Topic

History

A collection of 336 issues

The Lost Tapes: How Axl Rose Killed the 1995 Guns N' Roses Reunion

In 1995, a GNR comeback was near. Izzy Stradlin, Duff McKagan, and Matt Sorum recorded ten demos to recapture their early sound. Axl Rose rejected nine, liking only a punk cover. The project collapsed, the tapes were shelved, and the classic lineup's last hope was extinguished.

The Secret Mexican History of Area Codes 706 and 905

Did you know the area codes for North Georgia (706) and suburban Toronto (905) weren't always for those places? Until 1991, they were special codes used by Americans and Canadians to dial directly to cities in Mexico. This is the story of how an international dialing change gave them new homes.

The 11-Time President Who Barely Showed Up: The Curious Case of Santa Anna

Antonio López de Santa Anna was Mexico's dominant political figure for decades, serving as president 11 times between 1833 and 1855. Yet, by strategically retreating to his hacienda and letting others govern, he spent less than six years in total actually holding the office he so often won.

Hollywood's Most Cursed Film Set: The Unbelievable Chaos of 'The Island of Dr. Moreau'

The 1996 production of 'The Island of Dr. Moreau' was a legendary disaster. Plagued by hurricanes, on-set egos, and personal tragedy, its curse culminated in the original director being fired, only to sneak back onto set in a creature mask to watch the chaos unfold.

The Two-Faced Words of English: Unpacking the Linguistic Paradox of Contronyms

Contronyms are words with contradictory meanings. A single word like "cleave" can mean to split apart or to cling together, while "bolt" means both to secure and to flee. These linguistic quirks reveal the fascinating evolution of language, shaped by etymology and the power of context.

Three-Twenty-and-Ten: Unlocking the Surprising Logic of Georgian Numbers

Ever tried counting in 20s? The Georgian language does just that with its vigesimal number system. Instead of 'seventy-five', Georgians say 'three-twenty-and-fifteen' (samotsdatkhutmeti). It's a fascinating linguistic quirk that challenges our base-10 assumptions about numbers.

The Siri You Never Knew: The Ambitious AI Apple Acquired, Not Invented

Apple didn't invent Siri. It was acquired in 2010 from a company spun out of a DARPA AI project. The original app had a broader, more integrated vision than the initial iPhone version, a fact that still surprises many and fuels debate about its lost potential.

An Unbreakable Honor: Sadao Munemori and the Fight for a Double Victory

In 1946, Sadao Munemori was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor, the first for a Japanese American. His ultimate sacrifice in Italy came while his family was confined in an internment camp, a stark testament to his unwavering loyalty and heroism in the face of profound injustice.