A sacred island in south-west Japan that bans women and where male visitors must strip naked before going ashore has been declared a Unesco world heritage site. Okinoshima, located midway between the south-western main island of Kyushu and the Korean peninsula, was once the site of rituals to pray for maritime safety and a centre for relations with China and Korea that… Read More »
Mohammed, a 17-year-old handsome Arab student, recently passed away in a tragic traffic accident. The school administration, unaware of his death, sent a notice to Mohammed’s father a few days later, stating: “Your child has not been attending school for several days. We kindly request you to provide a valid reason for his absence so that we may… Read More »
Spooky season is upon us, so we thought it was the perfect time to share the legend of Isola Gaiola, an ill-fated island off the coast of Naples, with you. Locals won’t go anywhere near Isola Gaiola. It’s cursed, they say. With a history of disappearances, drownings, murder, and suicide for those who have lived there, you can probably… Read More »
The Blacksmith History Forge Museum is a short walk north of the Toqi Telpak Furushon Bazaar on Khakikat Street. The museum is located in the Kulyuta karavansarai which was built in the 16th century. Admission is free, and it is a rare treat to see a working blacksmith. Photos/Videos can be taken and you can stroll through the… Read More »
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo devastated the coastline of South Carolina. In the aftermath, as historic homes and buildings were being repaired, many homeowners looked for plaster workers or stone carvers. To everyone’s surprise, there weren’t many left, resulting in a massive backlog of restoration and preservation work. In response, a group of inspired educators founded the American College of Building… Read More »
Some people describe happiness as an overall feeling of contentment with your life, and your place in it. Others say it’s found only in fleeting moments. As for joy, while some describe it as a sustainable emotion, other people liken it to an intense flare that pops up at unexpected times. There’s no one way to define happiness… Read More »
Abebe Bikila’s run to international fame started by accident. Abebe had wanted to run the marathon for Ethiopia in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. But his reported personal best time in the marathon was faster than the world record, and race officials were skeptical. He was passed over in favor of another runner, who subsequently broke his… Read More »
Bernie Littman and Marjorie Fiterman set a Guinness World Record as the oldest newlyweds with a combined age of 202 years A couple from Philadelphia has set a Guinness World Record by becoming the world’s oldest newlyweds. Bernie Littman, aged 100, and Marjorie Fiterman, aged 102, got married earlier this year, with their combined ages totalling an extraordinary… Read More »
Whether you’re crashing with a friend for convenience, invited for a leisurely stay at a cousin’s summer home, or headed to your future in-laws’ place for the first overnight visit, house guest etiquette matters. And if you’ve ever hosted family or friends for an extended stay, you know just how refreshing a well-behaved, respectful, game, and grateful house… Read More »
Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor” (Biblical Hebrew: לֹא תַעֲנֶה בְרֵעֲךָ עֵד שָׁקֶר, romanized: Lōʾ t̲aʿăneh b̲ərēʿăk̲ā ʿēd̲ šāqer) (Exodus 20:16) is one of the Ten Commandments, widely understood as moral imperatives in Judaism and Christianity. The Book of Exodus describes the Ten Commandments as being spoken by God, inscribed on two stone tablets by the finger of God, broken by Moses, and rewritten by Yahweh on a replacement set of stones… Read More »