effective. In the midst of the stalemate on the Western Front, a British officer decided to utilize the relatively new technology of flight for something other than reconnaissance or strafing. He arranged for a Royal Flying Corps (RFC) pilot to fly directly over the German lines.

To the German soldiers huddled in the mud below, the sight of a lone British biplane banking toward their position was a signal for immediate alarm. When the pilot released a heavy, dark object from the cockpit, the response was instinctive: men scrambled for cover, bracing for an explosion that would tear through the earth.

The "Bomb" That Didn't Go Off

The object plummeted through the air and hit the ground with a dull thud rather than a deafening roar. As the dust settled and the expected plumes of fire failed to materialize, the German soldiers cautiously emerged from their shelters.

What they found was not a shell or a canister of gas. Sitting in the dirt was a large, festive plum pudding.

Propped defiantly into the top of the suet-rich cake was a small Union Jack flag. Tied to the "projectile" was a short, succinct note that simply read:

"April Fool!"

A Rare Moment of Shared Humanity

The psychological shift in that moment must have been jarring. One second, these men were facing what they believed was their certain death; the next, they were looking at a holiday dessert sent from the very people trying to kill them.

History records that once the initial shock wore off, the German soldiers didn't respond with gunfire. Instead, they reportedly broke into laughter.

In a conflict characterized by the "Live and Let Live" system—where soldiers on both sides occasionally found unspoken ways to minimize casualties—this prank was the ultimate gesture of shared experience. It was a reminder that the "enemy" across the wire was still a person with a sense of irony and a shared culture of humor.

Why the Pudding Drop Still Matters

"The Pudding Drop" remains one of the only documented practical jokes executed during active warfare. While it was technically a breach of the mounting tensions of the era, it serves as a powerful testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

Even in the most dehumanizing conditions imaginable, humor finds a way to survive. The British officer wasn’t just dropping a dessert; he was dropping a reminder that even in the middle of a world-ending conflict, there was still room for a bit of levity.

Today, the story serves as a quirk of history—a rare, lighthearted spark in a dark century. It reminds us that sometimes, the most effective way to cross the divide between enemies isn't with a bullet, but with a well-timed, very British, plum pudding.

The Future of Car Tech, Tailored for Your Furry Friend

2025-01-19T23:14:00.000-08:00

We all know the feeling – juggling groceries, kids, and a leash while trying to wrangle open the car door. Now, imagine a world where your furry companion could lend a paw (or rather, a nose!) in the process. Honda, known for its innovative approach to automotive technology, has unveiled its latest concept: the Pet-Activated Wireless System (PAW-S). This cutting-edge technology aims to seamlessly integrate your pet into your car’s operation, marking a potential paradigm shift in how we interact with our vehicles.

Beyond the Standard Key Fob: A Sniff into the Future

Forget fumbling with keys or relying solely on buttons. PAW-S leverages advanced biometric sensors and personalized pet profiles to understand and respond to your animal’s unique physical characteristics. How does it work? The system, primarily designed for dogs, employs a series of discreet sensors embedded around the vehicle, particularly near the door handles and trunk. These sensors can identify your pet through a combination of:

Nose Print Mapping: Just like fingerprints, nose prints are unique to each animal. This allows PAW-S to recognize your pet with high accuracy.
Proximity Detection: The system can sense when your registered pet is near the car, activating a readiness sequence.
Movement Analysis: Subtle movements like a nudge or a gentle push can be interpreted as a command by the system.

How PAW-S Makes Life Easier

The practical applications of PAW-S are vast and potentially life-changing for pet owners:

Hands-Free Entry: Simply walk up to your car with your pet, and the doors unlock automatically. A gentle nudge of the nose might even trigger the trunk to open.
Personalized Climate Control: Pre-set temperature and fan settings can be activated based on your pet's individual profile, ensuring a comfortable ride every time.
Entertainment Integration: Imagine turning on your pet’s favorite playlist as you approach the car, creating a positive and engaging experience.
Enhanced Security: If an unauthorized pet attempts to access the vehicle, PAW-S will trigger an alert and keep the doors locked.
Safety Features: Linked to the car’s safety system, PAW-S could potentially detect if a pet is left inside the vehicle in extreme temperatures and trigger appropriate responses like lowering windows or sounding an alarm.

The Ethical Paw-print

While the concept is undeniably exciting, Honda is also acutely aware of the ethical implications. The development process is focused on:

Animal Welfare: Ensuring the technology is harmless and stress-free for animals is paramount.
Data Privacy: Pet biometric data will be handled with the utmost care and in accordance with stringent privacy protocols.
User Control: Pet owners will have complete control over the PAW-S system, including the ability to toggle its functionality and manage pet profiles.

Looking to the Horizon

The Pet-Activated Wireless System is still in its conceptual phase, but it signifies a bold step towards a future where our pets are even more seamlessly integrated into our lives. PAW-S isn't just about convenience; it's about understanding our animal companions better and creating a more harmonious experience for both humans and their furry friends.

Honda's commitment to innovation and user-centric design is evident in the PAW-S concept. As we move further into a world of interconnected technologies, this innovative approach to pet-friendly automotive advancements could very well be the first step in a long and exciting journey. Only time will tell if PAW-S will become a mainstream technology, but one thing is certain: the future of automotive interaction is looking decidedly more tail-wagging.

Where and When Published

Honda released the prank on April 1, 2024, through their official website, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. They shared an amusing promotional video showing dogs interacting with futuristic car technology, including voice commands like "Open the trunk, please," and lounging in luxury dog beds within the car.

Sample of the post on the topic: https://hondanews.eu/gb/en/cars/media/pressreleases/473825/honda-launches-new-dog-first-technology-paw-s

Public Reaction

The prank was met with widespread amusement, especially among dog lovers and Honda fans. Comments on social media were a mix of playful disbelief and admiration, such as:

"Wait, can we actually have this? My dog deserves this luxury!"
"Finally, a car my dog can drive before I can afford one."
"You got me until the dog in the video barked a command."

Many users applauded Honda for its creativity and humor, and some even suggested they explore making pet-friendly car features a reality.

Sexist Joke with USA Historical Significance

2023-07-23T20:58:00.003-07:00

Susanna “Dora” Salter was doing her laundry when she got the news: She had just been elected mayor of Argonia, Kansas. Just like that, the 29-year-old became the first woman mayor in the United States — without even mounting a campaign.

Salter’s name had appeared on the ballot as a cruel joke designed to humiliate her and her cohort for daring to speak out in public about politics. Now the joke was on the men of the tiny town when she ended up in charge.

It was 1887, and when it came to suffrage, Kansas was one of the country’s most forward-thinking states. Twenty years earlier, it had become the first state to hold a referendum on whether women should vote. The issue was decided alongside another referendum on whether black men should vote.

Suffrage activists all over the United States descended on Kansas to convince its residents to extend the franchise to women. The state’s Republicans, however, sought to undermine the potential alliance between women’s suffrage leaders and former abolitionists by pitting them against each other, prompting a lasting rift. And echoes of the anti-suffrage campaign, which characterized suffragists as bitter spinsters disrupting the natural order — resounded through Kansas long after both groups lost the campaign.

The fight for suffrage continued until 1887, when the Kansas legislature granted women the ability to vote and run-in local elections. Though women had achieved suffrage in other states, none had ever won a mayoral election — until Salter.

Salter was the daughter of the first mayor of Argonia, Kansas, a city with a population of less than 500 in south-central Kansas, and her husband was city clerk. She was a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, a religious group that lobbied for the curbing and prohibition of alcohol use nationwide. The temperance movement was one of the few socially acceptable places for women to engage in public life. The WCTU’s message that women needed to be protected from men’s outsized appetites jibed with the perception that women were the arbiters of morality. The organization simultaneously reinforced gender norms and gave women real power. But many men, especially in Kansas, where liquor was outlawed in 1880, hated the organization and what they saw as the presumptuousness of its members.

When women finally got the right to vote in local elections, the WCTU sprang into action. At last it had a political platform, and the Kansas group decided to endorse a group of temperance-minded male candidates. As historian Doris Weatherford explained, “Susanna Salter presided at this caucus, and some male attendees, offended by female presumption to endorse candidates, devised a convoluted plan to embarrass these assertive women.”

The scheme went like this: A group of Argonia men met in secret and compiled a list of candidates that was identical to the one the WCTU had drawn up — with a noteworthy exception. Instead of including the name of the male candidate for mayor endorsed by the WCTU, they put Salter’s name on the ballot instead. The men assumed that no man would vote for a woman mayor and that Salter’s loss would teach her and her fellow WCTU members a lesson. Unbeknownst to Salter, ballots were printed up with her name on them.

It didn’t exactly go as planned. When the WCTU women saw Salter’s name on the ballot, they voted for her instead of the man they had nominated. A group of men who were unamused by the secret caucus and the joke ballot decided to vote for Salter, too. Salter’s husband heard about the scheme and scrambled to try to get the town’s men not to vote for his wife; which some found humorous and voted for her to spite him. As a result, many men voted for her out of amusement.

In the end, Salter received two-thirds of the vote. Though she had been nominated without her consent or knowledge, she decided to take office.

She was the first woman mayor in the United States, which made her a national celebrity. Newspapers followed her, often writing ironic asides about her ability to do her job, and letters poured into Argonia praising Salter for her temerity and mocking her hubris.

True to her position as a WCTU woman, Mayor Salter shuttered Argonia’s gambling halls and saloons, and worked to improve its infrastructure and public safety. “This indisposition on the part of Mayor Salter to ‘let up on the boys’ seriously mars her chances of ever being a candidate for the office again,” remarked the Ontario Globe, “as it isn’t likely that next election day will find the male voters in a joking mood.”

Newspapers remarked with wonder that Salter seemed perfectly capable of presiding over city council meetings, and made sure to tell readers about her looks and even her weight. In turn, Salter made sure her femininity was on full display for reporters. It was widely reported that she made her own clothes and had been informed of her candidacy while bending over her washtub.

When asked by a reporter from the Boston Daily Globe whether she planned on a political career, Salter demurred. “No, indeed,” she replied. “I shall be very glad when my term of office expires, and shall be only too happy to thereafter devote myself entirely, as I have always done heretofore, to the care of my family.”

She gave birth to her fifth child while mayor — the baby died soon after — and, true to her word, she retired from office after a single term and never ran for public office again.

Salter may not have chosen her position as mayor, but her term in office inspired other women to run. In 1888, Mary D. Lowman ran for office in Oskaloosa, Kansas, and served with the nation’s first all-woman city council. Altogether, seven of the nine U.S. women elected as mayor within the next decade were in Kansas.

Author: Erin Blakemore

Website: https://timeline.com/americas-first-woman-mayor-4a88e410cea1

Surfer’s Urban Legends

2023-06-27T23:50:00.007-07:00

Surfing is a sport steeped in tradition and folklore, with urban legends playing a significant role in shaping the culture of the community. These legends range from the eerie tales of haunted surf spots to the incredible feats of legendary surfing superstars. While some of these stories may seem far-fetched or even downright impossible, they continue to be passed down from generation to generation and have become ingrained in the mythology of the sport. In this article, we explore the most fascinating urban legends of the surfers, delving into the myths, misconceptions, and unexplained phenomena that have captured the imagination of surfers around the world.

The Mysterious Origins of Surfing Urban Legends

Surfing has always been a sport surrounded by myth and legend. Stories of giant waves, mystical surf spots, and supernatural creatures have been passed down through generations of surfers. These tales have been shared around campfires, in surf shops, and on the waves themselves. But where did these urban legends come from?

