Mildly interesting
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@mark said in Mildly interesting:
The rainbow grasshopper
This grasshopper is uncommon, but can be found in some grassy plains in the United States.
Last Halloween, I saw the most amazing thing: an albino squirrel, out in the wild. His hair was so bright he could be seen from half a block away. It's amazing he survived considering we have a massive bird sanctuary nearby.
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This popped up on my Memories of this date 11 years ago.
This is what happens when you overload your plane with too many people, then try to land on a short runway at high elevation (3K+ feet) on a hot day.
You have no chance, you are going into the trees.
The pilot broke both legs and put 2 other guys into the hospital. I have flown that plane many times and I have flown with that pilot.
Hot days can surprise you.
This was middle of nowhere WV, I wouldn't be surprised if the plane was still there.
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From a recent history podcast I listen to:
Alcohol comes from the Arabic word 'Al-khol'. Muslims invented hard liquor.
Arabic numbers actually came from India.
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you will notice that i beat you by 7 hours.
although interesting, i did not think it warranted its own thread
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Ahhh. I did not notice.
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In 1896, Belém (a port city in Brazil) bloomed with wealth through the sale of Amazonian rubber worldwide, transforming farmers into overnight millionaires who erected opulent mansions using European materials. Meanwhile, their wives and daughters sent their garments for laundering across the old continent and imported mineral water from London for their baths. The "Theatro da Paz" flourished as the epicenter of Amazonian cultural life, hosting concerts featuring European artists. Notably, the enchanting French opera singer Camille Monfort (1869-1896) captivated audiences, inciting intense desire among affluent gentlemen and profound jealousy among their spouses due to her striking beauty.
Camille Monfort further scandalized society with her unconstrained behavior, flouting the social norms of her era. Legend has it that she was sighted half-clad, dancing in Belém's streets to cool herself in afternoon rains. Her solitary nocturnal strolls also piqued interest as she wandered in long, black, ethereal dresses beneath the full moon along the banks of the Guajarå River toward the Igarapé das Almas.
Rumors swiftly circulated about her, spawning malicious gossip. Some claimed she was the paramour of Francisco Bolonha (1872-1938), who had imported her from Europe, alleging he bathed her in costly imported champagnes in his mansion's tub. Whispers also suggested she had fallen victim to vampirism in London, evident in her pallor and sickly appearance. It was rumored she harbored a mysterious craving for human blood, purportedly hypnotizing young women with her voice during concerts, luring them to slumber in her dressing room to sate her desires. Interestingly, this coincided with reports of fainting spells in the theater during her performances, ostensibly attributed to the intense emotions evoked by her music.
Furthermore, tales circulated of her alleged ability to commune with the deceased, manifesting their spirits in ectoplasmic mists expelled from her body during séances. These occurrences marked the early emergence of spiritualism in the Amazon, clandestinely practiced in Belém's palatial enclaves, such as the Palacete Pinho.
By the year's end, a devastating cholera epidemic swept through Belém, claiming Camille Monfort as one of its victims. She was interred in the Cemetery of Solitude, where her tomb remains shrouded in slime, moss, and dry foliage beneath the canopy of a towering mango tree, casting her resting place into shadow pierced only by occasional sunbeams filtering through the verdant leaves. Her neoclassical mausoleum bears a door sealed by an aged, rusted lock, revealing a marble bust of a woman atop the neglected sepulcher's broad lid, with a framed image of a veiled woman affixed to the wall.
The tombstone bears the inscription: "Here lies Camila MarĂa Monfort (1869-1896) The voice that captivated the world." Despite this, whispers persist to this day, suggesting her tomb is empty, alleging her demise and burial were mere ruses to conceal her vampiric affliction. -