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Society & Social Issues

A collection of 184 issues

Silence, Superstition, and a Mob: The Tragic 1863 Witch Trial of 'Dummy'

In 1863, a deaf-mute fortune teller known as "Dummy" was accused of witchcraft in Sible Hedingham. A mob subjected him to an "ordeal by water," leading to his death from pneumonia. His attackers received a mere six-month sentence, a chilling echo of an older, brutal era.

16 Aug 2025 3 min read

The Strange Saga of the Wendel Family: New York's Millionaire Recluses and a Dog Named Toby

The Wendels were a Gilded Age real estate dynasty who lived as recluses in their Fifth Avenue mansion, shunning modernity. The last heir, Ella, became famous for her isolated life and her long line of poodles, all of whom were named Toby.

16 Aug 2025 3 min read

17 Years a Ghost: The Chilling Murder of Margaret Fleming and the Carers Who Lived a Lie

Margaret Fleming, a vulnerable woman with learning difficulties, was murdered by her carers in Scotland around 1999. They concealed her death for 17 years, claiming benefits in her name. Edward Cairney and Avril Jones were convicted in 2019, though her body has never been found.

16 Aug 2025 3 min read

The 0.0004% Club: Inside the Unbelievable Feat of Getting Into Every Ivy League School

From 2014-2022, only 19 US students were accepted into all eight Ivy League schools, a feat achieved by just 0.0004% of applicants. This article explores the anatomy of these unicorn applications, the motivations behind them, and what their success reveals about elite college admissions.

16 Aug 2025 2 min read

Betting the Bank: The Chinese Heist Fueled by Lottery Tickets and Desperation

Two bank managers stole millions from their vault to buy lottery tickets, hoping to win big and return the cash. Their disastrous plan netted them only US$12,700. They were caught, and the ultimate price for their high-stakes gamble was execution.

16 Aug 2025 2 min read

Buried Fortune, Poisoned Wells? The Story of Virginia's Forbidden Uranium

Beneath Virginia's rolling hills lies the largest U.S. uranium deposit, a potential energy goldmine. However, a decades-long state ban, upheld by the Supreme Court, keeps it buried due to fears of catastrophic groundwater contamination in the state's wet climate.

16 Aug 2025 3 min read

La Quintrala: The Blood-Red Legend of Chile's Cruelest Landowner

Catalina de los Ríos y Lísperguer, “La Quintrala,” was a 17th-century Chilean landowner famed for her red hair and beauty. Her legend is defined by accusations of witchcraft, sadistic cruelty, and the murder of dozens, making her a haunting figure in South American folklore.

16 Aug 2025 3 min read

Good Women Who Row Like Devils: The Forgotten Story of Stockholm's Roddarmadam

For nearly 500 years, Stockholm's waterways were ruled by the Roddarmadam—fiercely independent female rowers. Known for their coarse language and incredible strength, these water taxi operators were a vital, formidable part of city life, famously described as "good women who row like devils!"

16 Aug 2025 2 min read

The Day a Cartoon Alien Shut Down Boston: Revisiting the $2M 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' Bomb Scare

In 2007, Boston mistook LED ads for the show 'Aqua Teen Hunger Force' as bombs, sparking a city-wide panic. The response, involving numerous agencies, cost the city and Turner Broadcasting a combined $2 million, all for a guerrilla marketing campaign gone wrong.

16 Aug 2025 2 min read

Moll Cutpurse: The Cross-Dressing, Pipe-Smoking Queen of London's 17th-Century Underworld

Mary Frith (c.1584–1659), aka Moll Cutpurse, was a notorious London outlaw who defied gender norms. Dressed in men's clothes, she became a legendary pickpocket, fence, and underworld figure, so famous she was immortalized in a play while still alive.

16 Aug 2025 2 min read

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