Many surfing urban legends have their origins in ancient Polynesian folklore. Stories of deities who controlled the waves and fierce sea monsters that roamed the depths of the ocean were passed down through generations of Pacific Islanders. When European explorers arrived in the 18th century, they brought with them a fascination for these tales and began to integrate them into their own folklore.

As surfing evolved into a sport in the early 20th century, surfers began to create their own legends. These stories were often based on real-life experiences, exaggerated to create a sense of drama and excitement. As surfing grew in popularity around the world, these urban legends became more widespread. Today, surfers still love to share and retell these stories, keeping them alive for future generations.

How Surfing Legends Have Changed Over Time

As surfing has evolved over the years, so have the legends that surround it. While many of the classic tales of giant waves and mystical surf spots have remained the same, new legends have emerged. With advances in technology and a deeper understanding of the ocean, surfers have begun to explore new frontiers, such as big-wave surfing and tow-in surfing. These new experiences have led to new legends, such as the famous Mavericks wave in California and the Nazaré wave in Portugal.

As surfing has become more mainstream, the legends surrounding the sport have also become more commercialized. Surf brands have used these stories to sell products, and even Hollywood has gotten in on the action, creating films that exaggerate the drama and danger of surfing. While some purists may feel that this commercialization detracts from surfing's true spirit, these legends remain an important part of the sport's culture.

The Haunting Stories of Surf Spots from Around the World

Surfing is not just about riding waves; it's also about a deep connection to the ocean and the natural world. As such, it's not surprising that many surf spots around the world have their own haunting stories and legends.

One of the most famous haunted surf spots is Ghost Tree in California. Legend has it that a group of surfers were hit by a massive wave and drowned. Their spirits are said to haunt the spot to this day, appearing as eerie apparitions in the fog.

Another haunted surf spot is Teahupo’o in Tahiti. The wave at Teahupo’o is known for its size and power, and has claimed many lives over the years. Locals believe that the spirits of these lost surfers still roam the area, seeking revenge on those who dare to ride the wave.

Alongside these global legends, each surf community has its own local stories and legends. For example, in Hawaii, the myth of Pele, the goddess of fire, is deeply intertwined with the surfing culture. According to legend, Pele cursed the legendary surfer Duke Kahanamoku, causing him to lose his ability to surf at the height of his career.

In Australia, the story of the Bunyip, a mythical creature said to lurk in the swamps and rivers, has become a part of surf culture. Many Aussies believe that the Bunyip is responsible for dragging unsuspecting surfers under the waves.

Unexplained Surfing Phenomena: Fact or Fiction?

Surfing is a sport that's often shrouded in mystery and uncertainty. From rogue waves to strange phenomena, there are many unexplained occurrences that surfers have experienced over the years.

One of the most infamous surfing phenomena is the "green flash." This is a brief, green light that's said to appear on the horizon just as the sun sets over the ocean. Scientists believe that this phenomenon is caused by the refraction of light through the Earth's atmosphere.

Another strange occurrence is the "tidal bore." This is a wall of water that can reach heights of up to 30 feet and travel inland at high speeds. While scientists can explain the physics behind the tidal bore, many surfers believe that it's caused by supernatural forces.

Debunking Surfing Myths and Urban Legends

While many surfing urban legends are based on truth, others are purely fictional. One of the most famous surfing myths is the story of the "perfect wave." This is a wave that's said to be so perfect that it's never been ridden. While many surfers have spent their lives searching for this wave, it's unlikely that it actually exists.

Another debunked myth is the story of the "surfing goat." According to legend, a goat learned to surf and became a sensation in Hawaii. While there have been instances of animals riding waves, there's no evidence that a goat has ever surfed.

The Legends of Surfing Superstars and their Incredible Feats

Surfing has produced some of the most legendary and iconic athletes in the world. From Duke Kahanamoku to Kelly Slater, these surfers have become household names and have inspired generations of surfers with their incredible feats.

Duke Kahanamoku is widely regarded as the father of modern surfing. His athletic accomplishments and humanitarian work made him an icon in Hawaii and around the world. He also helped to popularize surfing as a sport, paving the way for generations of surfers to come.

Kelly Slater is another surfing superstar who has achieved legendary status. His 11 World Surf League titles and countless other accomplishments have made him one of the greatest surfers of all time. He's also been known to push the boundaries of what's possible in the sport, performing incredible feats such as the first ever "backflip" on a wave.

Alongside these surf legends, there have been many incredible surfing feats throughout history. For example, in 1985, Mark Foo became the first surfer to ride the infamous Mavericks wave in California. His daring feat inspired countless surfers to attempt the wave themselves.

Another incredible surfing feat is Laird Hamilton's "Millennium Wave" in 2000. Hamilton towed into a massive wave at Teahupo’o in Tahiti, riding it for over two minutes and covering a distance of over a mile. This incredible display of skill and bravery cemented Hamilton's status as one of the greatest surfers of all time.

How Urban Legends Have Influenced Surfing Culture and Traditions

Surfing culture is steeped in tradition and legends, both real and imagined. Urban legends, in particular, have played a significant role in shaping the surfing culture we know today. From tales of mystical creatures to legendary surf spots, urban legends have helped to create a sense of community among surfers and inspired countless surfers to chase their dreams. In this section, we'll explore how urban legends have influenced surfing culture and traditions, and the role surfing legends play in this.

Surfing legends are the larger-than-life figures that have shaped surfing culture and inspired a generation of surfers. These legends include trailblazers like Duke Kahanamoku, who introduced surfing to the world, and Tom Blake, who revolutionized the sport with his innovative surfboard designs. As these legends' stories were passed down from generation to generation, they became the foundation on which surfing culture was built. Their stories inspired countless surfers to pursue their dreams and helped to create a sense of community among surfers worldwide.

Surfing urban legends have been passed down through generations, from one surfer to another, often through word of mouth. These legends often feature larger-than-life characters and fantastical scenarios that capture the imagination of listeners. Sometimes these legends focus on specific surf spots, while others revolve around unusual encounters and otherworldly creatures. These stories are not only entertaining but also play a significant role in educating new surfers about the sport's culture and traditions.

The Golden Tooth of Christoph Müller

2023-06-04T00:15:00.006-07:00

The Discovery

In 1593, people started talking about a boy named Christoph Müller who had a golden tooth. A professor of medicine named Jakob Horst decided to investigate. He found out that the boy really did have a gold tooth in his mouth. Horst tested the gold and found out that it was real, but not as good as Hungarian gold.

The Explanation

Horst wrote a book about the case called "Of the Golden Tooth of the Boy from Silesia". He thought that the boy's tooth turned to gold because of the planets' alignment when he was born. Horst believed that the golden tooth was a sign of good things to come for the Holy Roman Empire. However, because the tooth was on the boy's left side, which was considered the bad side, Horst thought that there would be some bad things that would happen first.

In the year 1593, there was a report that the teeth of a child of Silesia of seven years old dropped out, and that one of gold came in the place of one of his great teeth. Horatius, a professor of physic in the university of Helmstad, wrote in the year 1595, the history of this tooth, and pretended that it was partly natural, and partly miraculous, and that it was sent from God to this child, to comfort the Christians who were then afflicted by the Turks.

The Debate

Not everyone agreed with Horst. A Scottish doctor named Duncan Liddell thought that the tooth was man-made. He wrote his own book called "Tractatus de dente aureo pueri Silesiani". Time proved Liddell right. The gold on the tooth was just a thin layer that someone had put on the boy's tooth.

The Truth

The boy tried to hide the truth by not letting anyone else look at his tooth. But one day, a drunk man got angry and stabbed the boy in the cheek. When a doctor came to help the boy, he found out that the tooth was fake. Christoph was put in jail, and the person who put the gold on his tooth ran away. Even though the tooth was fake, it is still important in the history of dentistry. It was the first time that someone made a gold crown for a tooth.

What we know about Hawkesbury River Monster?

2023-05-31T20:53:00.001-07:00

Described as Australia’s own Loch Ness Monster, the Hawkesbury River Monster has said to have been first sighted thousands of years ago by the Dharuk people, who reportedly depicted rock art that showed an unknown beast with a long neck, large body, two sets of flippers, and an eel-like tail. There have been reports of strange slide marks, similar to that of a crocodile along the banks of the river.

According to Australian naturalist Rex Gilroy, who has been researching the creature for several decades, it is believed alive and well with he and wife Heather collecting eyewitness accounts.

“In recent years there have been sightings of creatures surfacing as far up as Windsor,” Rex said. “The latest was in the St Albans where there was a report of a 25–30-foot creature spotted swimming in the river. Some people who had been out fishing saw it swimming past the jetty where they were standing, with a snake-like head about a meter or so above water.”

Rex believes the creature could be a prehistoric plesiosaur, an aquatic dinosaur, which has been extinct for 70 million years… Allegedly.

The Hawkesbury River monster is a mysterious creature that is believed to exist in the Hawkesbury River in New South Wales, Australia. There have been numerous sightings of the monster over the years, but no one has been able to confirm its existence. The monster is said to be a large, serpent-like creature that lurks in the depths of the river, causing fear and fascination among those who live near the water.

Sightings

The first recorded sighting of the Hawkesbury River monster dates back to the 1800s, when a group of fishermen claimed to have seen a large creature in the water. Since then, there have been many more sightings, some of which have been reported in local newspapers. The descriptions of the monster vary, but most agree that it is a large, dark creature with a long tail and a serpentine head.

A popular story regarding this creature came to light in 1980's. There was a report by fisherman in a small aluminum boat that a sea creature surfaced below their boat, catapulting their vessel out of the water and through the air over 3 meters (9.8 feet). Other reports included boats found adrift with their occupants nowhere to be found and boats found smashed or overturned.

Tony Healy has among his files a 1912 story from the Evening News, Sydney, called 'Was it the bunyip?' "That concerns an alligator-like creature seen in South Creek, a tributary of the Hawkesbury River in Windsor," he said. "[The creature] was seen by a boating party. A strange object swimming a short distance from them, about four-feet in length and resembled an alligator. There have been reports of them a hell of a lot bigger than that. I haven't been able to establish to my satisfaction that the reports of the bigger ones are genuine. But they may well be."

Another report that sparked Healy's interest was one published in the Windsor and Richmond Gazette in 1924. "People were talking about seeing a 'titanic seahorse', and there's a specific eyewitness report by a WJ Riley, who along with his brother, saw this thing while walking along The Terrace [Windsor] at midday. They saw something in the river beneath in a deep hole," Healy said. "He said, 'We saw a big ugly thing, 2 foot 6 inches to 3 foot in depth, with a length of about 5 to 6 feet, and of a yellowish or sandy color. Whether its skin was scale-covered or not, we could not see. We watched for 15 minutes. It had a square-looking fish tail. It was not a pleasant looking animal. I should certainly not care to be in the water and have it after me.'"

Real or Not?

Despite all the sightings, there has been no concrete evidence of the Hawkesbury River monster's existence. Some believe that it is a myth, a fictional creature that has been created by the imaginations of those who live near the river. However, others continue to believe in its existence, and many people have dedicated themselves to trying to find proof of the creature's existence.

One theory about the monster suggests that it could be a remnant from the time when the Hawkesbury River was a saltwater estuary. It is believed that the creature may have been able to survive in the freshwater environment by adapting to its new surroundings. However, there is no scientific evidence to support this theory.

In recent years, there has been renewed interest in the Hawkesbury River monster, with many people using modern technology to try and find evidence of its existence. There have been attempts to capture the creature on film, and some people have used underwater cameras to search the depths of the river. Despite these efforts, however, the mystery of the Hawkesbury River monster remains unsolved.

