Guatemalans were deliberately infected with STDs between 1945 & 1956 through US government programme. They were kept secret until discovered in 2010 by a college prof. The programme published no findings, did not inform those who were infected nor did it provide them with follow up medical care. During the experiments, the following occurred: Prostitutes were infected with venereal disease and then provided for sex to subjects for intentional transmission of the disease; Subjects were inoculated by injection of syphilis spirochaetes into the spinal fluid that bathes the brain and spinal cord, under the skin, and on mucous membranes; An emulsion containing syphilis or gonorrhoea was spread under the foreskin of the penis in male subjects; The penis of male subjects was scraped and scarified and then coated with the emulsion containing syphilis or gonorrhea; A woman from the psychiatric hospital was injected with syphilis, developed skin lesions and wasting, and then had gonorrhoeal pus from a male subject injected into both of her eyes and; Children were subjected to blood studies to check for the presence of venereal disease.

When Adolf Hitler decided to commit suicide, he fed some cyanide to his dog to make sure it worked. His private nurse later said that the people in the bunker were more distraught by the death of his dog than that of his wife, Eva Braun

Cameron Todd Willingham, who was charged and executed in 2004 for allegedly setting his house on fire to murder his 3 children in 1991. All the evidence against him was debunked by experts in fire investigations 5 years later. His last words: ‘The only statement I want to make is that I am an innocent man convicted of a crime I did not commit. I have been persecuted for twelve years for something I did not do. From God’s dust I came and to dust I will return, so the Earth shall become my throne.’”

German animal protection law prohibits killing of vertebrates without proper reason. Because of this ruling, all German animal shelters are no-kill shelters. Germany even mentions animal protection in their constitution: Mindful also of its responsibility toward future generations, the state shall protect the natural foundations of life and animals

Johnny Cash’s family refused to allow “Ring of Fire” to be used in an advertisement for hemorrhoid-relief

Cincinnati Freedom, a cow that jumped a 6 foot fence at a slaughterhouse in Cincinnati, only to evade police officers for 11 days, making national news headlines, and eventually living out the rest of its life in NY. The Cincinnati zoo declined to house her, citing the possibility she could not be safely contained.

British reporter Clare Hollingworth broke the news of Hitler invading Poland. British embassy didn’t believe her until she held a telephone out of the window of her room to capture the ongoing sounds of war. Hers was the 1st report the British Foreign Office received about the invasion of Poland.

The last Emperor of Brazil Pedro II became ruler aged 5. He had a grim, lonely childhood studying for duty. He won 3 wars, turned Brazil into a global power & abolished slavery. After 58 years he grew weary, accepting a military coup. He lived his last days alone in Europe on very little money. Although there was no desire for a change in the form of government among most Brazilians, the Emperor was overthrown in a sudden coup d’état that had almost no support outside a clique of military leaders who desired a form of republic headed by a dictator. Pedro II had become weary of emperorship and despaired over the monarchy’s future prospects, despite its overwhelming popular support. He did not allow his ouster to be opposed and did not support any attempt to restore the monarchy. He spent the last two years of his life in exile in Europe, living alone on very little money.

JK Rowling’s first husband was a 23 year old student who claimed that he was the first to read Harry Potter. Their marriage fell apart less than a year later after he forced her out of the apartment with their baby daughter at 5 in the morning

A small lake in Africa killed 1,700 villagers and 3,500 livestock overnight when it suddenly released 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide, suffocating everything within 16 miles. Scientists still don’t know what triggered the event. (Lake Nyos Disaster) The eruption triggered the sudden release of about 100,000–300,000 tons (some sources state as much as 1.6 million tons) of CO2. This gas cloud rose at nearly 100 kilometres per hour (62 mph) and spilled over the northern lip of the lake. It then rushed down two valleys, branching off to the north, displacing all the air and suffocating people and livestock within 25 kilometres (16 mi) of the lake

Genie is the pseudonym for a feral child who was a victim of severe abuse, neglect, and social isolation and who was kept in a blacked out room by her father for the first 13 years of her life. She also continued to learn and use new language skills throughout the time they tested her, but ultimately remained unable to fully acquire a first language. …[A] private investigator who located Genie in 2000. She was reportedly living a simple lifestyle in a small private facility for mentally underdeveloped adults, and appeared to be happy. Although she spoke only a few words, she could still communicate fairly well in sign language.

Nepal Airlines has the worst safety record in the world, and has sacrificed goats in order to fix technical problems. “In September 2007, the airline confirmed that it had sacrificed two goats to appease a Hindu god following technical problems with one of its aircraft. Nepal Airlines said the animals were slaughtered in front of the plane, a Boeing 757, at Tribhuvan International Airport. The offering was made to Akash Bhairab, the Hindu god of sky protection, whose symbol is seen on the company’s aircraft. The airline said that after Sunday’s ceremony, the plane successfully completed a flight to Hong Kong. Raju KC, an airline official, was quoted as saying: “The snag in the plane has now been fixed and the aircraft has resumed its flights.” The company did not say what the problem was, but reports in local media had blamed an electrical fault”

Turbotax, an American tax filling company, invested money in lobbying to keep tax return filling as confusing as possible, ensuring customers for their business.