Sam H Arnold·3 days agoMember-onlyWhy the Keto Diet Could Result in You Spontaneously Catching on FireThe history and possible causes of the spontaneous human combustion. — Spontaneous human combustion (SHC) has fascinated me for many years. Initially, historians will tell you it links to the Victorian era, but that is untrue. What is true is there were many cases reported in this area, which may have been because of poverty and reliance on alcohol. …History5 min readHistory5 min read
Sam H Arnold·May 29Member-onlyThe Horrific World War 2 Massacre at Oradour-Sur-GlanceThe quiet rural village that was destroyed in France — History5 min readHistory5 min read
C.S. Voll·May 26Member-onlyGay Men Faced Horrors During the Vere Street Coterie PersecutionsThe Napoleonic Wars became a period when homosexual communities lived in fear — Many in Great Britain looked on with trepidation at the vast changes across the English Channel during the French Revolution, at the end of the 18th century. Homosexuality became synonymous with new foreign political inclinations, in part because the French Penal Code of 1791 and Code of Napoleon didn’t criminalize…History5 min readHistory5 min read
Sam H Arnold·May 15Member-onlyThe Incredible Woman Who Revolutionised Women’s Right to Birth ControlThe story of Margaret Sanger — Margaret Sanger was born in 1879; she came of age as the Comstock Act was introduced. The act was a federal statute that criminalised those who wished to take contraceptives. Through her family experiences and her determination to change women’s lives, she decided that the only way to change this…History3 min readHistory3 min read
Sam H Arnold·May 10Member-onlyWhy Nostradamus’s Prophecies Should Be Taken with a Grain of SaltHe may have been the best conman ever. — Only this weekend, I saw a video on another Nostradamus prediction. This one tells how King Charles will give up his thrown in the next couple of months to someone who was never supposed to have it. Of course, half the nation has interpreted this to mean Prince Harry. The…History4 min readHistory4 min read
Sam H Arnold·May 8Member-onlyThe Great Cinematography Mystery: What Happened to Louis Le Prince?The Unsolved Mystery of Louis Le Prince’s Disappearance — One of the greatest mysteries in cinema history did not take place on the big screen; instead, it was the story of the cameras that filmed the first motion pictures. The story has everything you would expect of the considerable screen suspense, intrigue and even possible murder. Louis Aimé Augustin…History4 min readHistory4 min read
Edward Anderson·May 7Member-onlyJeopardy’s Biggest Mystery SolvedWho Is Barbara Lowe? — Barbara Lowe Vollick played the part of Jeopardy’s villain for the better part of four decades. Her five episode winning streak on the beloved quiz game show disappeared, almost entirely, after her stint ended. Nobody quite knew what happened. Alex Trebek passed away in 2020, seemingly taking the secret of…History5 min readHistory5 min read
Sam H Arnold·May 5Member-onlyHow the Langham Hotel Meeting Led to the Creation of Two Literary MasterpiecesWhy Other Writers Are Your Greatest Resource, Not Your Competition — Writers inspiring each other is not a new concept, and some of the greatest writers in history have benefitted from writing together. Mary and Percy Shelly spent a rainy holiday in Geneva with John Polidori and Lord Byron. To pass the time, they told each other spooky stories. …History4 min readHistory4 min read
Edward Anderson·May 1Member-onlyA Marriage Of InconvenienceAll that sparkles is not gold — Henry Lehr knew how to work the Manhattan social scene during The Gilded Age. He fancied himself the new Ward McAllister. And the doyennes of the socialites seemed to agree with him. His infamy grew with every lavish party he threw. Henry seemed to know the right mix of people…History6 min readHistory6 min read
Sam H Arnold·Apr 24Member-onlyThe Inspiration Behind Lewis Carroll’s Book Alice in WonderlandFrom reality to fantasy — Alice in Wonderland is a favourite in our house, especially the version with Johnny Depp as Hatter. Many of you may be aware of the legend of Hatter. Historically, many hat makers were sent mad due to mercury poisoning, a chemical they used to make hats. Some of you, however…History4 min readHistory4 min read
