Author: Matt Gilligan

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Solve a Wizarding World Murder on This California Wine Train

The Napa Valley Wine Train is exactly what it sounds like; a train you can ride in northern California on which you can drink and feel fancy.

Oh, but you don’t know the half of it. Because, faithful readers, they offer sooooo much more than just a luxurious, 3-hour loop.

This year they’re partnering with The Murder Mystery Company (which is also exactly what it sounds like) to offer up exclusive whodunnit experiences over dinner as you coast through the California countryside and inevitably slip into a mid-Atlantic accent hunting down your killer.

If you’ve got the cash to make the trip (you’ll need $350-$500 per person), you can pick the theme of your sleuthing adventure from a lineup on offer throughout the year. These themes include Death of a Gangster, Totally 80’s Totally Murder, Dance with Death, and, most intriguing to Harry Potter fans ’round the web, Wizarding World (aka “Wizard and Witches,” as it’s listed elsewhere on their site.)

The wizard theme does not appear to be an official Harry Potter experience; probably a different story set in the same genre. Nevertheless, the ears of muggles everywhere perked up at the chance to be part of the enchantment.

Word spread fast, and at time of posting, the limited dates for Wizarding World are already sold out – 7 months in advance.

You can browse the other intriguing themes and watch for any opening on their ticketing site here.

Here’s all the dates remaining, and their themes:

Crime and Punishment:
Saturday, March 21st
Saturday, April 25th
Friday, May 29th
Saturday, June 27th
Saturday, October 10th
Saturday, November 7th
Saturday, November 14th

Death of a Gangster:
Friday, May 15th
Friday, June 12th
Thursday, August 27th

Totally 80s Totally Murder:
Thursday, July 16th

Dance with Death:
Thursday, July 30th

Now You See It, Now You Don’t:
Thursday, August 13th

Till Death Do Us Part:
Thursday, September 10th
Thursday, September 24th

Wizards and Witches:
Saturday, October 17th
Saturday, October 24th

The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year:
Saturday, December 5th

So what do you think? Does it sound worth the price?

Tell us which experience you’d be most excited to try in the comments.

(Full disclosure – this isn’t a sponsored post or anything, but coincidentally I actually used to work with The Murder Mystery Company and am a little jealous of the cast that gets to work this quirky venue. Though I’d imagine the green room is a little tight.)

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A Driver Found Out They Had Car in the Wrong Gear for 4 Years

I don’t know a whole lot about cars. But it’s refreshing to find out about people who know even less than me.

Reddit user SmallBirdFeedMeFries shared their tale of vehicular incompetence on the r/TIFU (“today I f***ed up”) subreddit much to the glee of the commenters.

This story reminds me of the classic Mitch Hedberg joke:

“Sometimes I don’t know what’s going on with the car, and I’ll drive for ten miles with the emergency brake on.

That doesn’t say a lot for me, but it doesn’t say a lot for the emergency brake.

It’s not really an emergency brake, it’s an emergency make-the-car-smell-funny lever.”

*sigh* I miss Mitch.

Okay, on to the hilarious reddit post!

Starts off fine. Then the troubles begin.

Then the hero we need steps in.

The combination of relief and embarrassment is a big mood.

The writer provided a picture in their defense, and honestly, this is a little confusing.

Yeah, whoever designed this should be fired. That is HORRIBLE.

But hey, what’s the biggest mistake you’ve ever made with a car? That you’re willing to admit…

Tell us the juicy details in the comments!

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Americans Describe Life in the Country and Their States in Spooky Prose

If you’ve looked at one of those size comparison maps where, say, Texas is overlayed on Central Europe, you start to get a sense for how unnervingly vast The United States is.

Even with a population of around 330 million, life for many Americans can feel like living in a strange ghost town. A lot of great literature and poetry has been written about the American experience, and if any of that captures your imagination, then you definitely need to check out this surreal Tumblr thread, in which writers spin dreadfully fascinating descriptions of the soul of their home states.

It’s pretty chillingly good. Enjoy!

12. America

11. Maine

10. New Mexico

9. Minnesota

8. Maryland

7. Colorado

6. California

5. New Jersey

4. West Virginia

3. Ohio

2. Texas

1. Florida

How would you describe life in your hometown/state?

Wax poetic for us in the comments! And, of course, make it spooky AF!

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People Reflect on Why They Think Life is Pretty Awesome

Life can be a drag, amirite? Someday’s it seem out to get you. But self-reflection of all that is good can change your outlook on life.

Take these 18 examples of people who share their silver lining.

Because let’s face it, life’s actually awesome.