In conclusion, the Hawkesbury River monster is a fascinating and mysterious creature that has captured the imaginations of people for centuries. While there have been many sightings of the monster, there is no concrete evidence of its existence. Whether it is real or simply a myth, the mystery of the Hawkesbury River monster continues to intrigue and fascinate those who live near the river.

Sources and Additional Information:

https://thebrag.com/urban-legends-australia/

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Hawkesbury_River_Monster

https://www.superbugtom.com/cryptid-catalogue/hawkesbury-river-monster

https://www.cryptopia.us/site/2010/07/hawkesbury-river-monster-rears-its-head/

A Man from the Parallel Universe

2023-05-25T17:43:00.001-07:00

The original story sounds unbelievable but very appealing…

Original Story

It’s July 1954; a hot day. A man arrives at Tokyo airport in Japan. He’s of Caucasian appearance and conventional-looking. But the officials are suspicious. On checking his passport, they see that he hails from a country called Taured. The passport looked genuine, except for the fact that there is no such country as Taured – well, at least in our dimension.

The man is interrogated, and asked to point out where his country supposedly exists on a map.

He immediately points his finger towards the Principality of Andorra, but becomes angry and confused. He’s never heard of Andorra, and can’t understand why his homeland of Taured isn’t there. According to him it should have been, for it had existed for more than 1,000 years!

Customs officials found him in possession of money from several different European currencies. His passport had been stamped by many airports around the globe, including previous visits to Tokyo.

Baffled, they took him to a local hotel and placed him in a room with two guards outside until they could get to the bottom of the mystery. The company he claimed to work for had no knowledge of him, although he had copious amounts of documentation to prove his point.

The hotel he claimed to have a reservation for had never heard of him either. The company officials in Tokyo he was there to do business with? Yup, you’ve guessed it – they just shook their heads too. Later, when the hotel room he was held in was opened, the man had disappeared. The police established that he could not have escaped out of the window – the room was several floors up, and there was no balcony.

He was never seen again, and the mystery was never solved.

How it Developed

This story, often called the “Man from Taured,” has become one of modern history’s most well-known urban legends about alternate or parallel universes. The tale has been adapted into books and is a favorite topic on TikTok and YouTube, engaging both conspiracy theorists and social media users who are simply curious.

It has also become a subject for the Movie “The Man from Taured”, released in 2015 by Director Nick Christensen.

Many authors, including Bryan Alaspa and Jeremy Bates who both wrote books inspired by the story of the man from Taured, have tried to explain this bizarre event, by delving into possibilities which usually belong to the realms of science fiction.

One of the most notable explanations for this incident is that the man from Taured had somehow passed through a parallel dimension by accident, ending up at Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Following this line of logic, the hypothesis is that there is a parallel Earth, similar to our own, with the exception that the location known as Andorra here is known as Taured over there. Another proposal is that the man was a time traveler from the future, though this interpretation is arguably more problematic than the one supposing inter-dimensional travel.

While it is entirely possible that the story of the man from Taured was a figment of someone’s imagination which eventually became an urban legend, it has also been suggested that a similar incident did indeed occur. This more mundane story could have been embellished each time it was told, so much so that it eventually evolved into the great mystery that continues to fascinate today.

The Truth

The story of the “Man from Taured” has been heavily sensationalized, but it does originate from an actual incident, according to news sources at the time.

However, this incident was not about alternate universes, but a simple case of fraud.

First of all, the year was not 1954, but 1959. The man, identified as John Allen Kuchar Zegrus, had been traveling with his phony passport for some time, somehow managing to trick other countries. Unfortunately for him, his scheme ended in Japan, where he was convicted of illegal entry and fraud at the age of 36 in April 1960.

Zegrus reportedly traveled to Japan with his Korean wife from Taipei. He was not arrested until he cashed forged checks to cover the costs of their stay in the country, as per fact-checker Snopes.com, which also exposed the truth behind the legend.

A Tokyo judge reportedly sentenced Zegrus to one year in prison. From there, the situation took a much darker turn: After his sentence was interpreted, Zegrus stood and slashed his arms with a piece of broken glass that he had hidden in his mouth, declaring, “I’m going to kill myself!”

Zegrus was reportedly rushed to a nearby hospital, and it is here where his reported timeline ends. It is understood that he eventually served his sentence, but who he truly was and where he actually came from remains a mystery. His wife, who was 30 at the time, was reportedly repatriated to South Korea. It is unclear what happened to her.

Some believe Zegrus came from Algeria. This is due to his citation of places called Tamanrasset (which he claimed to be the capital of Taured “south of the Sahara”) and Tuared (a variation of the spelling of Taured, which is thought to be a misspelled version of Tuareg). Tamanrasset is the name of a province in Algeria, while Tuareg is an ethnic Islamic group that primarily lives in the Sahara, including southern Algeria.

Sources and Additional Information:

https://nextshark.com/man-of-taured-myth-debunked

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/man-from-taured-parallel-universe/

https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/the-man-from-taured-005788

Naale Baa – Flying Girl from India

2023-05-08T00:01:00.001-07:00

The Naale Baa urban legend is a popular story that has been passed down generations in India. It is a story about a young girl who is believed to be able to transport herself through the air using only the power of her mind. This tale has become a part of Indian folklore and has captured the imagination of many people throughout the world.

The Naale Baa urban legend has many variations, but the basic story is that there was once a young girl who had the ability to fly. She was known as Naale Baa, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, the local language of Bangalore, India. According to the story, Naale Baa was able to fly to any destination she desired without using any mode of transportation.

Many people in Bangalore claim to have witnessed Naale Baa in flight. Some say that they have seen her soaring through the sky, while others claim that they have seen her hovering in the air above a park or a playground. Despite the many sightings, there is no concrete evidence to support the existence of Naale Baa.

There are many theories surrounding the Naale Baa urban legend. Some people believe that it is simply a myth, invented by storytellers to entertain others. Others believe that Naale Baa was a real person who possessed supernatural powers. Still others believe that her ability was due to an advanced technology that is yet to be discovered by humans.

Regardless of the validity of the Naale Baa urban legend, it continues to fascinate people today. The story has been adapted into movies, books, and television series, bringing the legend to a wider audience. Many people continue to search for evidence of Naale Baa's existence, while others simply enjoy the story for what it is - a tale of a young girl who defied the laws of nature and soared through the sky.

While most believe that Naale Baa was a tale of the 90s, sales strategy consultant Kaustuba Venugopal says, "There are multiple versions of the ghost. The oldest reference I know dates back to the 1920s. it’s hardly from the 90s and was prevalent in rural areas outside B’luru. The many versions have one thing in common, the Naale Baa bhoota is actually a village deity. While one version says it’s koogu maari your name is shouted out and if you open the door, you’ll find yourself dead in a pool of blood, the other version ties the ghost to the plague attacks. The deity would protect the village from plague, but needed a human sacrifice. So, when people would spot a dead rat, they’d vacate their houses, write Naale Baa on the doors and move temporarily to another place. You can find Naale Baa scratched on doors in old Rajkumar film songs set in a village. Every two decades, it comes back into the limelight, Bangaloreans from 70s and 90s both claim it to have originated during their time, but it’s much older than that."

Sources and Additional Information:

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/bollywood/200918/spooky-urban-legend.html

https://thebrowngeeks.com/when-the-nale-ba-knocks-dont-answer-the-door/

https://www.wattpad.com/796589561-urban-legends-nale-ba

https://theghostinmymachine.com/2019/01/30/encyclopaedia-of-the-impossible-naale-baa-bhoota-koogu-maari-come-tomorrow-india-bangalore-bengaluru-karnataka/

Types of practical jokes

2023-04-25T05:54:00.006-07:00

At any given moment you could be accosted by a prankster — an agent of chaos. Here’s what you need to know

Author: Moira Marsh

Among the royal treasures in Rosenborg Castle in Copenhagen, Denmark, is a carefully preserved 17th-century armchair. It once belonged to Christian IV. A hidden mechanism in the arms of the chair would pin the king’s guests in the seat, where they would be soaked with water from a container on the back. When they were released, a small trumpet tooted the news to all who cared to hear, thus proving that flatulent jokes have an ancient and royal lineage.

Despite their pedigree, practical jokes and pranks are often disparaged. As the compiler of one early joke book put it, “If the pun is the lowest form of wit, the practical joke may be described even more assuredly as the lowest form of humor.”

The practical joke “gives no intellectual satisfaction” according to humor scholar Avner Ziv: “For years a variegated industry has supplied players of practical jokes with an apparatus for secret attacks devoid of humorous talent: flowers that spurt water up a person’s nose as he bends over to smell them; cigarette boxes from which frogs jump out; jars of mustard whose lids conceal snakes; fake mice designed to look as real as possible, to be placed in such sensitive spots as kitchen drawers; and many more. ... An attraction to this sort of humor is without a doubt connected to the innocence and lack of sophistication characteristic of childhood.”

Like Ziv, many sophisticated persons disparage the practical joke as puerile and devoid of skill or talent.

But as a folklorist, I believe that creativity and artistry exist throughout society in humble everyday settings as much as they do in the semisacred arenas that post-Renaissance Western culture has created for art and literature.

However, to appreciate the skill and artistry of the practical joke it is necessary to look at the particulars — particular practical jokes as they are played by particular people at particular times and in particular places. Some practical jokes are better than others, but the best of them demand significant skill and talent, not only to think up but also to execute.

Types of practical jokes

At any given moment, the chances are good that somebody near you is involved in a practical joke, plotting another or regaling friends with stories of tricks that they have played, been taken in by or heard of. The ready availability of phone cameras and social media makes it easy for practical jokers to record their efforts and post them for the enjoyment and commentary of wide audiences.

Various attempts have been made to categorize pranks, practical jokes and their cousins. Folklorist Richard Tallman suggested a classificatory scheme that took into account the scale, action and the intent of the prank. Sociologist Erving Goffman arranged these jokes by scale and elaborateness: kidding, leg-pulling, practical joking, surprise parties, larks or rags, and corrective hoaxing.

I propose five types, based on the different roles of their targets and whether their effectiveness requires revelation and/or deception — put-ons, fool’s errands, kick-me pranks, booby traps and stunts.

Put-ons

Put-ons, also known as leg-pulls, may arise spontaneously in the course of everyday discourse and contain their targets very briefly.

Report ad

When visitors ask me what the stuffed animal in my office is, I tell them it is a jackalope.

“What’s a jackalope?” they ask.

“A jackalope is a cross between a jackrabbit and an antelope.”

“Oh. I never saw one before.”

“They’re very rare. They come from Wyoming, and only come out at night. If you listen closely out on the prairie, sometimes you can hear them singing (pause) ‘Home on the Range.’”

Performers tell tales to fool the stranger or the greenhorn while delighting the insider audience with displays of verbal artistry.

Report ad

Piling exaggeration on exaggeration, tall tales move the listener from belief to doubt to disbelief. What distinguishes this category of fabrication is that nothing is required of the target beyond a word or phrase that shows he or she believes the fiction.

Fool’s errands

Whenever the target moves from passive belief to acting on that belief, we have a fool’s errand, one of the earliest recorded forms of practical joke.

In “The Birched Schoolboy,” an anonymous 16th-century poem, the eponymous character excuses his tardiness by claiming that his mother had sent him to milk the ducks — “milke dukkis”. This type of practical joke lures its targets into a specific but misguided course of action: for example, venturing on a nocturnal snipe hunt, or driving to a nonexistent public event.

Effective fool’s errands must find ways to motivate targets to interrupt their everyday activities and act in specific, extraordinary ways. According to practical jokers, targets who fail to notice this playful joking contribute to their own victimization.

