A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial

For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.

The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.

Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”

Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.

Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:

“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”

During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”

Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.

They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.

The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.

A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial

For more than a month, the staff at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra noticed that poppies laid on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier were disappearing, one at a time. They were bothered at first because that is desecration, but after a while they spotted the culprit – a pigeon who was filching the flowers and using them to build a stunning nest near a stained glass window.

The window commemorates the wounded soldier and honors the quality of endurance.

Instead of being irritated at a bird for causing trouble, the staff there chose to see it the colorful nest as “a reminder of the powerful bond between man and beast on the battlefield.”

Even though most people today see pigeons as little better than rats with wings, during many of the world’s wars, they were considered powerful allies and communication tools.

Historian Dr. Meleah Hampton reminds us why:

“Particularly in the early wars, communication is really difficult. Wireless is in its absolute infancy in the First World War and telephone wires get broken apart in the shellfire on the Western Front. So pigeons are particularly of use in warfare when you’ve got a couple of men trying to get a message from where they are back to the backline: a pigeon can get that through sometimes when nothing else can.”

During WWII, 32 pigeons were recognized with the PDSA Dickin Medal, an award given to any animal that displays conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty.

One pigeon, called White Vision, received his (or her) medal for “delivering a message under exceptionally difficult conditions and so contributing to the rescue of an aircrew while serving with the RAF in October, 1943.”

Just something to remember the next time you’re shooing them away at the park, or grumbling about the mess they’ve made of your car.

They might not be technical veterans, but on a day when we remember those who have spent part of their life in service to country, it seems fitting to remember that not everyone who sacrificed was human.

The post A Pigeon Built a Gorgeous Nest out of Poppies Stolen from a World War I Memorial appeared first on UberFacts.

Roman soldiers were given one…

Roman soldiers were given one pound of meat daily. For an army 120 sheep were killed a day just for the meat ration. Or 60 hogs. Huge flocks of livestock were herded and grazing alongside an army. Roman soldiers were a mule more than anything else. They carried very heavy gear, on bad roads.

Airplanes Aren’t Allowed to Fly Over These 5 Places

You’ve probably heard rumors about places you aren’t allowed to fly over (also, places that the Pope refuses to fly over), but it’s all just been speculation and hearsay for me up until now.

BUT NO LONGER. I did a little research and decided to learn about the actual places airplanes are not allowed to fly over and why, and here we are!

Some of these are probably pretty obvious, but some might just surprise you a little bit…

Here are 5 places in the U.S. that planes are not allowed to fly over. Enjoy!

1. Washington, D.C.

 

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It makes a lot of sense that there is a no-fly zone over D.C. Think about it: the president, congress, the Supreme Court, the seat of government is all centered in our nation’s capitol.

2. Camp David

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Have a great weekend! ––––– President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy (both at right) stand with their children, Caroline Kennedy (sitting astride her pony, »Macaroni«) and John F. Kennedy, Jr., at Camp David in Frederick County, Maryland. »Macaroni« is wearing a Moroccan saddle, which was presented as a gift for Caroline by King Hassan II of Morocco during his state visit on March 27, 1963. March 31, 1963 ––––– Photo: https://bit.ly/2K02uwj ––––– #MuseumTHEKENNEDYS #THEKENNEDYScollection #Kennedyfans #Kennedyfan #MuseumOnTour #JFKLibrary #JohnFKennedy #PresidentKennedy #KennedyFamily #Washington #CarolineKennedy #JackieKennedy #JacquelineKennedy #FirstLady #JohnFKennedyJr #Marocco #Maryland #CampDavid #tgif #HappyFriday #familytime #mylittlepony #November

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Camp David in Maryland is another residence for the president, so naturally it makes sense that the area around it would be a no-fly zone. The country retreat is about 70 miles from the White House.

3. Area 51

One of the most mysterious places in the United States, Area 51 sits in the Nevada desert and is the inspiration behind countless movies, TV shows…and memes. Area 51 is a highly-classified military base, so you know that no planes are going to be flying over this patch of land.

4. Disneyland and Disney World

 

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Okay, this might be one of the locations that you didn’t expect to see on this list. Why is it a no-fly zone, you ask? During the 1980s and 1990s, the theme parks were bombarded by aerial advertisements flying overhead and officials wanted to get rid of those nuisances. There’s also a safety component, as both parks are among the most significant tourist destinations in the country.

5. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

 

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This area covers over one million acres in Minnesota and was declared a no-fly zone back in 1949 when President Harry Truman signed an executive order. The boundary waters are one of the only few no-fly zones that are purely recreational.