18. A second chance at life

In terms of my own life – being in remission and fully recovering from cancer, sometimes I have to remind myself that other people aren’t so lucky

17. Parenting bliss

My six year old running up to me after work, giving me a kiss and asking me to play Legos.

16. Music does heal

The fact that music exists.

I probably wouldn’t have gotten through halve the things I’ve been through without music.

15. Cuddle the kitty

My cat. Every morning after I take a shower he walks with me from the bathroom to the bedroom and plops down on the bed for me to rub his belly and curl up with him. If I don’t he cries.

He was a rescue and an actual rescue. He was abandoned on the street, had respiratory diseases and was left for dead as the runt of the litter. Yet he’s in love with everyone and wants to play and cuddle no matter what.

14. Giving back

Helping people in little ways. I work in retail and the best part of my day is a customer asking for help and being so so grateful when I help them.

You would think it’s common decency but people just need a hand sometimes.

13. Enjoy the little things

I can enjoy a video game, take a relaxing walk, eat a nice meal or any number of things to enjoy life.

12. The angels among us

Seeing people do good for no reason.

Altruism is beautiful and counterintuitive.

11. Coffee is a hug in a mug

Sorry for a simple answer…coffee.

Just reminds me that everything will be ok even if it isn’t at the moment.

10. Find your soulmate

I have the best husband I could have found for myself. He balances my neuroses out with his natural calm. He’s one of the kindest, most self-giving people I know. He’s my rock when I’m unwell, whether it’s physically or emotionally. I had to move away from my own family and friends when I married him, but he’s worth it.

9. Simple…

Dogs.

8. Social media cleanse

Getting off the Internet and just living my day to day life.

Not everyone has to be turned up to 11 all the time, and not everything has to be the best or worst thing that’s ever happened. I’ve noticed the less time I spend on reddit, the less cynical & salty my outlook of things in general.

7. Sandy and Danny would agree

Well I’m really looking forward to summer nights – my family arrives and we just chill until 2am outside.

Yea we get like 69 mosquito bites but it’s worth it.

6. The mid-day sleep

Waking up from a nap.

Over the past little while I always wake up feeling fabulous.

5. Endorphins make life happy

Honestly, going to the gym.

it feels so good to know your own health is in your hands, you can feel yourself getting stronger the more you go, and i feel so much more productive after i’ve gone.

4. Wash the day away

I’ve never come home to the utilities turned off as an adult like I had to as a child. Of course I’ve had financially tough times, but I’ve always managed to have light to read and a hot shower.

3. Be one with nature

Hiking/connecting with nature

2. Life goals

My current Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

As in, everything about it.

And I’m the DM.

1. *high-five* to this reality

That no matter what I go through, it could always be worse.

Way worse.

These were so awesome, I’m gonna write a few of my own “good things” down.

Give us a shout out in the comments on things you cherish in life!

The post People Reflect on Why They Think Life is Pretty Awesome appeared first on UberFacts.

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Scotland is the First Country in the World to Make Sanitary Products Free for Everyone

“Period poverty” is a real thing. A study showed that girls and young women in the United Kingdom have a hard time affording sanitary products and the numbers are pretty staggering: 15% said they struggle to afford them at all, and 19% said they’ve changed over to cheaper products to cut down on costs.

Seems like a sad state of affairs, don’t you think?

That’s why this news is so encouraging. Scotland became the first country in the world to provide free pads and tampons to anyone who needs them in the country.

The hope is that the decision will lead to other countries following suit and that menstrual hygiene will be viewed around the globe as a human right.

The law was introduced by Monica Lennon, who said,

“These are not luxury items.

They are indeed essential and no one in Scotland should have to go without period products.”

Scotland has been paving the way for this important decision for a while now. Two years ago, the country became the first in the world to offer free sanitary products to all students at schools and universities.

Some are hoping the movement takes hold in the United States as well.  New York Congresswoman Grace Meng said,

“The fact that there are people who aren’t able to afford these products, and as a result, may miss school, may miss work, face certain stigma — I think it’s a human rights issue that, especially in the United States of America, women should not have to be dealing with.”

As of now, there are only 15 states in the U.S. that offer sanitary products tax-tree. The new law in Scotland assures that these products will be available for free at youth centers, community centers, and pharmacies.

What do you think about this? Would you like to see this happen in your country?

Tell us what you think in the comments!

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This is How Doctors and Nurses Protect Themselves From Infectious Patients

We are living in scary times right now. News about the coronavirus seems to escalate every single day, major events and are shutting down, and travel is being restricted around the globe.

We keep hearing about how we can try to stay healthy right now: wash your hands, don’t touch your face, avoid crowded places, etc. But what about the people on the front lines? What about the doctors and nurses who actually have to deal with sick people day in and day out? How do they protect themselves from patients that they know are ill?

