To Solve This 1945 Logic Puzzle, You Need Some Seriously Creative Thinking

Let’s travel back in time to 1945.

The Candle Problem is an old logic puzzle, originally published by Karl Duncker in 1945. It might seem straightforward, but to solve it correctly, you’ll need to be able to think outside the box.

The Candle Problem

You’re in a room with a table pushed against the wall. On it is a box of thumbtacks, matches, and a candle. You must attach the lit candle to the wall in a way that the wax won’t drip onto the table or floor. How do you complete this task?

Continue reading when you’re ready to check your answer (or you’ve given up!).

10 of the Most Bizarre Declassified Government Documents

Some people are really into conspiracy theories – or more prone to believing that the government is hiding certain truths from us, maybe – and still others have just watched too many episodes of The X-Files to trust that we’re being told every last detail.

But if these 10, slightly terrifying declassified documents are any indication, people are definitely right to ask questions, because the truth is often buried behind miles of red tape.

10. Okay so this needs to be a movie, if it isn’t.

In East Germany a committed freedom fighter and her husband had dealt with having her home raided while she was away, being arrested on the way to protests and all sorts of state sponsored harassment. After the wall fell she was able to read the documents the Stasi had kept on her and found out her own husband was an undercover agent and had written many reports on her activities with a bloodless banality.

9. Everything about the Challenger explosion is horrible.

When the space shuttle Challenger was destroyed, it was reported that all 7 astronauts were killed instantly. It was revealed decades later that some, if not all of the astronauts survived the initial explosion, as the cockpit cabin had enough protection to not be breached. For 2 minutes and 45 seconds, they were awake and aware, as they plummeted toward the Atlantic Ocean.

Understandably, NASA knew that the news of their terrifying death would have crippled the space program even more than it already was.

8. Evil people sometimes have security clearance.

Canadian here… The Somalia Affair Not sure if it was ever classified but definitely a horrific scandal. A now disbanded division of the Canadian military torturing a kid to death in the 90s, and taking hero pics with him while doing it… I think it’s important to remember when your country does something shitty – it’s not always the “bad guys” who can be fucking evil.

7. This seems awfully small and petty when, you know, actual life should scare people enough.

Devil Eyes

The plan after 9/11 to make figurines that look like Osama Bin Laden and give them to kids in South Asia. After it’s left in the sun for a certain amount of time, it’s face would peel off to reveal a “demon-like visage with red skin, green eyes, and black markings,” basically a demon. The objective was to scare kids and their parents so Bin Laden and Al Qaeda would lose support.

6. This idea was actually floated, so what’s not possible?

Operation Northwoods; A plan for a false flag operation that came from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Department of Defense in 1962 and given to JFK who turned it down. The plan called for the CIA to commit terrorist actions against US Civilians across the United States and frame Cuba, allowing us the right to invade and depose Castro and the communist government there. It was declassified and can be found online at the JFK Library. Terrifying that no one knows or seems to care that this was suggested by our government to the President.

5. We have to prepare for all contingencies.

The Nixon Administration had a speech prepared for if the moon landing had failed, and it’s chilling.

You can read it here

4. The Manhattan Project was terrifying from the ground up.

My hometown was littered woth radioactive waste by the federal government as part of the Manhattan project. https://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/01/nyregion/big-atom-waste-site-reported-found-near-buffalo.html

then we wonder why cancer and thyroid conditions thereare the norm.

3. It really seems likely that we’re going to wipe ourselves out on accident.

There are over 50 mishaps with nuclear weapons by the US Airforce in the 1950s alone.

2. So as you can see, we’ve never been a society that puts children first.

They tested Iodine on “retarded children” as well. In that time, oftentimes orphans and children who were behind in school ended up at these institutions.

The US government also inserted radioactive material into a man after a motorcycle crash and didn’t tell him.

https://www.nytimes.com/1995/10/03/us/panel-urges-us-to-apologize-for-radiation-testing-and-pay-damages.html

1. Drug testing on clueless citizens. That’s not scary.

Operation Midnight Climax

The government hired sex workers to dose “johns” with LSD for research purposes so to speak

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Midnight_Climax

 

Some of these going to haunt my thoughts for weeks, and you know…the truth is out there, y’all.

Are you into conspiracy theories? Do these documents tickle your sixth sense? Let us know!

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People are No Longer Allowed to Swim with Dolphins in New Zealand

If your bucket list includes swimming with “wild” dolphins, well…you’ll have to do it somewhere other than in New Zealand.