Kick me

This trick deserves a type of its own because it requires neither extraordinary action by the target nor revelation of the joke. By a simple stratagem, the target is unwittingly made into a performer for a hidden audience. A sign on one’s back, something painted on one’s face while asleep, or something similar is all it takes to effect the transformation.

As with other fabrications, the humor is enhanced by the targets’ ignorance of their objective appearance and by the incongruity between self-image and what others see.

Booby traps

Where a fool’s errand uses false auspices to persuade its targets to get up and do something out of the ordinary, an effective booby trap aims only to surprise — sometimes in an unpleasant way but always with the intention of causing loss of composure. The jokers’ goal is to cause everyday composure to collapse into surprise, alarm, embarrassment, annoyance, helpless laughter or a combination of these.

Report ad

At work, jokers coat telephone receivers with grease, fill safety helmets with water, or rearrange the keys on computer keyboards. At home, they put salt in the sugar bowl, loosen the cap on the ketchup bottle or short-sheet the bed. The office cubicle wrapped in tin foil and the car filled with packing peanuts both belong to the booby trap type.

Booby trap jokes tamper with everyday objects so that they are unusable or have unusual effects, and the jokes are effective only if the targets fail to notice these changes and attempt to use them in the normal fashion. While a fool’s errand tries to elicit an out-of-the-ordinary response, the effectiveness of a booby trap depends on people’s attempts to use everyday objects in everyday ways.

The surprise need not be an unpleasant or messy one — but astonishment is essential to effectiveness.

Stunts

These pranks require surprise but not extended deceptions, and while they have audiences, they scarcely have targets in the same sense as other practical jokes.

The “rags” of British University students and the “hacks” of students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology both belong in this category. MIT hacks are widely celebrated for their impressive constructions designed to be sprung upon the rest of the campus or surrounding areas.

In what MIT students widely regard as a supreme example of the hacker’s art, the MIT community awoke one morning in 1994 to find a campus police cruiser parked on the top of the dome (150 feet above ground), complete with flashing lights and a dummy police officer eating donuts. The car sported a parking ticket that read “No permit for this location.”

Report ad

Instead of scrutinizing targets, these pranks direct attention primarily to the creativity and artistry of the pranksters.

Beyond the university environment, public stunts unsettle conventional thinking. In practical jokes of this type, targets are always collective and anonymous — anyone who happens to encounter the pranksters’ work.

The (im)morality of the practical joke

Practical jokes are unilateral play. This is the only definition I have found that can encompass the full range of activities that are commonly called practical jokes or pranks (the two terms are virtually indistinguishable synonyms).

They are about relationships, whether between individuals or between individuals and the groups to which they belong.

Are practical jokes inevitably simple and crude? I submit that the practical joke in its various forms allows plenty of room for skill, creativity, elaboration and personal style.

By muddying the clear boundaries that usually surround the play realm, practical jokes provide a glimpse into chaos. The clear limits of time and space and the elaborate rules that surround play all exist to create the illusion that chaos is safely contained.

Chaos is simply the universe as it exists outside of the social constructions that human beings impose upon it. “Social order, when it functions well, envelops the individual in a web of habits and meanings that are experienced as self-evidently real,” according to Peter Berger.

A practical joke disrupts the constructed social order. Practical joking pushes to the limit our reliance on boundaries and our simultaneous longing for chaos. Just remember: chaos is thrilling when it is safely bounded, but fearsome when it is on the loose.

Source: https://www.deseret.com/23451599/prank-ideas-and-history

Life Discovered on Jupiter – AOL April Day Hoax (1996)

2023-04-17T06:20:00.005-07:00

Hoax

The headline was a stunner: "Government source reveals signs of life on Jupiter." And this wasn't from some supermarket tabloid, either, but on the main welcome page of America Online, the world's largest commercial online service back in 1996.

Monday, many of AOL's 5 million subscribers read the startling tale and believed. How could they doubt? AOL president Ted Leonsis declared that his company had documents proving a massive government coverup of the facts. But as the day wore on, some AOL users noticed the date - April 1. They'd been the victims of a megabyte-size electronic hoax.

Still, the story quickly generated about 1500 messages on AOL, and hundreds of people called the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California trying to obtain more details about the announced discovery.

Said AOL spokeswoman Margaret Ryan, "The April Fool's hoax was designed to pay tribute to the history-making `War of the Worlds' broadcast in 1938." Orson Welles' radio play about a Martian invasion led to a nationwide panic, when thousands of listeners thought it was really happening.

In 1996, the internet-based service America Online had gained five million subscribers, all of whom were greeted with a news flash that read, "Government source reveals signs of life on Jupiter," when they

Truth

However, this joke might not be considered so off the grid if you read the latest astronomic discoveries not ruling out the possibility that the life may be indeed present on Jupiter or on one of its moons.

New, 2022, research out of the University of Texas suggesting that is a case and helping scientists discover alien life on one of Jupiter’s moons. Moon called Europa is about the size of Earth’s moon and is believed to have a liquid ocean on its surface. This ocean is covered by a thick layer of ice that is formed by “underwater snow”. According to the university, the ice, formed by the “snow”, that covers Europa floats up from the depths of the ocean and sticks to the underside of the ice. The snow then freezes and causes the ice sheet to grow.

This snow, also known as frazil ice, is much less salty than the ocean it forms in. Determining how salty the ocean is will be critical for a future mission to the icy moon for NASA’s Europa Clipper. The spacecraft will scan the moon using radar. The saltier the ice, the harder it will be to see into the ocean.

Understanding the saltiness of the ice will help NASA determine what the spacecraft is seeing, which could include signs that life has developed on the moon.

Why do scientists think that Europa has alien life? According to NASA, three elements are needed for life to exist: liquid water, the right chemicals and an energy source. Scientists who study the potential alien life believe Europa has two of these elements: water and chemicals. They are not sure if an energy source, like undersea volcanoes, exists on the world.

If the Europa Clipper does detect alien life during its mission, scientists suspect it will be microbial life. Super small and not very complex. The Europa Clipper mission will launch in 2024.

Also, researchers have found water clouds inside Jupiter’s Great Red Spot in 2018, raising the prospect that life may exist on the planet itself. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a storm that has been continuously observed since 1830, still remains a mystery to NASA and much of the scientific community, but the discovery of water clouds may lead to a greater understanding of the planet, its atmosphere and whether it ever held life, Clemson University astrophysicist Máté Ádámkovics said. Ádámkovics was quick to caution that, while the presence of water on the solar system’s largest planet is promising, it does not mean it is a precursor for life. “And, finally, where there’s the potential for liquid water, the possibility of life cannot be completely ruled out. So, though it appears very unlikely, life on Jupiter is not beyond the range of our imaginations,” he added.

The level of water on the planet is somewhat surprising, though perhaps not overly, considering the size of Jupiter. Ádámkovics noted that “Jupiter is a gas giant that contains more than twice the mass of all of our other planets combined,” so when combined with the fact its atmosphere is a mixture of hydrogen and helium, it has “many times more water than we have here on Earth.” In addition, Jupiter has 79 moons mostly comprised of ice, including the aforementioned Europa and Ganymede, where scientists recently discovered “extraordinary” electromagnetic waves, known as “chorus waves,” emanating from the satellite.

Scheduled for launch on 13 April, Juice will carry the most sophisticated set of scientific instruments yet into the outer solar system. Although Juice will visit Europa and Callisto, its main target is Ganymede. The largest moon of the solar system, if Ganymede were in orbit around the sun, it would be classed as a planet because it is larger in diameter than the inner planet Mercury. Yet because Europa became such a strong focus for the Galileo probe, Ganymede remains excitingly mysterious – and potentially even more fascinating than Europa.

Sources and Additional Information:

https://www.kxan.com/news/clues-to-alien-life-on-jupiters-moon-could-be-found-in-underwater-snow/

https://www.deseret.com/1996/4/2/19234320/life-on-jupiter-yes-online-service-reports-on-april-1

https://nypost.com/2018/08/31/scientists-cant-rule-out-alien-life-on-jupiter-after-shocking-discovery/

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/mar/05/could-jupiters-icy-moons-support-life

Google Tulip

2023-04-08T00:22:00.004-07:00

One of the most notable April Fools' Day hoaxes of 2020 was Google's "new" feature, the "Google Tulip". This was a fake announcement of a new technology that allowed users to communicate with their tulip plants using Google Assistant. According to the announcement, Google had trained its artificial intelligence to understand the language of tulips, and users could now talk to their plants using their Google Assistant-enabled devices.

While obviously a hoax, the announcement was accompanied by a well-produced promotional video, featuring interviews with supposed tulip experts and tulip plant owners who were thrilled with the new feature. The video even included a cameo from a Dutch royal, King Willem-Alexander, who was apparently excited about the new technology.

The Google Tulip hoax was widely covered by the media and generated a lot of buzz and laughter on social media. While obviously a prank, the hoax was well-executed and showed off Google's creativity and sense of humor.

Google Nose

2023-04-03T00:15:00.002-07:00

In a surprising move, the world's leading tech giant, Google, announced April 1 2023, that they will be releasing a revolutionary new product called "Google Nose". This new technology will allow users to search for smells using their smartphones or other devices.

With Google Nose, users will be able to smell the world around them like never before. Want to know what your favorite restaurant smells like before you even get there? Just use Google Nose. Want to find the perfect perfume or cologne? Google Nose has got you covered.

According to a press release from Google, the technology behind Google Nose involves a combination of sensors, algorithms, and artificial intelligence. The company claims that they have already indexed over 10,000 different smells, including the scent of fresh-baked cookies, freshly cut grass, and even wet dog.

The press release also included a quote from Google CEO, Sundar Pichai, who said, "We believe that smell is the next frontier in search technology. With Google Nose, we're giving people the ability to explore and discover the world in a whole new way."

While some are skeptical about the usefulness of such a product, others are excited to try it out. The internet has been buzzing with memes and jokes about what the world would smell like if Google Nose was real.

The blog post claimed that Google Nose used "Street Sense" vehicles equipped with "mobile aroma indexing" technology to collect smells from around the world. These smells were then analyzed and indexed in Google's search database.

Users were encouraged to try out the feature by searching for various smells such as "new car smell" or "wet dog". However, when users tried to use Google Nose, they were presented with a message that read "Sorry, your nose is not supported in this version of Google. Please try again in 2031."

Unfortunately, for those who got excited, Google confirmed later that it was an April Fools' Day prank and that there is no such thing as Google Nose. Nevertheless, it remains a memorable moment in Google's history of April Fools' Day jokes.

Website: https://archive.google.com/nose/

How powerful the Economy of Russia is?

2022-12-21T17:11:00.003-08:00

In one of the disputes, the pro-Putin opponent slammed that Ukraine must give away its territory as it will never be able to withstand the pressure of Russia, and the power of its Powerful Military economy. Well, the fairly tales on the Russian military as the 2^nd best in the World have quickly evaporated over the first month of the War. But the economies of the two countries are still incomparable. That is still true, but, Ukraine, with help of the Free World Countries (combined power of more than 40% of the World Economy) can easily beat the tiny Russian economy, when looked from the World perspectives. See just numbers below:

2021 Data:

* World GDP (USD): 96.1 trillion

* USA GDP (USD): 23 trillion (24%)

* California (USD): $3.37 trillion (3.5%)

* San Francisco Bay Area (USD): $0.58 trillion (0.6%)

------------------------------------------------

* Russia (USD): $1.78 trillion (1.85%)

So Russian economy is 50% of the Californian economy, and just 3 time more than of the tiny San Francisco Bay Area, and it is all associated with Russia, capturing huge territory, and holding huge percentage of the natural resources.