There are certain protocols that doctors and nurses follow just like the rest of us.

First, they don’t touch a patient unless it’s absolutely necessary and they wash their hands before and after they deal with each individual patient.

Obviously, there are other ways that illnesses and diseases can be transmitted, especially when it comes to bodily fluids. That’s why Doctors and nurses go out of their way to never risk getting their bare skin to touch with a patient’s blood or any other kind of bodily fluid, even if the person has not tested positive for any kind of infection.

09/05/2011 EMBARAZO SALUDABLE PARA OAXAQUEÑAS

Health care workers will sometimes wear gloves and gowns to protect themselves from patients who are sick. If a person has an infection that spreads by coughing or sneezing, doctors and nurses might wear surgical masks and stand up to six feet away from patients to avoid any and all germs.

Health care workers also stay up-to-date on their immunizations, which helps them avoid sickness.

Flu Shot

So the bottom line is that doctors and nurses use a combination of basic common sense and time-tested methods to avoid getting sick in places that jam-packed full of sick people.

Be safe out there and take every precaution you can to make sure you’re keeping yourself and those around you as healthy as possible.

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A Torso with No Head Found in a Cave in Idaho 40 Years Ago Is Confirmed to Be a Missing Murderer

This is the type of true story that needs to be turned into a book or a movie ASAP.

On August 26, 1979, a family was exploring Buffalo Cave in Clark County, Idaho, expecting to uncover some arrowheads.

Posted by David Reinke on Monday, September 23, 2019

What they found instead buried in a shallow grave was shocking: a dismembered torso wrapped in a burlap sack.

The torso was clothed in dark pants, a pinstriped shirt, and a maroon sweater.

The identity of the body was a mystery to authorities. In 1991, a mummified hand was found in the same cave system. Later, an arm and two legs were all found wrapped in burlap as well. Because no head was found, the case remained cold, despite efforts by many organizations, including the FBI.

In 2019, authorities in Idaho reached out to the DNA Doe Network to see if the organization could help use forensic genealogy to help identify the remains. A genealogical tree was constructed and, with the use of historical records, the body was identified as a man named Joseph Henry Loveless who had escaped from jail in 1916.

The ash floor within the old Lava Tube, "Buffalo Cave" Where the dismembered Torso of Joseph Henry Loveless was discovered in 1979 – Dubois, Idaho.

Posted by Tanner Preston Sousley on Tuesday, February 4, 2020

Loveless was in jail for murdering his wife with an axe on May 5, 1916. He had already done time behind bars for bootlegging and had previously escaped jail by sawing through his cell’s bars. The murderer escaped again on May 18, 1916, and was never seen alive again. The “Wanted” poster for Loveless described him as wearing a red sweater and black pants, the same clothing found attached to the body in the cave.

Authorities in Clark County, Idaho, got a DNA sample from Loveless’ 87-year-old grandson in California. The sample proved that the grandson is the direct descendant of Loveless.

DNA Doe Project Case Announcement: Clark County John Doe – Idaho (1979)? Status: SOLVEDThe Clark County Sheriff’s…

Posted by DNA Doe Project on Tuesday, December 31, 2019

As for who murdered Joseph Henry Loveless after he escaped from prison, well that’s another mystery just waiting to be solved…

You can learn more about this fascinating case by reading through the official analysis HERE from Idaho State University.

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True Crime Events That Were so Disturbing They Were Turned Into Movies

There are untold interesting true crime stories out there that it’s no wonder a decent amount of them get made into films.

There is a HUGE audience out there who likes to be scared as much as possible (myself included) and it seems like the market for these movies is only growing as time goes on.

Here are 10 films that were based on true, terrifying stories that you might want to add to your list if you are a true crime buff.

These responses come to us from the Buzzfeed Community.

1. The Town That Dreaded Sundown (1976)

Based on a serial killer known as ‘The Phantom Killer’ that terrorized Texarkana in 1946 over the course of ten weeks. He attacked eight people and killed five of them…and was never caught.

The movie was remade as a loose adaptation in 2014.

2. An American Crime (2007)

This is a truly disturbing story about a 16-year-old girl who was tortured and eventually murdered by her guardian and neighborhood children in Indiana in 1965.

3. Murder By Numbers (2002)

The famous case of “thrill killers” Leopold and Loeb in the 1920s was the basis for this film.

The two wealthy young men kidnapped a killed a young boy in order to try to commit the perfect crime.

4. Bully (2001)

In 1993, a group of Florida teens murdered their friend Bobby Kent, who was prone to violent outbursts and bullying of his best friend, Marty Puccio.