Bottlenose dolphins are intelligent, social creatures that can be found in most of the world’s waters, and because they’re keen to interact across species lines, many people want to experience their friendliness firsthand.

The New Zealand Department of Conservation, though, says that people are “loving the dolphins too much,” and that the amount and duration of close encounters is harming the species as a whole.

This new rule, which bans swimming with dolphins, went into effect on July 1, 2019, and applies to all commercial operators around the Bay of Islands. The laws also require operators to restrict viewing and interaction time to no more than 20 minutes per trip, and closes off certain areas around Tapeka Point and Roberton Island.

Additionally, operators may only interact with dolphins in the morning or in the afternoon, but not both, so the dolphins have at least half a day to themselves.

The Department of Conservation made the decision after several different studies have shown that too much interaction with humans can affect the dolphins’ resting and feeding behaviors. One study, published in 2010, found that dolphins get extremely stressed out when touched or even approached by humans – and that it could cause psychological problems that prevent them from resting, feeding, and nurturing their young.

Research has also uncovered the sad fact that calf mortality rate is rising toward 75% in some populations, which would be the highest anyone has seen anywhere (even in captivity).

With the number of dolphins in the Bay of Islands in a drastic decline (over a 66% decrease since 1999), the government of New Zealand felt as if it was their duty to act on their behalf.

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“We had an up-close encounter with dolphins…”?⁠ ⁠ Yes, we love our cheeky dolphins in the Bay and they often come up close to play with the boat! It’s a gorgeous way to experience these creatures without climbing through crowds of tourists.⁠ ⁠ Read more of this review here:⁠ ⁠ “We have just enjoyed the most fabulous trip with Barefoot. The sail, the team Luke and Rachel, the catamaran and the food and drink were all first class.⁠ ⁠ ?We were very well looked after as we sailed to Moturua Island. ⁠ ⁠ We had an up close encounter with dolphins as an added bonus, entirely of the dolphins choice. The scenery and the knowledge the staff have of the area made it both stunning and informative. ⁠ ⁠ The trip was superb value for money. We highly recommend this trip!”⁠ ⁠ Thank you so much for sharing your day with us and for choosing our experience. It was so much fun to see you relaxing and enjoying yourselves thoroughly! ⁠ ⁠ – Rachael and Luke⁠ ⁠ #barefootsailingadventures #sailingnz #sailingbayofislands # #bayofislandsnz #bayofislandsweddings #newzealandtravel

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Hopefully the actions will help the existing dolphins live happier, more natural lives, and maybe, in time, encourage more offspring and growing pods for everyone to enjoy.

I love dolphins as much as the next person, but if they’re not as big on people as they’ve seemed, then I say give them their space.

As a fellow introvert, I can definitely relate.

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10 Facts That Just Might Send You Down a Long Rabbit Hole

There’s almost nothing more exciting than learning about new subjects and then doing a DEEEEP dive into them. It could be history, science, sports, pop culture, politics, etc.

It’s all fair game! And with the Internet, we literally have all the information in the world at our fingertips. That’s why Wikipedia was invented, right? So don’t waste that special opportunity!

Here are 10 facts that might pique your interest and send you down a path of new knowledge.

1. Now, that’s loud!

Photo Credit: did you know?

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2. Trailblazers

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3. Do you have this condition?

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4. Public Enemy #1

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5. Grimalkin

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6. Good use of resources

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7. Give it a shot!

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8. This is so bizarre

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9. Super Women

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10. Yes! Books rule!

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What do you think? You a little more motivated to learn about some new topics after looking over those facts?

I know I am!

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These Easy Back-To-School Tips Might Have Teachers Cheering

Teachers, listen up! With everyone back to school, here are a few teacher life hacks to help you get through the year!

10. A wireless doorbell can silence a class and save your voice.

9. This pillowcase hack will keep your room organized.

8. Keep your tissue boxes from walking away.

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What’s the best way to show you the most amazing teacher hack ever? With an animated version of how it works, of course! . . Are you tired of the tissue box going missing? Are you concerned about all the germs on the box? If you are, go snag yourself one of these bad boys! . . I bought my under the counter thingy at Walmart, trimmed the grate to fit where the entire tissue comes out. Shake the box up really good so the tissues loosen up inside and they come out easier. Hang it in a convenient spot and you’re good to go! If you need a tutorial of how I did mine, go check out my highlight story “Tissue Box Hanging Thingy Hack” . . . #teachovertherainbow #texas #iteachintexas #texasteachersofinstagram #teachintheheartoftexas #texasteachertribe #texasteachers #4thgradeteacher #4thgrade #iteach4th #libertyelementary #LISD #teachersofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #tftpickme #iteachtoo #teacherlife #teachersofig #teachergram #teachermom #teachersofinsta #teacherlove #allthingsrainbow #classroompinspirations

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7. This glue hack will save teachers money while keeping craft time neat and tidy.