By the end of 2022, Russia's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to drop by at least 3.4% in the best-case scenario and by up to 4.5% in the worst-case scenario. Russia's economy will continue to shrink in 2023.

The Woman Who Never Laughed

2019-10-30T23:25:00.001-07:00

Basically that was the premise of a stunt at the Hammerstein Victorian Theatre in New York in 1907. The theatre offered $1,000.00 to anyone who could get Sober Sue to crack a smile. During the intermission of whatever show happened to be playing at the time, Sober Sue would appear on stage and you could tell your best jokes and funniest stories trying to get her to laugh.

All summer long, people tried and couldn't do it. Word got out and even the professional comedians showed up. Some of the biggest stars of the day would come on stage and give it their best and true to her name Sober Sue just wouldn't crack a smile.

This of course lured many folks to try their damnedest to make her laugh. That is a lot of money for those times especially. The audiences even tried to come on stage and make her laugh to no avail. People it seemed grew frustrated with her.

They tried everything including making funny faces or telling their best jokes right to her face. She didn’t even giggle. Word of this spread across the city and eventually further. Professional comedians were up to the challenge and came here from far and wide, trying to make her laugh out loud.

Crowds got bigger, not for the stage show, but for the intermission to see if anybody could get Sue to even smile. So the offer was extended into the fall and finally as winter approached they took the sign down and the offer came to an end.

Various theories circulated regarding Sober Sue’s emotionless face. Some theorized that she was partially blind or deaf, but the truth was finally revealed in winter of 1907 – it was impossible for Sue to smile or laugh because her facial muscles were paralyzed. Later it turned out that the vaudeville scam was pulled by Willie Hammerstein who managed Paradise Roof Garden. Willie Hammerstein paid Sober Sue $20 a week, which was not that bad at the time. For the venue owner, shows produced a great deal of profit as he managed to lure top-rank comedians into performing for free. But after the truth has been revealed, Willie was condemned and the comedians never forgave him.

A lot of details about Sober Sue are still unknown and there are no photographs of her left. It is believed that Sue’s actual name was Susan Kelly and that she suffered from Mobius Syndrome. The syndrome is a rare condition characterized by weakness or paralysis of multiple cranial nerves, however, these are nothing more than mere speculations. Nevertheless, Sober Sue did leave us a legacy – her name would continue to be used in show business as a metaphor for particularly tough audiences. For example, some reviews of comedies would call the show so funny, that “it could make even Sober Sue laugh.”

Copycats

Hard facts on the original Sober Sue are hard, if not impossible, to come by. We don't even know for sure if she really had facial paralysis or if it was merely a fictional anecdote. However, we do know that throughout history, other ladies took on the name and act of the original Sober Sue.

In the October 1943 edition of Time Magazine, another Sober Sue made headlines. According to the magazine, "In Philadelphia, when her boyfriend was charged with evading the draft, Susan Cole, once billed by carnivals as Sober Sue, the Mirthless Marvel ($100 if you can make her laugh), muttered, 'The way I feel ... I could raise the ante to $500.'"

Then, in 1947, the Chester Times wrote a long anecdote about Sober Sue ending up 500 miles from her desired destination at a stranger's dinner table. "She telephoned her friends in Chester, and when they came for her, she didn't smile her goodbyes to Mr. and Mrs. Patton (the benevolent strangers)," it reads. "In Sue's business, a smiling face doesn't pay -- it pays off."

Sources and Additional Information:

https://wyrk.com/why-nobody-could-get-sober-sue-to-laugh/

https://www.boredpanda.com/girl-who-never-smiles-susan-kelly-sober-sue/

https://www.freaklore.com/the-woman-who-never-laughed

https://historydaily.org/the-strange-story-of-the-inscrutable-sober-sue

My Sister and I by “Friedrich Nietzsche”

2017-08-29T23:44:00.003-07:00

Regardless of whether Nietzsche actually wrote this book, it is a fascinating manuscript with many remarkable passages and brilliant messages (Reader Review)

Friedrich Nietzsche wrote about many things—Zarathustra, the Anti-Christ, the Übermensch, the myth of eternal reoccurrence, the Apollonian and the Dionysian.

One thing that he never commented on was Detroit, Michigan. “If only the Americans would work up a really healthy interest in my books, an interest strong enough to require a lecture course given by me in fascinating places like Detroit.”

One would think that a reference to Motown in the oeuvre of Nietzsche would be obvious evidence that the text was perhaps less than legitimate. Nevertheless, there was a small minority in 1951 who believed “My Sister and I” to be authentic. Yet it is hard not to see where the enthusiasm came from. The book was supposedly written in 1889 or early 1890 during Nietzsche's stay in a mental asylum in the Thuringian city of Jena. If legitimate, “My Sister and I” would be Nietzsche's second autobiographical and final overall work, chronologically following his Wahnbriefe (Madness Letters), written during his extended time of mental collapse. “My Sister and I” makes several bold and otherwise unreported biographical claims, most notably of an incestuous relationship between Nietzsche and his sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, as well as an affair with Richard Wagner's wife Cosima. It is written in a style that combines anecdote and aphorism in a manner similar to other Nietzsche’ works.

Friedrich Nietzsche

Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche

Cosima Wagner

"My Sister and I" was released by New York publisher Samuel Roth, the defendant in the Supreme Court first amendment case Roth vs. The United States six years later. Roth had served jail time for the mailing of pornographic materials, but his Seven Sirens Press was also instrumental in introducing American readers to experimental modernism, albeit illicitly, with James Joyce’s Ulysses on his catalogue.

Philosopher Walter Kaufmann, in the Partisan Review, demolished the idea that "My Sister and I" was in any way authentic, pointing out references that Nietzsche couldn’t have known, historical events mentioned which occurred posthumously, and jokes that would have made no sense in the German original (which Roth claimed was lost).

So, who actually wrote the damn thing? Respected Nietzsche scholar Oscar Levy supposedly penned the introduction, but his daughter vehemently insisted he had no role in the affair—and conveniently, for Roth, Levy was already dead. The obvious suspect would be Roth himself, but in 1965 Kaufmann received a letter by a writer named George Plotkin, who claimed he wrote My Sister and I when offered a “flat rate” by Roth.

Nietzsche scholars in general adopted the opinion of Kaufmann, who immediately identified the book as a forgery in a 1952 article. Evidence against the book cited both by Kaufmann and later commentators includes chronologically unsound information, such as a reference to an 1898 incident, incongruous references to Marxism and the city of Detroit (globally unknown in the late 19th century), a seemingly poor grasp of philosophy, and the book's sexualized pulpy content.

Nevertheless, a minority holds the work to be authentic. Beginning in the mid-1980s, a handful of articles began to call for its reevaluation, including references to more recently discovered journals and letters from Nietzsche and Cosima Wagner. Amok Books' 1990 edition reprints many secondary articles on the subject, and includes an original introduction calling for a reevaluation of the book. Nietzsche scholar Walter K. Stewart, in his 185-page monograph Nietzsche: “My Sister and I — A Critical Study” published in 2007, argues for the original's potential legitimacy by conducting a point-by-point analysis of Kaufmann's book review. In his 2011 follow-up, “Friedrich Nietzsche My Sister and I: Investigation, Analysis, Interpretation”, Stewart uses direct textual analysis to argue that whoever wrote “My Sister and I” was intimate with every aspect of Nietzsche’s life and perspective.

Brief Video Presentation:

Sources and additional information:

http://lithub.com/11-legendary-literary-hoaxes/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Sister_and_I_(Nietzsche)

http://www.denisdutton.com/nietzsche_review.htm

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/352130.My_Sister_and_I

NASA Recorded OM Sound from the Sun: Truth or Fiction?

2017-03-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

The Internet and your mail box is filled with the posts and messages, supplemented with various supporting videos, claim that NASA has recorded the sounds from Sun to be Om (Aum or Ohm) -- the ancient, mystic sounds. But how much truth is in such scientific discovery?

History

In mid-2010, for the first time, astronomers at the University of Sheffield managed to record the vibrations (eerie musical harmonies) produced by the magnetic field in the outer atmosphere of Sun. Huge magnetic loops known as coronal loops were observed coiling away from the outer layer of the sun's atmosphere, which behave like sound waves traveling through a wind instrument, i.e. vibrate like strings on a musical instrument.

Since sound cannot travel through the near vacuum of space, scientists cannot record the sounds produced in the Sun's atmosphere directly. So the scientists at the University of Sheffield used the satellite images of giant magnetic loops spread over thousands of miles to recreate the sound -- by turning the visible vibrations into noises and speeding up their frequencies to make them audible to the human ear. The noise from such a large and powerful source as Sun sounded as a sort of music because it has harmonics. Shown in the short, first video is the same, received from a NASA space telescope TRACE (Transitional Region and Coronal Explorer) that was designed to study and investigate the magnetic fields and the associated plasma structures on the Sun's atmosphere. Note that the video actually shows eruptions from the solar corona, embedded with the recreated audio.

The motive of the investigation was to study the growing concerns about the increasing solar activity that can have catastrophic effects on earth. Professor Fáy-Siebenbürgen explained that studying the "music of the sun" can provide new ways of understanding and predicting solar flares before they happen. To study this and understand the power of the sun, the Faculty of Science at University of Sheffield also launched a project called 'Project Sunshine'.

In a news report released in late 2013, NASA published that Voyager 1 (another space probe to study the outer Solar System) has recorded two outbursts of "interstellar plasma music" -- one in Oct-Nov. 2012 and the other in April-May 2013. Both of them were excited by bursts of solar activity, and according to space physicist Don Gurnett, the principal investigator for the Plasma Wave Science instrument on Voyager 1, space can make music if you know how to listen. The second video is a report on these findings.

Why OM is Important

Om (also written as Aum or Ohm) is an ancient mantra and mystical sound of Hindu origin (India and Nepal), which is considered sacred and significant in various religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism. Hindus believe that all the divine and other creation form of consciousness originated from the vibration manifesting as sound "OM". Like cross is sacred to Christians, so is Om to Hindus, which occurs in almost every Sanskrit prayer and invocation to deities.

In Vedas and other Hindu scriptures, AUM is the 'Sound of the Sun' and the 'Sound of Light'. In Chandogya Upanishad (before the 8th century BCE), the holy syllable OM or udgitha was meditated as Sun God. The Mandukya Upanishad details the significance of Om saying it is the imperishable word; the past, the present, and the future.

In a theory known as the Harmony of the Spheres, even Pythagoras proposed that the Sun, Moon and planets all emit their own unique hum (orbital resonance) depending on their orbital revolution.

Om Sound from Sun?

The two study reports in 2010 and 2013 mentioned above did show samples of sounds recorded from Sun's atmosphere, however, none of them mentioned Om sound or such resemblance. As you can hear in the beginning of the audio in first video, only a segment of the recording (audio) sounds a bit Om-y. Apart from that, there are other sounds as well.

Some online sources, like a 2010 blog article on awakenvideo.org, mentioned the sound of the sun recorded by NASA to be precisely as the ancient Hindus had described it in the Vedas thousands of years ago; that it is a mantra which can be intoned with human speech as "OM". The article also featured a documentary film called 'Quantum Communication' that says human communication works from the Quantum level and is connected to the Universal Laws of Attraction. Then there came up many videos even concluding that NASA recorded the Om sound from Sun.

Truth or Fiction?