This is a sleazy, creepy movie that shows the dark underbelly of suburbia in America.

5. Annabelle (2014)

Believe it or not, this creepy doll movie is based on a true story about two paranormal investigators in the 1960s who were asked to look into a possessed doll.

Yikes!

6. The Amityville Horror (1979)

The brutal murders and subsequent haunting of the Lutz family in the 1970s in their house in Amityville, Long Island, New York were the subject of a bestselling book and later this movie.

The film was remade in 2005.

7. Zodiac (2007)

The still-unsolved Zodiac murders that rocked the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s are the basis for this terrific movie from director David Fincher.

If you haven’t seen this movie, do yourself a favor and check it out?

8. In Cold Blood (1967)

Truman Capote’s classic book was turned into a movie a few years after its publication. The story is about two ex-convicts who killed a farm family in western Kansas because they thought the father had a large stash of money in the safe in the house.

The most interesting part of the film adaptation? They filmed the movie in the actual house where the murders took place in 1959.

9. Monster (2003)

Aileen Wuornos is probably the most well-known female serial killer in American history. She prowled seedy areas of Florida, working as a prostitute and murdering some of her male clients.

Wuornos was executed in 2002.

10. Bernie (2011)

This film that falls into the true crime and dark comedy categories starring Jack Black is based on the murder of a Texas woman named Majorie Nugent by her friend, Bernie Tiede.

How many of these movies have you seen?

Are there any films based on creepy, true events that you’d like to add to the list?

Let us know in the comments!

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Interesting Facts About the Women of NASA

NASA has been seen as kind of a boy’s club for years, but the fact is that women have contributed greatly to the agency for many decades.

Enjoy these great facts about women’s contributions to NASA.

1. Sally Ride taught them a lesson.

The late Sally Ride taught the boys at NASA a lesson before her historic space flight in 1983. The men who packed her things for her flight asked if 100 tampons would be enough for her weeklong trip.

Ride responded, “No. That would not be the right number” and cut that number in half.

2. Did you know this?

The American who has spent the most time in space is actually a woman. In 2017, astronaut Peggy Whitson became the astronaut to spend the most cumulative time in space when she broke the previous record of 534 days, 2 hours and 48 minutes.

In 2016, Whitson became the oldest woman to go to space at the age of 56 and became the first female to command the International Space Station TWICE.

Hats off to her.

3. The ladies were doing just fine.

Photo Credit: NASA

Women actually outperformed famous astronaut John Glenn on pre-flight tests in the early 1960s. A group of women known as the Mercury 13 went through the same training and tests as Glenn and his fellow astronauts and did better than Glenn on some of the tests.

The women’s program was scrapped in 1962 before any of the women actually went to space. At the time, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was opposed to women going to space because he wanted the program to be led by strong, masculine men in that epic competition with the Soviets.

4. She was a trailblazer.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

Kitty O’Brien Joyner became the first female engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics in 1939 and then worked for NASA when the agency was established in 1958. She specialized in the mechanics of wind tunnels and her work helped to define modern aeronautics.

5. That’s a big imprint.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

According to the latest statistics from NASA, a total of 59 women have flown in space, including 50 from NASA and 9 from other countries. The first woman to actually fly in space was Russian Valentina Tereshkova in 1963. Sally Ride became the first American woman to do so in 1983. The first female commander in space was Eileen Collins in 1999.

Those are pretty amazing facts about the contributions of women to our space program, wouldn’t you say?

Do you know some cool facts about the women of NASA?

If so, share them with us in the comments!

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A Dad Is in Hot Water After Telling His Daughter He Loves Her “More Than Anything”

Okay, okay, so it sounds like a sweet thing to say to a small child (unless you have more than one small child, and then, ouch), but if you’re someone who believes that your marriage and partner should come first – and that modeling that for your children is important – it’s not so much.

Now, I can’t say for sure that’s why this woman got so angry after overhearing what Dad thought was a nice thing to say and nothing more, but it could explain it?

He’s logged on to Am I The A**hole to be judged by a jury of random internet strangers, though, so here goes his story:

AITA for saying “I love you more than anything” to my daughter in front of my wife from AmItheAsshole

People are pretty split on this one, and it’s easy to see why.

Photo Credit: Reddit

That said, most people are coming down on the side of NTA (Not-The-A**hole) for this poor sap.

Photo Credit: Reddit

Personally, I think his wife was feeling super emotional for some reason (which is fine) and that he’s kind of a dick for calling her an irrational 3yo in the original post, but otherwise, this will blow over and they’ll both see that it was a silly thing to argue about eventually.

Do you agree? Not? Please share your reasons with us in the comments!

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