6. Keep your students focused on reading with these easy-to-make reading strips.

5. Salt shakers are a great tool to keep glitter organized (if not totally contained).

4. A closet shoe organizer can hold almost anything.

3. With the help of a few household items, you can create a fun word game.

2. Eliminate lost pencils by having your students place them in personalized toothbrush cases.

1. And lastly, teachers. Set an alarm and remember to leave work at a decent time. You need your rest!

 

You got this teachers – we’re rooting for you!

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8 Nouns That Only Have a Plural Form

English, as you might have realized by now, can be a difficult language (if you’re trying to learn it, anyway). The rules are fluid, there’s always an exception, and common sense doesn’t really apply the way it does to the “other” romance languages, or even German.

In that vein, I present to you 8 nouns that only come in multiples – meaning you can’t have just one of them, because there is no singular form.

8. Jitters

Some moods or feelings, like jitters, blues, doldrums, are only available in multitudes, sadly. You’re not allowed to have a single willy (of the creeped-out variety) or one heebie-jeebie (even if you’d rather stop there).

7. Scissors

You say “give me the scissors,” not “hand me a scissor,” even though it’s a singular tool. Others are similar (pliers, tongs, tweezers) but not all – you can have one clamp, one bear trap, and one flat iron, even though they, too, are made of joined parts.

Have fun figuring that one out.

6. Shenanigans

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#doit ? #shenanigans ? #rebelcircus #lifesnotalwaysafairytale ❤

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If you’d rather have one shenanigan instead of several, well, you’re out luck. You also cannot have a heroic, or go into a hysteric. Womp-womp.

5. Glasses

Like goggles and binoculars, the word is only plural, even though a “pair of” can be singular. They’re considered a unit made of connected parts, yet only referred to in the plural form.

4. Remains

There’s a small group of words for things that are left behind – remains, leftovers – and you’re not allowed to have a single one of them.

3. Pants

You’d be hard pressed to find a word for clothing that provides separate holes for two legs that’s a singular noun – shorts, jeans, skinnies, leggings, capris, panties, etc, all follow the plural rule even though they’re a single cut of fabric.

Fun fact: We also refer to brands in the same manner, like Levis, even though it’s actually a possessive – Levi’s – not a plural.

2. Suds

This is a strange one, because most words for masses of stuff made of other, smaller stuff will be a singular noun (rice, sugar, salt), but not suds – it’s a plural noun and has plural agreement (the suds are all over the bathroom), perhaps because a single sud is…what? No one is sure.

Or perhaps just because the people who invented English like to screw with us.

1. Riches

There are a few nouns that refer to possession or ownership – furnishings, belongings, earnings, valuables – and they’re all plural. So score one for consistency, at least.

 

Interesting, right? I thought so!

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15 Stunning Gardens Around the World You Might Want to Visit

If you’re a garden lover, take note of these spots. Like to take long strolls through acres of plants in absolute silence? My personal favorite place to do this is at the Ringling Museum in Sarasota, Florida. The grounds are so spectacular that I can literally spend hours there just walking around.

Here are 15 gardens around the world that you might want to seek out if you happen to be in the neighborhood.

1. Jardin Majorelle — Marrakech, Morocco

2. Allan Gardens Conservatory — Toronto, Canada

3. The Ruth Bancroft Garden — Walnut Creek, California

4. Longwood Gardens — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

5. The Garden of Cosmic Speculation — Dumfries, Scotland

6. Jardim Botânico — Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

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"Meu coração, sem direção Voando só por voar Sem saber onde chegar Sonhando em te encontrar E as estrelas Que hoje eu descobri No seu olhar As estrelas vão me guiar Se eu não te amasse tanto assim Talvez perdesse os sonhos Dentro de mim E vivesse na escuridão Se eu não te amasse tanto assim Talvez não visse flores Por onde eu vim Dentro do meu coração" #thanksgod?  #prewedding #gratidao #behappy? #errejota #rj #riodejaneiro #rio #riosunset #visitrio #destinorj #arpoador #instabrasil #lovetotravel #melhoresdestinos #travel #instariodejaneiro #jardimbotanico #ipanemabeach #riolovers #cidademaravilhosa #natureza #brasil?? #southamerica #instalike #instaphoto #voegoloficial #instagram #instalove #instatravel @davisantosfotografia