NASA, as such, did not say that the various samples recorded from the Sun's atmosphere sound like the sacred Hindu syllable Om. However, a segment of the audio in the beginning of first video can be interpreted as sounding Om. Some people even say that Om is among the sounds recorded in deep space, all of which needs further studies to draw any conclusion. In general, there is no overwhelming evidence that the sound OM was indeed recorded, and that is not just our wishful thinking.

Nevertheless, the actual sound of Om is very grounding and peaceful; that which gathers and focuses our mind.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.hoaxorfact.com/Science/nasa-recorded-om-sound-from-sun-facts.html

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-true-that-NASA-has-recently-found-that-the-sound-from-the-sun-resembles-the-Vedic-mantra-Om

http://canyouactually.com/nasa-actually-recorded-sound-in-space-and-its-absolutely-chilling/

Vilcabamba: Miracle Longevity or Tale for Fools?

2016-12-07T23:33:00.000-08:00

In the Valley of Longevity, in southern Ecuador, visitors find the quiet and legendary town that has inspired travelers for decades—Vilcabamba. Vilcabamba means “Sacred Valley” in the Inca language, thus invoking an association with religious and mythical beliefs. Once just another of a thousand beautiful Andean villages, this community of about 4,000 people is today one of the hottest destinations for outsiders seeking their own little piece of Shangri-La. The town, of affordable goods and productive soils, promises new life—not to mention long life—for both vacationers and expats, and in the past two decades Vilcabamba has become an uncanny magnet and New Age watering hole for soul-searchers dabbling in everything from agriculture to shamanism to hallucinogens.

In the 1970s, researchers began flocking to Vilcabamba, a town in the Andes which apparently boasted the oldest population on Earth. Residents regularly reached ages of 115 and beyond but remained as healthy as people much younger. In 1973, National Geographic ran a story by a researcher from Harvard Medical School about this amazing valley and its people's perpetual youthfulness.

Many theories were offered to explain this phenomenon, from clean air to super-antioxidant minerals found in the water. Tourists as well as people suffering from chronic conditions began pouring in under the assumption that they were all going to turn into Benjamin Button.

The scientific team led by Dr Leaf found that the residents of Vilcambamba had very low cholesterol and there was a virtual absence of heart disease and chronic illness. Later research showed that the retinas of the oldest residents were comparable to those of 45 year-olds.

In 1981, the Ecuadorian government hired medical journalist Dr. Morton Walker to study the residents. In his book, "The Secret to a Youthful Long Life", Dr. Walker reported on the good health of the elderly villagers, which he attributed to the mineral rich water in Vilcabamba. The water flows into the valley from the Podocarpus National Forest, a protected Ecuadorian regional preserve which claims to have pre-Ice Age microorganisms and one of the world's few remaining pristine rainforests.

British biochemist, Dr Richard Laurence Millington Synge, a Nobel Chemistry Prize winner and the man who discovered amino acids, stated that there are remarkable medicinal qualities to be found in the plant life in Vilcabamba, particularly with regards to their anti-oxidant properties.

Even today, some local websites boast to potential tourists that "years are added to your life ... and life is added to your years!"

Except for one thing.

It was, probably, a one big lie. While the National Geographic, among other publications, had reported an unusually high number of centenarians in the village, Dr. Alexander Leaf, of Harvard Medical School, was growing skeptical of villagers’ claims to be well over 100—and in one case as old as 134. He called upon two American professors to come help determine the truth. They did, and in 1978, after pressing villagers for information and facts, Richard Mazess of the University of Wisconsin and Sylvia Forman of U.C. Berkeley released their findings. The entire legend of long life was no better than myth—and as bad as outright lies. There was not, they reported, a single person over 100 in the Valley of Longevity. The average age of supposed centenarians was actually 86 years old, and one man who claimed to be 127 years old in 1974 was actually 91 at the time.

Like many cultures that aren't the United States, the people of Ecuador value the wisdom and experience that comes with old age, and to that end it is a tradition in Vilcabamba to exaggerate your age. After people turn 70 or so, it starts to get really ridiculous as they tack as much as a decade per year onto their true ages. To confuse things further, because many residents are named after their parents, they can simply claim their parents' birth records as their own.

The researchers who studied the people of Vilcabamba fell prey to what is known as confirmation bias: Because they already wanted to believe that Indiana Jones was real and that there was a fountain of youth in some small town in Ecuador, they skipped right over the possibility that the people were simply lying. When people started asking the right questions, Vilcabamba looked less like the "Valley of Longevity" and more like a retirement community in Florida.

Also, the blur between fact and fiction in Vilcabamba may—or may not—have something to do with a local hallucinogen called aguacolla, made from mescaline extracted from several dozen species of cacti in the genus Trichocereus, collectively referred to as the San Pedro cactus. T. pachanoi is the most commonly used for medicine and (let’s be honest) sport. Shamans and village doctors have used the cactus for ages, and the drug today, though illegal in many countries, is provided by licensed shamans and in the Andes is a popular draw for tourists seeking the journey—trip, that is—of a lifetime.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.cracked.com/article_19027_the-6-most-bizarre-medical-hoaxes-people-actually-believed.html

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/vilcabamba-paradise-going-bad-21774567/

http://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-americas/secrets-vilcabamba-playground-inca-and-valley-longevity-002693?nopaging=1

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3062986/

Gleiwitz Incident: How the WWII Officially Started

2016-11-06T23:02:00.001-08:00

Gleiwitz Incident is arguably the most notorious False Flag operation of all time, particularly due to its far reaching consequences. This was the spark that Adolf Hitler needed to invade Poland and start WWII in Europe. Obviously not content with gobbling up all of Austria with the Anschluss of 1938 and the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia the same year (followed up by the entire country in 1939) Hitler agitated for more Lebensraum, or living space for his Greater Germany vision.

The next obvious target for expansion was Poland. Sensing that neither France nor Great Britain were going to tolerate further “justified” expansion, Hitler went about fabricating a reason to invade Poland.

On the night of August 31, 1939, German security troops escorted Jewish concentration camp victims to a radio tower near the Polish border town of Gleiwitz. There they dressed them in German border guard uniforms and had them promptly shot. Hitler used this pretext of “Polish Aggression” to invade Poland the next day on September 1, 1939. Two days later Great Britain and France declared war on Nazi Germany, WWII had begun!

In August 1939 Hitler was stirring up tension with Poland and he was prepared to fabricate whatever was needed as a pretext to invade. On August 11^th, he told the League of Nations High Commissioner

If there’s the slightest provocation, I shall shatter Poland without warning into so many pieces that there will be nothing left to pick up.

On August 22nd Hitler spoke to his military commanders

I will give propagandistic cause for the release of the war, whether convincing or not. The winner is not asked later whether he said the truth or not.

In fact, preparations for Operation Tannenburg had begun on August 8th when SS-Gruppenfuhrer Reinhard Heydrich told his men that war with Poland was ‘inevitable’.

The idea for fake “border incidents”, in which Germany would apparently be the victim of attacks by Poles probably came from Heydrich himself. It was he who was ordered to stage them, assisted by SS-Oberfuhrer Muller, head of the Gestapo.

They started by scouting the Silesian border between Germany and Poland and soon found suitable locations near the town of Gleiwitz. What they wanted were relatively isolated outposts of the German government that could be attacked by ‘Polish aggressors’. The attacks would be on a forestry station, a customs house and a radio station, where the ‘Poles’ would take over a German radio broadcast and make nationalistic statements in Polish. This would have a dramatic impact on ordinary Germans listening to their radios at home.

A plan was rapidly put together where SS troops dressed as Polish ‘rogues’ accompanied by units from the Polish army would ‘attack’ other SS troops dressed as German border guards. A refinement that was introduced during the planning was that some of the ‘Poles’ would be killed in the attack, so that their bodies could be presented to the worlds’ press as “evidence”. The victims were to be concentration camp inmates dressed as Poles, known as “canned goods”.

If the context and implications were not so serious the whole ‘pretend’ episode could be seen as a complete farce, especially as the Nazi’s had to go to extreme lengths to maintain the secrecy of the operation yet were simultaneously giving the nod to various individuals to keep ‘out of the way’. It was arranged that the regular Wehrmacht would keep clear of specific border areas so that they would not get mixed up in actually responding to ‘Polish aggression’.

The descent into farce came closer when on August 23rd, almost as soon as the ink was dry on the Nazi-Soviet Non-aggression pact, Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland to start at 4.30 am on 26th August. The first of three successive code words for Operation Tannenburg to commence on August 25th was sent. When the second code word was sent on the evening of 25th two of the ‘attacking’ units became confused and started to cross the border without waiting for the final third code word. Yet Hitler had had a change of mind, rescinding his order to invade because of British guarantees to Poland and a lack of support from Mussolini. Operation Tannenburg was now halted as well. German motor cyclists were sent out to deliver desperate messages to the ‘Polish’ forces telling them to stop.

This led to a revision of the overall plan. Now the takeover of the Radio station by ‘Polish rebels’ became more important. To give it added credibility it was decided that a real ‘Polish rebel’ was needed, so that he could be killed while ‘attacking’ the German radio station. The unfortunate Franz Honiok was selected from police files as being a well-known local Polish sympathizer who had fought with the Poles during the 1921 rebellion by Silesian Polish nationalists, even though he was a German national. The 41-year-old farmer and agricultural equipment salesman was picked up by the Gestapo on 30th August and held incommunicado.

Hitler decided to go ahead with the invasion on 30th August with the commencement of ‘Fall Weiss’ set for 5.45am on 1st September. Operation Tannenberg was back on. The attack on the Gleiwitz Radio staton went ahead on the evening of the 31st.

At around 8pm the ‘rebels’ managed to break into the unlocked compound and beat up the three radio station employees, all German nationals. Then their problems began. First they could not find a microphone. Further assaults on the radio station employees led to the discovery that it was not a radio station at all, merely a radio transmitter relay station for Radio Breslau, located many kilometers away. In desperation the ‘rebels’ found an emergency channel used for sending out local flood warnings and used this to send out their message of ‘Polish aggression’. How many people heard it, if any, is not known. However, hundreds of thousands of Germans sitting at home listening to light music on the radio did not have their evenings interrupted by insurrectionist messages in Polish, as originally planned.

Meanwhile Franz Honiok, who had earlier been drugged into semi-consciousness, was dragged out, placed near the entrance to the radio station and shot in the back of the head. Later that evening the local police were called in to take photographs of the body, which they were forced to hand over to the Gestapo. When these were viewed in Berlin it was decided that they were not good enough – so the Gestapo went back and took pictures of the body in a different position – mysteriously by this stage a second body had been added. Eventually it was decided that even these could not be used for propaganda purposes. What happened to the bodies has never been established.

Later that evening the attacks went ahead on the Pitschen Forestry Station, where a bucket of ox blood was spread around, and at the Hochlinden Customs House, where the bodies of the “canned goods”, the concentration camp inmates, were left. However, it was the attack on the Gleiwitz ‘radio station’ that attracted the most attention. The ‘takeover of a German broadcast by Poles’ was being reported by German radio by 10.30pm and by the BBC the same evening, and featured in the New York Times the next day. Hitler referred to ‘three serious border incidents’ in his speech to the Reichstag on the 1st September announcing the war. The Nazi’s persisted with the Gleiwitz myth for years, it was only first seriously challenged at the Nuremburg trials.

Details of the Gliwice raid first emerged during the Nuremberg trials, but it was not until 1958 that the full facts were revealed after the British writer Comer Clarke tracked down former SS-Sturmbannfuhrer Alfred Naujocks in Hamburg. Confronted by Clarke, Naujocks admitted: "Yes, I started it all. I don't think anyone will bother about me now." In the resulting article, he was identified as "The Man Who Started The Last War".

