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Society & Social Issues

A collection of 159 issues

From Millionaire to Meth Kingpin: The 18-Month Downfall of a Georgia Lottery Winner

A Georgia man won a $3 million lottery prize and, within 18 months, invested it into a meth trafficking empire. This is the story of Ronnie Music Jr.'s rapid descent from sudden wealth to a 21-year federal prison sentence for his role as a drug kingpin.

14 Aug 2025 2 min read

Forbidden Faith: How Albania Became the World's First Atheist State and Found Harmony in the Aftermath

In 1967, dictator Enver Hoxha declared Albania the world's first atheist state. This proclamation launched a brutal, decades-long campaign to eradicate all religion, a stark contrast to the country's renowned religious tolerance today.

14 Aug 2025 3 min read

The Quiet Exodus: The Twilight of the American Nun

The population of U.S. nuns is in a steep, terminal decline. With an average age of 80 and numbers projected to fall below 1,000 by 2042, this once-vital presence in American communities faces extinction due to massive societal shifts and a changing world.

14 Aug 2025 2 min read

When Pests Faced Prosecution: The Curious Case of the French Winemakers Who Sued Weevils in 1545

In 1545, desperate winemakers in Saint-Julien, France, took a unique approach to a pest problem. They formally sued the green weevils devastating their vineyards in an ecclesiastical court, complete with lawyers for both the humans and the insects, in a bid to save their harvest.

14 Aug 2025 3 min read

From PhD Student to Gang Leader: The Unbelievable True Story of Sudhir Venkatesh

To study urban poverty, sociology PhD student Sudhir Venkatesh embedded with a Chicago gang for nearly a decade. In the ultimate test of his research, the gang's leader made him their boss for a day, revealing the complex reality of life on the streets.

14 Aug 2025 2 min read

Six Days in July: The Story of Trinidad and Tobago's 1990 Islamist Coup Attempt

In 1990, the Jamaat al Muslimeen launched a violent coup attempt in Trinidad and Tobago, seizing parliament and the state TV station. Led by Yasin Abu Bakr, they held Prime Minister A.N.R. Robinson and other officials hostage for six days, plunging the nation into chaos.

14 Aug 2025 3 min read

The Great Paradox: Why So Few Japanese Citizens Use the World's Most Powerful Passport

Despite possessing one of the world's most powerful passports, only about 17% of Japanese citizens have one. This isn't a lack of curiosity, but a reflection of Japan's incredible domestic travel options, a demanding work culture, a weak yen, and perceived language barriers.

14 Aug 2025 2 min read

The Accidental Millionaire: How a $10M Bank Error Led to a Global Manhunt and a Missing Fortune

When his bank mistakenly gave him a $10 million overdraft, Leo Gao fled New Zealand. After a 2-year run living large in Asia, he was caught, served just 16 months in prison, and was released while $3.7 million of the bank's money remains missing to this day.

14 Aug 2025 2 min read

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was fired from a 1860s Mississippi series called Riverboat after he intensely argued with producers who insisted on excluding all black people from the show.

Gene Roddenberry, creator of Star Trek, was fired from the 1860s-set series *Riverboat* after intense disputes with producers. He fought to include Black characters, but producers insisted on an all-white cast, a conflict highlighting his early commitment to diversity.

14 Aug 2025 3 min read

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