Cool, right?

The post Airplanes Aren’t Allowed to Fly Over These 5 Places appeared first on UberFacts.

These Historic Images Show That Gay Men and Women Have Always Existed, Just on the Downlow

A guy who goes by the name Father Nathan Monk has been collecting photos of gay couples from the past in an effort to highlight the struggles those people went through in eras when same-sex lovers weren’t allowed to marry or even to be together.

Monk said:

“I found the photos online through a couple of different posts. I shared them because I think it’s important to remember those that come before us, those that fought, and struggled to live their authentic life. I believe it’s important to be reminded that LGBTQ+ have always been part of society and always will be. That reality should be lovingly accepted instead of shunned and ridiculed.”

Take a look at these interesting photos.

1. From the past…

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

2. In the Navy.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

3. Serving their country.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

4. On the front steps.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

5. A discreet kiss.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

6. This one looks very old.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

7. In Idaho of all places.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

8. Out in public.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

9. Clearly in love.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

10. World War II era.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

11. All dressed up.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

12. On the beach.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

13. A great photo.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

14. I wish I could get a year on this one.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

15. From Russia with love.

Posted by Father Nathan Monk on Monday, March 18, 2019

Love is love!

And it always will be.

The post These Historic Images Show That Gay Men and Women Have Always Existed, Just on the Downlow appeared first on UberFacts.

Top Gun was produced in collaboration…

Top Gun was produced in collaboration with the Pentagon to rebrand the US military’s image post-Vietnam war, and attract new Navy recruits. Top Gun was the first full-blown collaboration between Hollywood and the US military.

15 Historic Newspaper Front Pages That Will Help You Relive the past

Whether it’s online, actually holding the paper, or even scanning through microfiche for hours on end, I love seeing what was going on throughout history and how it was reported.

It’s endlessly fascinating! To me, at least.

Here are 15 newspaper covers from historic days throughout American history.

One note: the dates listed are the day the newspaper published, which don’t always match the day the incident took place.

Enjoy.

1. April 17, 1912: The Titanic sinks.

2. October 1, 1955: James Dean killed in a car wreck.

3. September 25, 1957: Troops escort nine African-American students into Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas.

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On September 25, 1957, nine African American students entered the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, escorted by military troops ordered by President Eisenhower. The Arkansas governor had previously refused to enforce integration of the school, and the troops were to protect the students from the crowd of protesting white segregationists outside the school. The highly charged situation made newspaper front pages around the United States, including this paper from Ohio. (Mansfield News-Journal, 09.25.1957). . . . . . @mansfieldnewsjournal #LittleRockNine #BlackHistory #ArkansasHistory #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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4. September 16, 1963: Four little girls are killed in a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama.

5. September 6, 1901: President William McKinley is shot by an assassin in Buffalo, New York.

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You know about the Lincoln and Kennedy assassinations, but did you know President William McKinley was also killed in office? He was shot in the chest and abdomen on September 6, 1901, while shaking hands at a public reception at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. After the shooting, McKinley at first appeared to be recovering but took a turn for the worse and died on the 14th. .. The shooting happened around 4 p.m. on the 6th, but evening edition newspapers–like this issue of New York's Evening World–were able to publish the news that same day. (The Evening World, 09.06.1901). . . . . . #newyorkhistory #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperhistory #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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6. September 1, 1939: German troops invade Poland, marking the beginning of World War II.

7. August 6, 1962: Marilyn Monroe found dead in her home in Los Angeles.

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Actress and cultural icon Marilyn Monroe was found dead in her LA home on August 5, 1962. The toxicology report revealed she had died from a barbiturate overdose–commonly believed to have been suicide. However, conspiracy theories about the cause of her death abound. .. Because of Monroe's level of fame, her sudden death made newspaper front pages both inside and outside the United States. In fact, the circulation levels of many newspapers increased that month, attributed to the public's fascination with Monroe's death. (Los Angeles Times, 08.06.1962). . . . . . @latimes #marilynmonroe #hollywood #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers #doyouremember #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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8. July 28, 1945: A plane crashes into the Empire State Building in New York City. 14 people eventually died.