Naujocks, who died in 1960 and who never faced a war-crimes tribunal, disclosed how he had been summoned to the Berlin office of Reinhard Heydrich, the feared head of the German secret police.

"Heydrich told me 'Within a month we shall be at war with Poland. The Fuhrer is determined. But first we have to have something to go to war about. We've organized incidents in Danzig, along the East Prussian border with Poland, and along the German frontier. But there has to be something big and obvious'."

Naujocks described how Heydrich strode over to a wall map of Eastern Europe and stabbed a finger at Gliwice. "This is where you come in. The idea is that six men and yourself will burst into Gliwice radio station, knock out the staff and broadcast a speech in Polish and German, attacking Germany and the Fuhrer and announcing Poland's intention of taking the disputed territories by force."

Heydrich told how a body, dressed in Polish uniform, was to be left on the radio station steps to ''prove'' the Polish connection. The top secret operation was given a codeword: Grossmutter gestorben, ("Grandmother died").

Yes, most of the hard facts of what happened at Gleiwitz come from Naujocks, who defected to the Americans in November 1944 after falling out of favor with his Nazi superiors. Little is known for certain about the SS men under his command who participated in the attack, though given the almost astronomical casualty rates suffered by Waffen-SS units in the war, it is entirely possible they were indeed all killed.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.therichest.com/rich-list/nation/5-most-shocking-false-flag-operations-in-history/

http://ww2today.com/the-gleiwitz-incident-and-the-first-man-to-die-in-world-war-ii

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/6106566/World-War-IIs-first-victim.html

http://www.thebirdman.org/Index/Others/Others-Gleiwitz&TheStartOfWW2-GlenI.html

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865610146/This-week-in-history-Nazis-stage-fake-attack-at-the-start-of-WWII.html?pg=all

Did Microsoft Steal MS-DOS?

2016-09-06T22:52:00.003-07:00

The history of the computer industry is filled with fascinating tales of riches that appear to practically fall from the sky.

Along with stories of riches won, there are stories of opportunities missed. Take that of Ronald Wayne, who cofounded Apple Computer with Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs but sold his shares for just US $2300. And John Atanasoff, who proudly showed his digital computer design to John Mauchly—who later codesigned the Eniac, often defined as the first electronic computer, without credit to Atanasoff.

But by far the most famous story of missed fame and fortune is that of Gary Kildall. A pioneer in computer operating systems, Kildall wrote Control Program for Microcomputers (CP/M), the operating system used on many of the early hobbyist personal computers, such as the MITS Altair 8800, the IMSAI 8080, and the Osborne 1, before IBM introduced its own machine, the PC. Kildall could have virtually owned the personal computer operating system business, had he sold that system to IBM. He didn’t. Why is a matter of speculation, mundane gossip, and urban legend?

What Is MS-DOS?

Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably used MS-DOS. Short for “Microsoft Disc Operation System,” MS-DOS was the code almost every version of Windows has used “under the hood,” so to speak. It wasn’t until Windows XP that Microsoft transitioned away from using DOS, and it’s not a stretch to say MS-DOS is the software that built Microsoft. To prove it was stolen would probably shut down the company.

The basic crux of the legend is that MS-DOS was somehow a rip-off of the operating system CP/M, and that Microsoft essentially pulled off a massive scam. But why would anybody believe this? The answer has, ironically, nothing to do with Microsoft, but rather how MS-DOS came to be, as a stopgap solution from a tiny computer company.

How Microsoft Built MS-DOS

MS-DOS, despite the name, wasn’t made by Microsoft originally. It was engineered by Tim Paterson of Seattle Computer Products, (SCP), a computer company in the Pacific Northwest. In the late ’70s, the idea of buying a pre-built computer was unusual and exotic, and it was a tiny market. SCP’s computers weren’t selling because they didn’t have an operating system, so it decided to make one. At the time, the most popular system was CP/M, short for “Control Program/Monitor.” CP/M, however, wasn’t designed for the type of processor SCP used in their computers, much like even today you can’t use an Android app on an iPhone and vice versa. So SCP employee Tim Paterson wrote, from the ground up, Quick And Dirty Operating System, or Q-DOS.

That would likely have been the end of it if it hadn’t been for Bill Gates. Gates realized that Q-DOS, unlike CP/M, worked on IBM processors, and IBM was trying to break into the consumer market. So they bought the rights to Q-DOS and hired Paterson to update it to run on IBM’s computers. IBM, as we all know, began building the PC industry, putting Microsoft on the ground floor of one of the greatest industrial revolutions of all time. Or, at least, that’s the official version.

Did Microsoft Steal MS-DOS?

The urban legend goes that in reality, there’s more of someone else’s work in MS-DOS than Microsoft cares to admit. The rumors range from Paterson using a manual as a programming guide to his outright rewriting the code and passing it off as his own work. One rumor even claimed that CP/M mastermind Gary Kildall hid a “signature” of sorts, a command popularly called the “Kildall command” that when punched into his code reeled off a message that named him specifically as the copyright holder.

The charge of outright plagiarism has repeatedly been proven false. Most recently, in 2012, Bob Zeidman, an expert in software and intellectual property, ran MS-DOS and CP/M through forensic software tools and found that there wasn’t any copying of the source code. That said, Zeidman found new code from CP/M recently, compared it to MS-DOS, and found something fascinating.

It turns out that MS-DOS and CP/M use the same “system calls,” pieces of code that talk to things like printers and modems, and those calls even have the same number. It’s enough of a similarity that Zeidman has put up $200,000 in prize money to whoever can prove MS-DOS was plagiarized. But is it?

It seems unlikely. As we’ve noted, brilliant forensic minds and hobbyists alike have tackled this question and haven’t found a scrap of evidence. And there are some crucial technical differences between even Q-DOS and its supposed inspiration that simply would have to exist; otherwise, Q-DOS would never have worked in the first place. Similarly, despite nearly four decades of searching, nobody’s found the Kildall Command.

One of the fundamental problems in software is that you can only solve the same problem so many ways. But as long as there’s somebody with a grudge against Microsoft, there’s likely going to be someone willing to believe it’s built on a stolen product.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://uproxx.com/life/did-microsoft-steal-ms-dos/2/

http://spectrum.ieee.org/computing/software/did-bill-gates-steal-the-heart-of-dos

http://www.wired.com/2012/08/ms-dos-examined-for-thef/

Will Drinking Cold Water after Meal Increase your Cancer Risk?

2016-06-28T22:49:00.000-07:00

Message, wide spread on Internet, claims that drinking cold water after a meal will solidify 'oily stuff' present in the food consumed and will lead to cancer. A new version recommends drinking warm water with meals and tacks on unrelated information about heart attacks.

Sample of the email you may get in your box:

Subject: Drinking Cold water after meal = Cancer!

For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion.

Once this "sludge" reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine.

Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

**PLEASE BE A "TRUE" FRIEND AND SEND THIS ARTICLE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS YOU CARE ABOUT**

Why Cold Water Leads to Cancer?

Certain websites or emails claiming that drinking cold water may cause cancer state that the mechanism has to do with cold water solidifying oily foods that we eat. These sources state that solidified oily food reacts with stomach acid, turns into sludge, and is absorbed faster into the intestines than solid foods. People who support this claim then state that the solidified oily foods turn into fats which line the intestines, buildup, and lead to cancer.

You may even get the paper leaflets warning you in scientific matter on the devastating consequences of drinking cold water with the meal.

Debunking the Misconception that Links Cold Water to Cancer

Let's explore three reasons why this cancer misconception is not scientifically based.

1. When you drink cold or warm beverages, they don't remain hot or cold for long. The liquid quickly becomes the same temperature as your body temperature. So drinking something cold doesn't stay cool in the stomach.

2. You have to account for the highly acidic environment of stomach. Stomach acid breaks down mostly everything into a thick liquid consistency before it travels to the small intestine. So no solid food is really surviving stomach acid -- with the exception of foods that contain cellulose, like corn and lettuce.

3. The fact that "solidified oily foods turn into fats" makes no sense, as oils are already fats.

Detailed Analysis

There is no mention of a connection between drinking cold water and cancer on the National Cancer Institute website, the most reputable cancer related source of information or in any other trustworthy cancer health resources. No scientific studies or even non-scientific news reports were published on the matter. If the information in the message were true, it would be well documented by both the medical establishment and the media. It is a very common practice to consume cold water or other cold beverages at mealtime. Therefore, any connections between cold water and cancer would have long since been extensively studied and reported.

As is common with such "warnings", the message contains no external references to back up its far-fetched claims.

Besides, the conclusions in the message are logically flawed. The stomach's natural heat will bring all contents to a uniform temperature soon after eating. Even ice-cold water would not stay cold long enough inside the stomach to actually "solidify the oily stuff". Moreover, according to BBC Science and Nature:

As soon as food enters your stomach, your stomach lining releases enzymes that start breaking down proteins in the food. Your stomach lining also secretes hydrochloric acid, which creates the ideal conditions for the protein-digesting enzymes to work.

This chemical break down, along with rhythmic muscular contractions, turns all of the stomach's contents into a thick semi-liquid mass called chyme and moves it into the duodenum, the first section of the small intestine. Thus, even if cold water did solidify oily substances in the stomach contents (highly improbable), the resulting "sludge" would soon be converted into chyme and it would not enter the duodenum more rapidly than any other material.

Some alternative health sources do claim that cold water can slow digestion, although such claims are not supported by modern medical science. However, even if this slowing did occur, it would certainly not fundamentally disrupt digestion in the way described in the message nor would it lead to cancer.

A newer variant of the message tacks on information about identifying heart attacks. It notes that chest pain and pain in the left arm are not always present during a heart attack and describes other symptoms that people should be aware of. This information is perfectly correct. However, it is no way related to drinking cold or warm water with meals. The implication in the message is that drinking warm beverages with a meal can help prevent heart attacks, but as with the supposed cold water cancer link, this claim has no basis in fact whatsoever.

Thus, it is perfectly safe to drink cold water with or after your meals. It is also perfectly safe to drink warm beverages with or after your meal, although doing so will not prevent cancer nor will it help you avoid heart attacks. This nonsensical warning should not be forwarded, shared or reposted.

History of the Claim

The belief that fats (particularly animal fats) will "line the intestine" underpins a common scare story about alleged post-mortem discoveries that celebrities (such as John Wayne and Elvis Presley) who epitomized the "meat and potatoes" diet, gluttony, or other negative eating habits had some tremendous amount (40, 60, or even 80 pounds) of "impacted fecal matter" or "impacted feces" lodged in their bowels.

The e-mailed advisory against downing cold water after a meal advances a claim that the sludge supposedly formed by the reaction of stomach acids and ingested oils and now said to be adhering to the walls of the intestine will "turn into fats and lead to cancer." That oils (fats) would turn into fats is the least improbable claim made in the e-mail, but it would be better stated that oils (fats) remain fats, rather than change into them. As for such fats "lead[ing] to cancer," a look at the medical literature of the day does not support that allegation. (One genuinely-studied link between fats and cancer has to do with a higher incidence of lung cancer noted in Asian women who over the course of their lives have performed a great deal of wok cooking. The extreme high heat of that form of cookery causes the oils used to break down and give off chemicals capable of causing mutations in cells. Those intent upon doing large amounts of wok cooking should therefore lower their frying temperature from the 240°C to 280°C called for in Chinese cooking to 180°C.)

