Mean World Syndrome is a phenomenon whereby violence-related content of mass media makes viewers believe that the world is more dangerous than it actually is. This is also called the “Bad-News Bias” in social psychology. People who watch the news and crime procedurals more frequently are more likely to view the world as a dangerous place, although violent crime rates have dropped steadily over the past few decades. One explanation is a 24-hour news cycle funded through advertisements that is incentivized to highlight violent crime that captures our attention. Similarly, a large proportion of the population fears mass shootings, since they are widely reported in the media, while over ⅔ of tens-of-thousands of gun deaths are due to suicide.

At the surrender of the American Civil War, the Union troops began to cheer but Grant silenced them immediately. He later stated that “The Confederates were now our countrymen, and we did not want to exult over their downfall,” The terms were as generous as Lee could hope for; his men would not be imprisoned or prosecuted for treason. Officers were allowed to keep their sidearms. In addition to his terms, Grant also allowed the defeated men to take home their horses and mules to carry out the spring planting and provided Lee with a supply of food rations for his starving army; Lee said it would have a very happy effect among the men and do much toward reconciling the country.

Porphyria, a collection of diseases where symptoms include severe sun sensitivity, prominent canine teeth and peculiar behaviour, is thought to be the basis of the vampire legend – especially as symptoms are worsened by garlic.

Black Friday runs concurrent with Buy Nothing Day; An international protest against consumerism with more than 65 nations globally participating

The Church of Scientology now owns the “Cult Awareness Network” after they sued the originally Cult Awareness Network for calling them a cult

There is a sport called Chess Boxing, wherein participants duke it out with each other in alternating rounds of chess and boxing.

Twisted Sister band members never drank, never did drugs, never partied, but kept that quiet to avoid hurting their reputation

The newest US Navy destroyer is so stealthy that they have to affix huge reflectors on it during peacetime operations because radar thinks the 610-foot warship is a 50-foot fishing vessel which has already caused one near-collision with a civillian vssel. Aside from its excellent hiding skills, the USS Zumwalt is the most advanced ship ever built by the US Navy. It can fire new generation rail guns and lasers, and the destroyer features a new tumblehome design, where the hull slants inward rather than outward.

Disney almost created a theme park for villains called ‘The Dark Kingdom’ The speculation insisted that Disney World in Orlando, Florida were in talks of creating “The Dark Kingdom” where Maleficent’s castle would tower over the homeland of Scar, Captain Hook, and the Evil Queen.

So many American Indians joined the military during WW2 that had all Americans joined at the same proportion, conscription would not have been necessary. The Blackfeet tribe mocked the idea of a draft: “Since when has it been necessary for Blackfeet to draw lots to fight?” The Iroquois Confederacy, having declared war on Germany in 1917, had never made peace and so automatically became party to World War II. The Navajo and other tribes were so eager to go to war that they stood for hours in bad weather to sign their draft cards, while others carried their own rifles so they would be ready for battle when they joined up. Unwilling to wait for their draft numbers, one-fourth of the Mescalero Apaches in New Mexico enlisted. Nearly all the able-bodied Chippewas at the Grand Portage Reservation enlisted. In a story that has been attributed to many other tribes as well, Blackfeet Indians mocked the need for a conscription bill. “Since when,” their members cried, “has it been necessary for Blackfeet to draw lots to fight?” The annual enlistment for Native Americans jumped from 7,500 in the summer of 1942 to 22,000 at the beginning of 1945. According to the Selective Service in 1942, at least 99 percent of all eligible Indians, healthy males aged 21 to 44, had registered for the draft. War Department officials maintained that if the entire population had enlisted in the same proportion as Indians, the response would have rendered Selective Service unnecessary. … The Iroquois took it as an insult to be called up under compulsion. They passed their own draft act and sent their young braves into National Guard units.

After marathoning Breaking Bad, Anthony Hopkins wrote Bryan Cranston a fan letter, saying (among other things) “Your performance as Walter White was the best acting I have seen – ever.”

A letter that Johnny Cash wrote to June Carter in 1994 was voted the greatest love letter of all time. They were married from 1968 till June passed away in 2003. Johnny died 4 months later