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On July 28, 1945, a plane crashed into the Empire State Building in a deadly accident. The B-25 Mitchell bomber was flying low in heavy fog with poor visibility when it struck the building near the 79th floor, killing 14 people. .. This Brooklyn newspaper quoted an eye-witness as saying, "The plane hit and I saw it silhouetted against the flames. The engines had jettisoned forward into the building. For a second the plane was outlined, then the whole thing burst into a livid pillar of flame. Then there was the explosion which shook me like nothing has shaken me before." (Brooklyn Eagle, 07.29.1945). . . . . . #nychistory #newyorkhistory #empirestatebuilding #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #historical #historicalphotos #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers#otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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9. July 23, 1934: “Public Enemy #1”, gangster John Dillinger is killed by police outside a movie theater in Chicago.

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85 years ago today, on July 22, 1934, John Dillinger was killed by federal agents in Chicago. At the time of his death age 31, Dillinger was America’s Public Enemy Number 1 and the most infamous bank robber of his era. .. The news of his slaying made nearly every newspaper front page in the United States–and made Canadian front pages as well, as shown by this paper from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. (Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, 07.23.1934) . . . . . #chicagohistory #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperhistory #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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10. November 22, 1963: President John F. Kennedy shot dead in Dallas

Kennedy Assassinated

11. July 21, 1969: Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin become the first men to walk on the moon.

12. July 12, 1914: Babe Ruth makes his big league baseball debut.

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Babe Ruth played his first major league baseball game on July 11, 1914, with the Boston Red Sox. He was just 19 years old at the time. This photo comes from the Boston Globe's coverage of his debut, which described Ruth as having "a natural delivery, fine control and a curve ball that bothers the batsmen, but has room for improvement and will, undoubtedly, become a fine pitcher." (Boston Globe, 07.12.1914). . . . . . @bostonglobe #baberuth #baseball #baseballhistory #sportshistory #historyiscool #historyisfun #vintagepics #vintagephotography #vintagephotos #oldphoto #oldpic #historical #historicalphotos #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperhistory #newspaperclipping #historicalnewspapers #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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13. July 3, 1937: Pilot Amelia Earhart goes missing at sea.

14. April 19, 1906: San Francisco is rocked by a massive earthquake that kills up to 3,000 people.

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This historic San Francisco newspaper front page tells of the destructive 1906 San Francisco Earthquake, which struck on April 18 and killed 3,000 people. .. The destruction of the city from earthquake and fire was widespread. So three of San Francisco's newspapers–the Call, the Chronicle, and the Examiner–joined forces to print a combined edition (pictured here) the day after the disaster using the presses of the Oakland Tribune. (The Call-Chronicle-Examiner, 04.19.1906) . . . . . #sanfranciscohistory #californiahistory #historybuff #historylover #historygeek #historynerd #historylesson #ushistory #historygram #oldnewspaper #newspaper #newspapers #newspaperhistory #newspaperclipping #newspaperarticle #historicalnewspapers #otd #onthisday #thisdayinhistory #todayinhistory

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15. August 9, 1974: President Richard M. Nixon resigns.

That’s what I call a trip down memory lane.

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10 Facts for You to Chew On

Let’s celebrate some great facts!

You can share them with your friends, families, and enemies, and you can whip them out at your next dinner party so people get really impressed with you.

Trust me, it works.

Now memorize these facts!

1. Those programs don’t work.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

2. Bring this to the USA!

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

3. Wow, that’s quite a story.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

4. She did what she wanted.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

5. Here’s the real math.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

6.  Well, that’s disgusting.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source

7. Have you seen these?

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

8. That’s just a myth.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2

9. All kinds of weird hybrids.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

10. Runs in the family.

Photo Credit: did you know?

Source 1 Source 2 Source 3

Hip, hip, HOORAY!

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Civil War Cannonballs Were Uncovered on South Carolina Beaches Because of Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian was huge and powerful, leaving death and destruction throughout the Bahamas before moving to brush the southeastern coast of the United States.

There, it brought carnage and left floodwaters and debris, but it also uncovered something pretty special: two Civil War cannonballs that experts are saying are well over 150 years old.

Aaron Lattin and his girlfriend Alba stumbled on the find when they were walking on Folly Beach (near Charleston) on September 6th. They first thought the objects were rocks, but soon realized they’d found something pretty cool and very historical.

In 2016, Hurricane Matthew uncovered 16 similar cannonballs around the same area; it’s not unusual, since Folly Island was used as a Union base during the war. More than a few items left from their artillery battery can be stumbled upon up and down the shoreline.

Like unexploded WWII bombs uncovered in Britain, old cannonballs need to be treated with caution. In this case, police and bomb disposal technicians were called to the most recent scene to ensure the cannonballs were no longer a danger.

Mother Nature taketh away, but sometimes she gives, too. And for lovers of history everywhere, we’ll take what we can get.

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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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