Over the years, decades, and even centuries, a variety of things have been pointed to as causing cancer. Once, when it was noted that there had been an increase in the consumption of tomatoes and an increase in the number of cancer patients, the erroneous conclusion was drawn from this correlation that tomatoes in some fashion caused or induced cancer. As to how old that belief was or how seriously it was taken at the time it was being bruited about, we note that in 1896 the Yorkshire Weekly Post printed an item by a physician who felt moved to publicly combat the rumor: "Let me say that the eating of tomatoes has nothing whatever to do with the production of the disease [cancer]."

If that now seems laughable, consider that to this day cancer continues to attract a number of misconceptions, and not just about its potential causes. In 2005 the American Cancer Society conducted a telephone survey of 957 adult Americans who had never had cancer, asking each of them about five common fallacies about the disease. Of the participants, nearly 41 percent believed surgeries to remove cancer actually caused the disease to spread, and another 13 percent weren't sure whether that was true or not. 27 percent of those surveyed believed the medical industry was withholding from the public a cure for cancer just to increase profits, and another 14 percent weren't sure but thought they might be. 19 percent believed pain medications were ineffective against cancer pain (with a further 13 percent unsure), and 7 percent thought the disease was an illness that could not be effectively treated. Finally, 5 percent of those taking part in the survey believed that all that was needed to beat the Big C was a positive attitude.

As for the act of drinking water immediately after eating something being bad for you, those claims have also been kicking about for a bit, as evidenced by this entry from a book of common misconceptions published in 1923:

That it is Bad to Drink Water Directly after Eating Fruit

This idea used to be extremely popular at the Cape when the author was there nearly 40 years ago. He has inquired of a Wimpole Street physician (who was also formerly at the Cape), and cannot find that there is any truth in the belief, except the general one that it is not good to dilute the gastric juices too much after eating anything, and especially, of course if the food be indigestible.

Far more recently, the Internet was spreading another advice to "drink water at room temperature if possible, as ice-cold water can harm the delicate lining of your stomach." If the lining of the human stomach were that delicate, our tummies would not long survive their being constantly bathed in strong digestive acids.

Separating Cancer Fact from Fiction

Every day, it seems like a new article says something causes cancer, making it difficult to separate fact from fiction. That being said, it's important to not take what a person, email, blog, or website says for granted.

Misconceptions, rumors, and myths can be rapidly spread, creating unnecessary worry among people. Instead, be sure to confirm the findings with your doctor -- if it sounds out there, it likely is, and without scientific evidence to back it up, it's simply a misconception.

And the Truth is…

There are indeed several studies covering the cold water consumption during and after the meal.

1. Cold Water and Digestion

Purposely avoiding drinking cold water with meals is an Ayurvedic practice. The ancient Indian medical practice believes that drinking cold water puts out your digestive fire, leading to indigestion of the food in your stomach. There's not much evidence to support Ayurvedic practices, however, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine, or that drinking cold water after meals harms your body in any way. In fact, drinking water, whether warm or cold, benefits digestion by helping to prevent constipation.

2. Cold Water and Calorie Burning

Drinking a glass of cold water burns slightly more calories than a glass of warm water, according to the University of Arkansas for Medical Science. But it's only an extra 8 calories. If you're drinking cold water after you eat to help you lose weight or burn more calories, those 8 calories aren't going to make enough of a difference to help. Exercise, not drinking cold water, helps you burn more calories.

3. Cold Might Be Better

When it comes to water temperature, cold water might be better than warmer water. Columbia Health reports that cold water leaves the stomach faster than room-temperature water, which makes it a better choice when you're trying to rehydrate. It's also cooling, which is helpful when it's hot outside. You might drink more if it's cold, too. People prefer the taste of cold water, according to the American College of Sports Medicine.

Sources and Additional Information:

https://www.verywell.com/does-drinking-cold-water-cause-cancer-513631

http://www.hoax-slayer.com/cold-water-cancer.html

http://www.snopes.com/medical/myths/coldwater.asp

http://factsfromfiction.blogspot.com/2012/06/is-drinking-cold-water-bad.html

http://www.livestrong.com/article/537267-drinking-cold-water-after-eating/

Genetically Engineered Whistling Carrots

2016-03-20T23:58:00.006-07:00

One of the best ever April Day Hoaxes has been perpetrated in 2002, when the respectable British Sun Newspaper carried an advertisement by Tesco, a large supermarket chain, which announced the development of the genetically engineering "whistling carrot." The carrot has been specifically developed to include tapered air holes over its entirety so that when cooked, the carrots would whistle.

The signal emitted by the ready-to-be-consumed-carrots was claimed to be at least 97 decibel, and was caused by the artificially modified genes, extremely sensitive for heat, which managed the air pockets within the carrot to expend and push out the air, generating the distinctive audio signal to announce its readiness, like a teakettle when it reaches full boil.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www.april-fools.us/whistling-carrots.htm

http://www.justapinch.com/groups/discuss/11415/tescos-whistling-carrot

http://www.eatwithyoureyes.co.uk/april-food-day/

Fabricated Account on "Comfort Women" Costs Millions to Japan

2016-02-19T00:15:00.006-08:00

Yoshida's False Confession

In 1983, a Japanese writer, Seiji Yoshida, published a book titled "My War Crime - Forcing Transportation of the Koreans." It was an alleged confession that he had "transported about 205 Korean women forcibly under the command of the Japanese military to make them comfort women for Japanese soldiers." Later, The Asahi Shimbun, radical anti-Japanese newspaper in Japan, used the materials from the book to spread this information on the "comfort women" to the mass media.

The comfort women, portrayed by Yoshida, would indeed have been sex slaves, if all the facts exposed would be confirmed as true accounts. Later, Yoshida updated his revelations, claiming that the procurement of comfort women was arranged on direct orders of the Japanese Army Commandment, instructing him to “mobilize a Korean female volunteer corps.”

On May 15, 1943, a first lieutenant from Western District Army Headquarters arrived at the Yamaguchi Prefectural Police Department’s Labor Administration office. The officer delivered a labor mobilization order addressed to the Yamaguchi Labor Service Association chairman (also governor of Yamaguchi Prefecture). The head of the Labor Administration Section was also secretary of the Labor Service Association.

As head of the Shimonoseki Branch Mobilization Department, I was asked to be present because I would be executing the mobilization order. The lieutenant explained that the mobilization order was issued to National Labor Service Association groups in prefectures in Japan’s Western District, and in each province in the southern part of Korea. Two thousand workers were to be mobilized. The order delivered to the Yamaguchi Prefectural National Labor Service Association contained the following information.

1. Volunteer corps of 200 Korean women to serve as entertainers for the Imperial Army

2. Age: 18-29 (married women acceptable; pregnant women not acceptable)

3. Healthy women (medical examination required, especially tests for venereal diseases)

4. Duration: One year (renewal possible if desired)

5. Remuneration: \30 per month

6. Clothing allowance: \20 (to be paid in advance)

7. Place of assignment: central China

8. Recruiting areas: southwestern Korea and Cheju Island

9. Departure date: 12:00 noon, 30 May 1943

10. Meeting place: Western Army, Unit 74

The women’s Labor Service unit was renamed the Female Volunteer Corps. Students at girls’ schools and local girls (members of girls’ youth groups) working in munitions factories were called “Female Volunteer Corps,” but the female volunteer corps members who provided entertainment to soldiers of the Imperial Army were actually comfort women.

This is a sad story on the unfortunate fates of the Korean women, but later, it became absolutely clear that historical accounts and documented facts do not support it in many details. Finally, Yoshida himself admitted the story, posted in the book, was fabricated.

Yoshida's Book Translated into Korean

In 1989, Yoshida's book was translated into Korean. However, at Jeju island of Korea where Yoshida said to have moved the women forcibly, there were Korean people, and several historians, who doubted it from the first glance. The Jeju Newspaper journalists conducted the investigation and later posted an article in the newspaper, calling it a historical falsification, not supported by any facts. One of the prominent Japanese historians, Ikuhiko Hata, has also visited Jeju Island to perform additional investigation, and results were aligned with all previous accounts – the told story has never happened in the real life.

In the Jeju Newspaper from August 14, 1989 in was finally and openly admitted, that there was neither factual evidence, nor personal testimony of Japanese Army forcefully kidnapped girls.

Following multiple negative reviews, pressed by the formal investigations’ outcomes, Yoshida finally confessed that his story was one big falsification. He never apologized for the created political tensions and public controversy, but took a "so-what" attitude, saying: "It is not a profitable approach to write the truth in a book. Newspapers also do the same thing, don't they?"

One of the possible explanations was that Yoshida was a communist sympathizer. The main strategy of the Japanese Communist Party was at the time make all the efforts to portrait Japanese government and political system as evil, driving the efforts for convert the country to the communist state. Based on some unverified accounts, Yoshida received substantial monetary grant from the Soviet government, led by Leonid Brezhnev (before his death in 1982), for this book, which was in line with the USSR interests in Asia.

In spite the fact that the falsification was proven, and admitted by the perpetrator, there are still people who believe the story of "forcibly-moved comfort women" is a sad historical reality.

No Forced Transportation

It is the well-known fact that there were comfort women for the Japanese military in battlefields. However, in most cases, the comfort women were doing business, willingly trading their sexual favors for money. There were also several Korean businessmen, who arranged and mediated the sexual services arrangements between the military and women. According to some accounts, there were professional women, who were able to earn 10 times of a university graduate salary, or 100 times of a soldier paycheck. They could build house in their homeland after 2-3 years of the job.

At the same time, following the Korean translation of Yoshida's book publication, several testimonies appeared in Korea from the women who said, "I was forcibly moved to become a comfort woman for Japanese soldiers. The Japanese government, compensate!"

In 1993, the Japanese government arranged legal hearings of the testimonies from 16 ex-comfort women and inquired other 10 ex-comfort women. Among these 26 cases, there were 8, who testified indeed to have been forcibly moved. However, none of these testimonies could be positively validated by the documents, records, and other people reports.

Japanese Government's Communication

Regardless of the validity of the women testimonies, the Japanese politicians apologized to the Korean government for the allegedly performed crimes against forcefully recruited to the prostitution comfort women.

A statement by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono highlighted that "the Japanese military was, directly or indirectly, involved in the establishment and management of the comfort stations, and the transfer of comfort women.... that, in many cases they were recruited against their own will."

The government of Japan, it continued, would like to "extend its sincere apologies and remorse to all those who suffered immeasurable pain and incurable physical and psychological wounds as comfort women". A private compensation fund was also set up.

A Japanese politician who had been in charge of making the draft of the apologizing interview, later said, "We had an agreement with the Korean government that with this interview, both of us would make past issues all settled and would intend for the future. But seeing that today's Korean government is saying about compensation for the past, I am really disappointed."

The same thing can be said to the Japan-Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty concluded in 1965. Japan and Korea agreed that with this treaty, all past issues had been settled and that Korea would not require any compensation for the past anymore. But Korean presidents after that have submitted several formal inquiries and required substantial monetary compensation from Japan, disregarding the treaty.

Historic Agreement

South Korea and Japan reached a landmark deal December 28, 2015 to resolve the issue of Korean women forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, announced the agreement after talks at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul. The meeting focused on Japan’s admission of responsibility for the wartime crime as well as plans to pay reparations to the victims.

In a joint press conference, Kishida said the comfort women issue is an issue where women under the then military’s involvement bore deep scars to their honor and dignity, adding that from this perspective, the Japanese government acutely feels responsible. Japan promised to offer 1 billion yen (approximately 9.7 billion won) in compensation for the ‘comfort women’.

Sources and Additional Information:

http://www2.biglobe.ne.jp/~remnant/comfortw.htm

http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_1/39_S4.pdf

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-22680705

http://busanhaps.com/japan-and-korea-reach-historic-deal-on-comfort-women/