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7. Jardín Etnobotánico de Oaxaca — Oaxaca, Mexico

8. Le Château de Villandry — Loire Valley, France

9. Hortus Botanicus — Amsterdam, The Netherlands

10. The Butchart Gardens — British Columbia, Canada

11. Lotusland — Santa Barbara, California

12. Arctic-Alpine Botanic Garden — Tromsø, Norway

13. The New York Botanical Garden — New York City

14. Kenroku-en — Kanazawa, Japan

15. Les Jardins de Marqueyssac — Dordogne, France

Those places all look pretty spectacular, don’t they?

Do you have a favorite garden that didn’t make the list? Share in the comments!

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15 Teachers Recall the Most Obvious Crush a Student Ever Had

These 15 teachers had no trouble telling when these students were crushing, and though the instances range from sweet to awkward, they all have one thing in common – it definitely wasn’t a secret.

15. Points for creativity but I doubt the police would consider them a get out of jail free.

Working as a substitute teacher, i had a sixth grader hand in a poem that went: “Roses are red, violets are Blue I am single, how about you?”

She also worked her phone number into another poem she handed in.

14. I’m going to go ahead and cringe for everyone reading this.

Not a teacher, but this one girl had such a blatantly huge crush on my film studies teacher when we were 15/16 – she herself was mixed-race and would ask the poor guy if he “preferred white chocolate, dark chocolate or caaaaaramelwinkyface” safe to say that was awkward for everyone present in the room

13. There’s never a wrong time to quote Mary Poppins.

Back when I was teaching preschool. Three-year-olds don’t do subtle. He always wanted to hold my hand when we went on walks, to sit next to me at circle time, and just to look at me with puppy eyes. It was adorable, but at the same time it was a relief when he grew out of it.

Years later, I was teaching an all-boy class at a vocational high school and was lucky enough to get a bright new teacher on a Comenius exchange to co-teach the class with me. She was also quite attractive and the boys…. reacted. Since it was an English language class, I got a kick out of doing my best Mary Poppins impression: “Close your mouth, please, we are not a codfish.”

12. Is it just me, or does this sound like potentially dangerous behavior?

I teach at a local university and I’ve had a few including one who used to sketch me during class, one who tried to put his arm around me, etc. The most obvious and persistent was a student who used to follow me after class every day, show up at my office “just to talk,” and spent all of his time attempting to look down my shirt. He ended up dropping out of college halfway through the semester.

11. If that’s not a perfect history teacher response, I don’t know what is!

I’m not a teacher, but I do have a story of when I was a HS student. It was my senior year and I had a crush on this young history teacher. he would come on model un trips with us as a chaperone so he knew who I was. It was my birthday and he heard from a different teacher across the hall. He said “happy birthday” to me, and my response was “thanks, I’m 18.” I blurted it out very quickly and realized literally the second it left my mouth how inappropriate it was. His response, “well you can vote now!”

10. Now that kid has all of our hearts, let’s be honest.

I had a student who had a rough life. Mom pretty much abandoned him,and grandma was raising him by pawning him off to family on the weekends. I knew he was going to have a rough life if someone didn’t step in and let him know he mattered. He asked me one day how I would know if someone loved me. I jokingly replied that that person would bring me coffee in the morning. A few days later he came into the gym with a huge smile and a cup of gas station coffee. He walked right up and handed it to me along with a bag of creamers and sugars. He said he didn’t know how I liked my coffee so he grabbed one of each. He saved his allowance, and asked his grandma to leave for school early so he could stop by the gas station. The next year he brought me a coffee mug so I could remember him when I drank my morning coffee. That kid will always have my heart.

9. I have no idea how teachers handle social media these days.

In the days of msn, I got a chat invite from someone who had the same last name as me. I assumed it was a relation, but they didn’t say anything and so I left for a bit to eat. I came back and saw a couple more people had been added to the chat and saw they’d been talking about me. I realised they were students because they referred to me as ‘Miss –‘. They were teasing one of the others for his crush on me and he was defending my ‘massive ass’ as ‘hot’.

8. Props to that guy for keeping his private life so totally under wraps for 4 years.

I had a crush on my teacher in high school. After I graduated, I asked him out to lunch with my best friend and me. He agreed. We met up a few days later and he walked in… with his husband. That was a rough day for me.

7. Well, that was a quick turnaround, but props for logic and math abilities.

I had a kid ask me to marry him the other day. Then he proceeded to say I would be way to old for him by the time he was old enough to get married.

6. He had that followup ready to go!

I had a student ask me if I was married….yes. This was followed by, “but are you happily married?” I started teaching way too young.

Edit: Appreciate the silver and gold! I’m glad to have amused y’all with my awkward moment.

5. That’s definitely hard to hide, right guys?

When I was playing Hamlet in the school play, and the girl playing Ophelia got stage fright at the last minute, so the drama teacher had to costume up and sub in for her, on her knees in a low-cut bodice, hanging onto my leg, and screaming, “Oh, help him, you sweet heavens!”.

I got a boner in front of 500 people.

4. You might be easily forgotten, but you might not. First loves are tricky!

I taught Pre-K and one student always wanted to he around me and would pretend to slip up and call me mom. He saw my phone had a screensaver of me and my at the time boyfriend and he got all mad and said I should break up with him lol. Kids are adorable, I doubt he’ll remember me in a few years

3. That’s such a tough situation to handle.

I was a special needs teacher. There was zero subtlety. One student would constantly try to lift up my skirt.

2. Toxic masculinity rears its ugly head again.

I teach at a university and students ask me out. I had a student once ask me out in front of the class while I was teaching, but I think it was more a power move than anything else.

Edit: Bonus story! I teach a sexuality class and a student brought up negging. I asked the class for a definition and one dude goes, “you’re pretty for a sociologist.” The entire class was horrified that he had negged me.

1. Ah, the sweet innocence of little children.

I taught preschool and the owners grandson would tell everyone we were going to get married once he was done with first grade. He even gave me mittens with hearts on them because hearts are for love.
He’s in middle school now and doesn’t remember me. ??‍♀️

Just one more reason teachers are saints because I’m not sure I could be so consistently gracious.

Have you ever had a crush on a teacher? Did they know about it? Tell us what happened in the comments!

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This Is Why Some Power Lines Have Brightly-Colored Balls on Them

If you’ve paid attention, you’ve probably seen those reddish-orange balls that hang like Christmas lights on power lines here and there, but have you ever stopped to wonder why they adorn some and not others? Is there a reason, or do the electrical companies in some towns just feel more festive than in others?

The verdict is out on whether electricians look at the balls and feel a holiday spirit, but there is a reason for the balls: they’re to keep aircrafts safe.

The helpful little orbs are called visibility marker balls (or just marker balls), and they help make power lines more obvious to low-flying planes and helicopters. The reason you don’t see them everywhere is because they’re typically used near mountain passes, deep valleys, major freeway crossings, and airports – all locations where airplanes are more common and run a greater risk of getting tangled in cables they couldn’t see in time.

Marker balls are regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), including specifications as far as size and shake. Their diameter must be at least 36 inches on wires that cross canyons, lakes, and rivers but can be as small as 20 inches across on power lines below 50 feet above ground and within 1500 feet of the end of an airport runway.

They’re also required to be spaced evenly – 200-foot intervals on regular wires and 30-50 feet intervals near the ends of runways.

Lines that sport fewer than four balls will be “aviation orange,” but otherwise, the markers should alternate between orange, white, and yellow.

Marker balls came about in the 1970s, when then-Arkansas governor Winthrop Rockefeller noticed how close he came to power lines while landing his aircraft, and they have also come to assist boats in the same manner.

They’re installed by the power companies (sometimes by helicopter), and they allow pilots and boat captains everywhere tpo sleep a little easier.

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10 People Who Prove There Is No Act of Kindness Too Small

Acts of kindness can come in many shapes and forms: holding open a door, to saying good morning to a stranger, or leaving a huge tip for a waiter having a bad day. These folks have gone above and beyond in their quest to spread kindness, and let’s all just give them a hand.

It’s so nice to hear about people being nice, right?

10. This guy who changed a tire for a stranded woman.

9. This gal who left a $200 tip to support a waiter in time of need.

8. A stranger who paid for this lady’s breakfast to get her on her way.

7. Someone offered this man a new set of tennis shoes.

6. The substitute teacher who left a complimentary note to a principal.

5. This guy who used Venmo to send free coffee to a friend.

4. This cute note from a mom who made her daughter smile.

3. This guy who swapped airline seats with a first time flyer

2. The animal lover who helped pay for this dog’s surgery.

1. The apartment tenant who left little notes of inspiration and kindness all around the building.

Hope these made your day because they sure improved mine!

And if you ever met someone who did something kind for you that you’d like to share, put it in the comments!

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